Pheidole tschinkeli

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Pheidole tschinkeli
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Pheidole
Species: P. tschinkeli
Binomial name
Pheidole tschinkeli
Wilson, 2003

The nest of the type colony was found in a piece of rotten wood near the Tikal ruins. (Wilson 2003)

Identification

See the description in the nomenclature section.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Only known from the type locality.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 18.5859972° to 13.1068996°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Guatemala (type locality), Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Venezuela.

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.

  • tschinkeli. Pheidole tschinkeli Wilson, 2003: 242, figs. (s.w.) GUATEMALA.

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

Description

A member of the diligens group similar to Pheidole anima, Pheidole indistincta, Pheidole plebecula and Pheidole piceonigra, differing markedly as follows.

Major: propodeal spines stout, half as long as the basal propodeal face, and curved posteriorly; antennal scapes just reach the occipital border; mesopleuron and sides of propodeum longitudinally rugulose; postpetiolar node laterally angular; pilosity sparse and long, with some hairs 2X the Eye Length; head bicolorous.

Minor: propodeal spines stout, half as long as the basal propodeal face; mesopleuron longitudinally rugulose; occiput narrowed but lacking nuchal collar.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.04, HL 1.00, SL 0.82, EL 0.20, PW 0.54. Paratype minor: HW 0.56, HL 0.66, SL 0.80, EL 0.04, PW 0.42.

COLOR Major: head and body dark, almost blackish brown except for genae, which are dark yellow; appendages brownish to medium yellow.

Minor: head and body dark, almost blackish brown; appendages brownish to medium brown.

Pheidole tschinkeli Wilson 2003.jpg

Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Type Material

GUATEMALA: El Peten Tikal National Park, near ruins, col. Walter R. Tschinkel. Museum of Comparative Zoology

Etymology

Named after the collector and distinguished myrmecologist Walter R. Tschinkel.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics