Pheidole macclendoni

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Pheidole macclendoni
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Pheidole
Species: P. macclendoni
Binomial name
Pheidole macclendoni
Wheeler, W.M., 1908

Pheidole macclendoni casent0103475 profile 1.jpg

Pheidole macclendoni casent0103475 dorsal 1.jpg

Specimen Label

In western Texas Moody and Francke (1982) discovered two colonies nesting in open soil and one beneath a clump of grass. Winged queens were found by William S. Creighton at Dryden, Texas, on 29 December. (Wilson 2003)

Identification

The majors of this species can be recognized by having a flattened, rugose area located between the frontal lobe and the eye, with large, intrarugal foveolae, and the petiole has a large, prominent lateral spiracle. The head of the major is large, at least 2 millimeters in total length, excluding the mandibles. The pronotum of the major has transverse striae. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Also see the description in the nomenclature section.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Evidently scarce, recorded from Arizona, as well as central and western Texas. (Wilson 2003)

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 34.156971° to 27.530567°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Nearctic Region: United States (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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Habitat

Sandy-gravely desert (Cole, 1957b).

Biology

This species nests in the soil, with the nest marked by a small entrance. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)

Castes

This species is weakly polymorphic.

Worker

Minor

Images from AntWeb

Pheidole macclendoni casent0103474 head 1.jpgPheidole macclendoni casent0103474 profile 1.jpgPheidole macclendoni casent0103474 dorsal 1.jpgPheidole macclendoni casent0103474 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0103474. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by LACM, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Pheidole macclendoni casent0103476 head 1.jpgPheidole macclendoni casent0103476 profile 1.jpgPheidole macclendoni casent0103476 dorsal 1.jpgPheidole macclendoni casent0103476 label 1.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0103476. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by LACM, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Major

MCZ-ENT00009126 Pheidole macclendoni hef.jpgMCZ-ENT00009126 Pheidole macclendoni hal.jpgMCZ-ENT00009126 Pheidole macclendoni had.jpgMCZ-ENT00009126 Pheidole macclendoni lbs.jpgPheidole macclendoni casent0103470 head 1.jpgPheidole macclendoni casent0103470 profile 1.jpgPheidole macclendoni casent0103470 dorsal 1.jpgPheidole macclendoni casent0103470 label 1.jpg
.

Male

Images from AntWeb

Pheidole macclendoni casent0103471 head 1.jpgPheidole macclendoni casent0103471 profile 1.jpgPheidole macclendoni casent0103471 dorsal 1.jpgPheidole macclendoni casent0103471 label 1.jpg
Male (alate). Specimen code casent0103471. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by LACM, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Additional images can be found here

Nomenclature

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

  • macclendoni. Pheidole macclendoni Wheeler, W.M. 1908e: 450, pl. 27, fig. 36 (s.w.) U.S.A. See also: Wilson, 2003: 582.

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

Description

From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A member of the “bicarinata complex” of the larger pilifera group, comprising Pheidole agricola, Pheidole aurea, Pheidole barbata, Pheidole bicarinata, Pheidole centeotl, Pheidole cerebrosior, Pheidole defecta, Pheidole gilvescens, Pheidole macclendoni, Pheidole macrops, Pheidole marcidula, Pheidole paiute, Pheidole pinealis, Pheidole psammophila, Pheidole xerophila, Pheidole yaqui and Pheidole yucatana, which complex is characterized by the large to very large, forward-set eyes of both castes, especially the minor; and, in the major, the occipital lobes lacking any sculpturing (except in aurea); the posterior half of the head capsule almost entirely smooth and shiny; and the postpetiolar node seen from above oval, elliptical, or laterally angulate (cornulate in cerebrosior).

P. macclendoni is distinguished by the presence of a supermajor in addition to the major caste and is further distinguished by the following traits.

Major: long, thin propodeal spine; prominent humeral lobe in dorsal-oblique view; bell-shaped postpetiolar node seen from above.

Supermajor: lacks sculpturing on the posterior half of the head.

Minor: propodeal spines reduced to denticles; humerus subangulate in dorsal-oblique view; very low postpetiolar node in side view;bell-shaped postpetiolar node seen from above.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.50, HL 1.60, SL 0.82, EL 0.26, PW 0.74.

  • Paralectotype supermajor: HW 2.74, HL 2.58, SL 1.02, EL 0.34,. PW (not measured).
  • Paralectotype minor: HW 0.62, HL 0.64, SL 0.60, EL 0.18, PW 0.38.

COLOR Major: reddish yellow, gaster a slightly contrasting yellowish brown.

Supermajor: concolorous reddish yellow.

Minor: body light brown, appendages a lighter shade of yellowish brown.


Pheidole macclendoni Wilson 2003.jpg

Figure. Upper: lectotype, major (body and full head), Corsicana, in Navarro Co. near Dallas, Texas. Paralectotype, supermajor (partial head only), Benson, Cochise Co., Arizona. Lower: paralectotype, minor, Laredo, Webb Co., Texas. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Syntype Specimen Labels

Type Material

American Museum of Natural History and Museum of Comparative Zoology - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Etymology

Eponymous (Wilson 2003)

Worker Morphology

Explore-icon.png Explore: Show all Worker Morphology data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.
  • Caste: trimorphic

References

  • Mackay, W. P. and E. Mackay. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, NY.
  • Moody, J. V., Francke, O. F. 1982. The ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of western Texas, Part 1: Subfamily Myrmicinae. Grad. Stud. Tex. Tech Univ. 27: 1–80.
  • Wheeler, W. M. 1908h. The ants of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. (Part I.). Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 24: 399-485 (page 450, pl. 27, fig. 36 soldier, worker described)
  • Wilson, E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (page 582, fig. major, minor described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Moody J. V., and O. F. Francke. 1982. The Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Western Texas Part 1: Subfamily Myrmicinae. Graduate Studies Texas Tech University 27: 80 pp.
  • O'Keefe S. T., J. L. Cook, T. Dudek, D. F. Wunneburger, M. D. Guzman, R. N. Coulson, and S. B. Vinson. 2000. The Distribution of Texas Ants. The Southwestern Entomologist 22: 1-92.
  • Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1985. A checklist of Texas ants. Prairie Naturalist 17:49-64.
  • Wilson, E.O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A Dominant, Hyperdiverse Genus. Harvard University Press