Pheidole modiglianii

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Pheidole modiglianii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Pheidole
Species: P. modiglianii
Binomial name
Pheidole modiglianii
Emery, 1900

Pheidole modiglianii casent0281712 p 1 high.jpg

Pheidole modiglianii casent0281712 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

This species inhabits lowland rainforests. It is very rare on the ground, while I found two nests in trunks of newly logged trees in Danum Valley, and a migrating column near a newly logged tree in Gunong Rara. Thus this species is very probably arboreal. (Eguchi 2001a)

Identification

Eguchi (2001a) - This relatively large-sized species is characterised by its exceptionally long propodeal spine in both the subcastes.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Southern Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra and Mentawai Is. (Eguchi 2001)

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -2.183333° to -2.183333°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

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

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

Worker

Minor

Images from AntWeb

Pheidole modiglianii casent0281713 h 1 high.jpgPheidole modiglianii casent0281713 p 1 high.jpgPheidole modiglianii casent0281713 d 1 high.jpgPheidole modiglianii casent0281713 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0281713. Photographer Estella Ortega, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.
Pheidole modiglianii casent0904265 h 1 high.jpgPheidole modiglianii casent0904265 p 1 high.jpgPheidole modiglianii casent0904265 d 1 high.jpgPheidole modiglianii casent0904265 l 1 high.jpg
Syntype of Pheidole modiglianiiWorker. Specimen code casent0904265. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy.

Major

Images from AntWeb

Pheidole modiglianii casent0904264 h 1 high.jpgPheidole modiglianii casent0904264 p 1 high.jpgPheidole modiglianii casent0904264 d 1 high.jpgPheidole modiglianii casent0904264 l 1 high.jpg
Syntype of Pheidole modiglianiiWorker (major/soldier). Specimen code casent0904264. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy.

Nomenclature

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

  • modiglianii. Pheidole modiglianii Emery, 1900d: 684 (s.w.q.) INDONESIA (Mentawei I.). See also: Eguchi, 2001a: 16; Eguchi, 2001b: 81.

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 30.

Eguchi (2001a) - Major (n=4): TL 4.3-5.0 mm, HL 1.88-2.08 mm, HW 2.00-2.18 mm, SL 1.13-1.18 mm, FL 1.70-1.78 mm, CI 105-106, SI 53-57, FI 80-85. Head broadest at about 2/3 distance of head (as measured from the mid-point of a transverse line spanning the anteriormost and posteriormost projecting points, respectively) (Fig. 30A), in profile not impressed on vertex (Fig. 30B). Hypostoma with three median processes, of which medianmost one is lower. Clypeus with a median longitudinal carina, with anterior margin emarginate medially. Eye situated at about 1/3 distance of head; distance between mandibular insertion and anterior margin of eye ca. 2.0 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina weak, extending backward to about ¾ distance of head. Antennal scrobe present only around antennal insertion. Antenna with 3-segmented club; scape reaching about 3/4 distance of head; terminal segment ca. 0.9 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. Promesonotal dome with a low prominence on its posterior declivity (Fig. 30C); the prominence in anterior view not concave medially. Mesopleuron with an inconspicuous transverse impression. Propodeal spine horn-like, exceptionally long, extending above petiolar node (Fig. 30C). Petiole cuneiform, 1.5-1.6 times as long as postpetiole (excluding helcium); petiolar node very low, in posterior view slightly emarginate at apex. Postpetiole 1.5-1.7 times as broad as petiolar node.

Frons longitudinally rugose, with smooth and shining inters paces; longitudinal rugulae curving outward on occipital lobes (Fig. 30A); anterolateral face of head rugoso-reticulate; dorsum of promesonotum transversely rugose, with smooth and shining interspaces; mesopleuron and lateral face of propodeum rugoso-reticulate, with enclosures punctured and very weakly shining; lateral face of petiole punctured; dorsum of petiole smooth and shining; postpetiole smooth and shining, or partly punctured and dull; gaster smooth and shining. Outer face of mandible sparsely covered with appressed hairs, which are 0.04-0.10 mm in length and almost as long as, or shorter than, distance between piligerous punctures; submarginal zone of masticatory margin of mandible with a row of longer decumbent hairs. Body dark reddish-brown with darker head (excluding mandible and anterior 1/3 of head) and gaster; flagella and tarsi lighter than alitrunk.

Minor (n=5): TL 3.3-3.5 mm, HL 0.88-0.98 mm, HW 0.77-0.87 mm, SL 1.10-1.13 mm, AL 1.33-1.47 mm, FL 1.34-1.43 mm, CI 85-88, SI 131-143, FI 165-177. Head in full-face view oval (Fig. 300); occipital carina well developed. Clypeus usually with a distinct median longitudinal carina, with anterior margin in full-face view slightly convex or truncate medially. Eyes situated at about midlength of head; distance between mandibular insertion and anterior margin of eye 1.1-1.2 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina and antennal scrobe present only around antennal insertion. Antenna with 3-segmented club; scape extending beyond posterior border of head by its 1/3 length; terminal segment ca. 0.8 times as long as preceding two segments together. Promesonotal dome with a low prominence on its posterior declivity (Fig. 30E). Mesopleuron without a transverse impression. Propodeal spine horn-like, exceptionally long, extending beyond posterior node (Fig. 30E). Petiole in profile elongate cuneiform, 1.4-1.5 times as long as postpetiole (excluding helcium); petiolar node low, in posterior view not emarginate at apex. Postpetiole ca. 1.7 times as broad as petiolar node.

Clypeus sparsely rugose (interspaces occasionally very weakly punctured and weakly shining); area between antennal insertion and eye weakly punctured and with several rugulae; remainder of head largely smooth and shining; in dorsal view promesonotal dome (excluding irregularly rugose central part) concentrically rugose with interspaces punctured very weakly and shining; mesopleuron and propodeum rugoso-reticulate, with weakly punctured enclosures; lateral face of petiole very weakly punctured; dorsum of petiole, and postpetiole and gaster smooth and shining. Body dark reddish-brown with lighter alitrunk; flagella and tarsi lighter than alitrunk.

Type Material

Eguchi (2001b) - major, minor and queen; type locality: Sereinu, Sipora, Mentawai. Two syntypes (1 major and 1 minor, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Genoa) were examined.

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.
  • Eguchi K. 2001. A taxonomic study on Asian Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): new synonymy, rank changes, lectotype designations and redescriptions. Insecta Koreana 18: 1-35.
  • Emery, C. "Formiche raccolte da Elio Modigliani in Sumatra, Engano e Mentawei." Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale Giacomo Doria (Genova) (2) 20, no. 40 (1900): 661-722.
  • 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