Pheidole teneriffana is an Asian species with collection records scattered over several continents and islands across the globe.

Probably introduced to the Malagasy region, it was described from Madagascar as P. voeltzkowii, only one year after the publication of the senior synonym.

Morphologically, P. teneriffana can be grouped together with, and is possibly related to, P. fervens, P. indica, P. oceanica, and P. sinaitica.

In the New World, Pheidole teneriffana has been introduced to California, Cuba, Peru, and the West Indian islands.

In the Malagasy region P. teneriffana was collected on the Comoros, Mauritius, the Seychelles, and from coastal towns in Madagascar, usually from under stones, ground nests, or foraging on the ground or lower vegetation in urban or garden habitats at elevations between 2 and 296 m, on Mayotte in native littoral and secondary forest (7 m elevation).