Pheidole gombakensis

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Pheidole gombakensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Pheidole
Species: P. gombakensis
Binomial name
Pheidole gombakensis
Eguchi, 2001

Nothing is known about the biology of Pheidole gombakensis.

Identification

Eguchi (2001) - This species, together with the closest relative Pheidole poringensis, is similar to Pheidole rabo and Pheidole tsailuni among Indo-Chinese and Indo-Malay congeners, and is distinguished from P. poringensis by the characteristics noted under P. poringensis.

A single minor has been collected from Borneo, which well agrees with the paratype minor except body a little darker than that of the latter.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Southern Malay Peninsula and Borneo.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 5.016666667° to 4°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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Distribution based on AntWeb specimens

Check data from AntWeb

Countries Occupied

Number of countries occupied by this species based on AntWiki Regional Taxon Lists. In general, fewer countries occupied indicates a narrower range, while more countries indicates a more widespread species.
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Estimated Abundance

Relative abundance based on number of AntMaps records per species (this species within the purple bar). Fewer records (to the left) indicates a less abundant/encountered species while more records (to the right) indicates more abundant/encountered species.
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Biology

Castes

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

  • gombakensis. Pheidole gombakensis Eguchi, 2001b: 57, fig. 18 (s.w.) WEST MALAYSIA.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

Eguchi 2001. Figure 18.

Eguchi (2001) - The following description and measurements are based on the holotype and paratype.

Major (n=1): TL 2.2 mm, HL 0.91 mm, HW 0.78 mm, SL 0.39 mm, FL 0.49 mm, CI 86, SI 50, FI 63. Head broadest around its midlength; posterior margin of head in full-face view emarginate triangularly (Fig. 18A); head in profile not impressed on vertex (Fig. 18B). Hypostoma bearing a pair of large and stout median processes (Fig. 18C). Clypeus without a median longitudinal carina. Eye situated just in front of 1/3 distance of head (as measured from the mid-point of a transverse line spanning the anteriormost and posteriormost projecting points, respectively); distance between mandibular insertion and anterior margin of eye ca. 1.5 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina inconspicuous, extending backward to 1/3 distance of head. Antennal scrobe present only around antennal insertion. Antenna with 3-segmented club; scape extending backward to about midlength of head; terminal segment ca. 1.3 times as long as preceding two segments together. Masticatory margin of mandible with apical and preapical teeth, and a denticle in front of basal angle. Promesonotum forming a high dome, without a distinct prominence On its posterior declivity (Fig. 18D). Mesopleuron without a distinct transverse impression. Propodeal spine horn-like, with narrow base, ca. 2.5 times as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle. Petiole nearly twice as long as postpetiole (excluding helcium); petiolar node in posterior view not emarginate at apex. Postpetiole ca. 1.4 times as broad as petiolar node, angulate laterally.

Frons and gena longitudinally rugose; vertex, and dorsal and dorsolateral faces of occipital lobe reticulate; dorsum of promesonotum irregularly rugose, with smooth and shining enclosures; lateral face of promesonotum smooth and shining; mesopleuron and lateral face of propodeum weakly punctured and weakly shining; lateral faces of petiolar pedicel and postpetiole weakly punctured; dorsa of petiole and postpetiole, and gaster smooth and shining. Outer face of mandible covered with decumbent hairs, which are 0.06-0.08 mm in length and longer than distance between piligerous punctures. Body brown with lighter gaster; flagella yellowish-brown; legs slightly lighter than alitrunk.

Minor Measurements and indices (n=1): TL 1.3 mm, HL 0.42 mm, HW 0.38 mm, SL 0.36 mm, AL 0.53 mm, FL 0.38 mm, CI 90, SI 95, FI 100. Head in full-face view slightly concave posteriorly (Fig. 18E); occipital carina evanescent dorsally on head. Clypeus with an evanescent median longitudinal carina, with anterior margin in full-face view truncate medially. Eye situated just in front of midlength of head; distance between mandibular insertion and anterior margin of eye ca. 0.8 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina and antennal scrobe present only around antennal insertion. Antenna with 3-segmented club; scape slightly extending beyond posterior border of head; terminal segment ca. 1.3 times as long as preceding two segments together. Promesonotum forming a dome which is weakly margined dorsolaterally, its posterior declivity almost lacking a prominence (Fig. 18F). Mesopleuron without a transverse impression. Propodeal spine triangular, almost twice as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle. Petiole nearly twice as long as postpetiole (excluding helcium) (Fig. 18F); petiolar node high, in posterior view not emarginate at apex. Postpetiole ca. 1.3 times as broad as petiolar node.

Clypeus and anterior part of frons smooth and shining; remainder of dorsum of head above subocular level reticulate, with smooth and shining enclosures; ventral face of head below subocular level smooth and shining; promesonotum smooth and shining; remainder of alitrunk punctured and dull; lateral face of petiolar pedicel very weakly punctured; dorsum of petiole, and postpetiole and gaster smooth and shining. Body yellowish-brown.

Type Material

Holotype Major, colony: FI99-134, Ulu Gombak, W. Malaysia (Southern Malay Peninsula), F. Ito leg., 1999, deposited in Forest Research Institute Malaysia, Kepong. Paratype One minor from the same colony to which the holotype belongs, deposited in FRIM.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Eguchi K. 2001. A revision of the Bornean species of the ant genus Pheidole (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Tropics Monograph Series 2: 1-154.
  • Mezger D., and M. Pfeiffer. 2011. Partitioning the impact of abiotic factors and spatial patterns on species richness and community structure of ground ant assemblages in four Bornean rainforests. Ecography 34: 39-48.
  • Mezger D., and M. Pfeiffer. 2011. Partitioning the impact of abiotic factors and spatial patterns on species richness and community structure of ground assemblages in four Bornean rainforest. Ecography 34: 39-48.
  • Pfeiffer M., D. Mezger, and J. Dyckmans. 2013. Trophic ecology of tropical leaf litter ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) - a stable isotope study in four types of Bornean rain forest. Myrmecological News 19: 31-41.
  • Pfeiffer M., and D. Mezger. 2012. Biodiversity Assessment in Incomplete Inventories: Leaf Litter Ant Communities in Several Types of Bornean Rain Forest. PLoS ONE 7(7): e40729. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040802
  • Pfeiffer M., and D. Mezger. 2012. Biodiversity Assessment in Incomplete Inventories: Leaf Litter Ant Communities in Several Types of Bornean Rain Forest. PLoS ONE 7(7): e40729. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040959
  • Pfeiffer M., and D. Mezger. 2012. Biodiversity Assessment in Incomplete Inventories: Leaf Litter Ant Communities in Several Types of Bornean Rain Forest. PLoS ONE 7(7): e40729. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0041019
  • Pfeiffer M., and D. Mezger. 2012. Biodiversity Assessment in Incomplete Inventories: Leaf Litter Ant Communities in Several Types of Bornean Rain Forest. PLoS ONE 7(7): e40729. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0041046
  • Pfeiffer M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58
  • Woodcock P., D. P. Edwards, R. J. Newton, C. Vun Khen, S. H. Bottrell, and K. C. Hamer. 2013. Impacts of Intensive Logging on the Trophic Organisation of Ant Communities in a Biodiversity Hotspot. PLoS ONE 8(4): e60756. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0060756
  • Woodcock P., D. P. Edwards, T. M. Fayle, R. J. Newton, C. Vun Khen, S. H. Bottrell, and K. C. Hamer. 2011. The conservation value of South East Asia's highly degraded forests: evidence from leaf-litter ants. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B. 366: 3256-3264.