Pheidole poringensis

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

Pheidole poringensis casent0901660 p 1 high.jpg

Pheidole poringensis casent0901660 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

This species seems to inhabits well-developed forests.

Identification

Eguchi (2001) - This species, together with Pheidole gombakensis, is very similar to Pheidole rabo and Pheidole tsailuni among Indo-Chinese and Indo-Malayan congeners, but in the latter two mandible is sparsely covered with very short appressed hairs in the major, and head including c1ypeus is punctured in the minor. The closest relative of this species is probably P. gombakensis, but in the latter petiole is almost twice as long as postpetiole in both the subcastes, and promesonotum is smooth and shining in the minor.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 4.95° to 4.95°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

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

Nomenclature

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

  • poringensis. Pheidole poringensis Eguchi, 2001b: 94, fig. 37 (s.w.q.) BORNEO.

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 37.

Major (n=5): TL 2.6-2.8 mm, HL 1.30-1.37 mm, HW 1.18-1.22 mm, SL 0.60-0.61 mm, FL 0.72-0.75 mm, CI 88-91, SI 50-51, PI 61-62. Head broadest at around its midlength (Fig. 37A); head in profile not impressed on vertex (Fig. 37B). Hypostoma bearing three median processes, of which medianmost one is very low and lateral two are large and stout. Clypeus without a median longitudinal carina, with anterior margin weakly concave medially. 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 2.0-2.1 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina and antennal scrobe present only around antennal insertion. Antenna with 3-segmented club; scape reaching about midlength of head; terminal segment 1.1-1.2 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, with an inconspicuous prominence on its posterior declivity (Fig. 37C); each dorsolateral portion of the dome weakly produced outward. Mesopleuron with a transverse impression (sometimes inconspicuous). Propodeal spine horn-like, slightly curved, 4-5 times as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle. Petiole 1.3-1.4 times as long as postpetiole (excluding helcium); petiolar node in posterior view not emarginate at apex. Postpetiole 2.1-2.2 times as broad as petiolar node.

Frons and gena longitudinally rugose; vertex rugoso-reticulate; dorsal and lateral faces of occipital lobe reticulate; alitrunk reticulate; petiole (excluding its smooth and shining anterodorsal face) and lateral face of postpetiole punctured; dorsum of postpetiole, and gaster smooth and shining. Outer face of mandible covered with decumbent hairs, which are 0.06-0.10 mm in length and longer than distance between piligerous punctures (Fig. 37 A). Body brown with lighter waist and gaster; antennae and legs a little lighter than alitrunk.

Minor (n=5): TL 1.5-1.6 mm, HL 0.54-0.56 mm, HW 0.51-0.52 mm, SL 0.50-0.51 mm, AL 0.70-0.73 mm, FL 0.52-0.55 mm, CI 93-95, SI 96-98, FI 102-106. Head in full-face view slightly concave posteriorly (Fig. 370); occipital carina evanescent dorsally on head. Clypeus with a weak median longitudinal carina, with anterior margin in full-face view slightly convex medially. Eye situated just in front of midlength of head; distance between mandibular insertion and anterior margin of eye ca. 1.1 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina inconspicuous, extending backward to midlength of head. Antennal scrobe present only around antennal insertion. Antenna with 3-segmented club; in full-face view scape extending beyond posterior border of head by its 1/7 length; terminal segment 1.1-1.2 times as long as preceding two segments together. Promesonotal dome with a pair of low tubercles, with an inconspicuous prominence on its posterior declivity (Fig. 37E). Mesopleuron without a distinct transverse impression. Propodeal spine horn-like, ca. 4.5 times as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle. Petiole 1.3-1.4 times as long as postpetiole (excluding helcium); petiolar node in posterior view not emarginate at apex. Postpetiole in dorsal view subhexagonal, 1.8-1.9 times as broad as petiolar node.

Clypeus smooth and shining; remainder of dorsal and lateral faces of head reticulate, with smooth and shining enclosures; dorsal face of promesonotum reticulate, with very weakly punctured enclosures; remainder of alitrunk punctured and dull; lateral face of petiolar pedicel weakly punctured; petiolar node, postpetiole and gaster smooth and shining. Body yellowish-brown with a little lighter waist and gaster; antennae and legs a little lighter than alitrunk.

Paratype Specimen Labels

Type Material

Holotype Major, colony: 6X2906-B-Ea, Poring (ca. 600 malt.), Sabah, E. Malaysia (Bomeo), T. Kikuta leg., 1996, deposited in Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Paratypes 1 major, 4 minors and 1 queen from the same colony to which the holotype belongs, deposited in The Natural History Museum and UMS.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Berghoff S.M., U. Maschwitz, and K.E. Linsemair. 2003. Hypogaeic and epigaeic ant diversity on Borneo: evaluation of baited sieve buckets as a study method. Tropical Zoology 16: 153-163.
  • Bruhl C.A. 2001. Leaf litter ant communities in tropical lowland rain forests in Sabah, Malaysia: effects of forest disturbance and fragmentation. PHD thesis Wurzburg Universitat, 168 pp.
  • 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., S. Yamane, and S.Y. Zho. 2007. Taxonomic revision of the Pheidole rinae Emery complex. Sociobiology 50 (1): 275-284.
  • Hashimoto Y., and M. Mohamed. 2011. Ground-dwelling ant diversity in Maliau Basin, Borneo: evaluation of hand-sorting methods to estimate ant diversity. Tropics 19(2): 85-92.
  • 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.0040926
  • 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.0040981
  • 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.0041041
  • 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