Pheidole acantha

Pheidole acantha
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Pheidole
Species group:	quadricuspis
Species:	P. acantha
Binomial name
	Pheidole acantha; Eguchi, 2001 Specimen Labels

This species inhabits well-developed forest on Mt. Kinabalu from 1500-1800 m alt., and nests in rotting wood.

Identification

Eguchi et al. (2001) - Distinctive from Pheidole leloi: In the major, promesonotal dome with a conspicuous transverse ridge on its posterior slope; ventral face of petiole without a longitudinal carina. In the minor, dorsum of mesosoma in profile bearing less than 10 standing hairs.

Eguchi (2001) - P. acantha is closely related to Pheidole lokitae, Pheidole quadrensis, Pheidole sperata, Pheidole quadricuspis and Pheidole spinicornis., and several undescribed species (see under P. lokitae), but can be recognised among the Bornean relatives by the characters given in the key. Also see the drawing in the nomenclature section.

Sculpture of head in both the subcastes is generally weaker in the specimens from an elevation of ca. 1800 m than in those from that of ca. 1500 m on Mt. Kinabalu.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 6.083333° to 6.05°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

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

Distribution based on AntMaps

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.

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.

Biology

Castes

Images from AntWeb


Paratype of Pheidole acantha. Worker. Specimen code casent0901618. Photographer Ryan Perry, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Nomenclature

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

acantha. Pheidole acantha Eguchi, 2001b: 25, fig. 3 (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 3.

Major. (n=5): TL 4.3-5.3 mm, HL 1.98-2.37 mm, HW 2.13-2.50 mm, SL 1.17-1.27 mm, FL 1.63-1.88 mm, CI 101-107, SI 48-58, FI 71-87. 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 (cf. Fig. 2A»; posterior margin of head weakly concave in full-face view (Fig. 3A); head in profile not impressed on vertex (Fig. 3B). Hypostoma with a pair of stout median processes. 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 1.7-1.9 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina inconspicuous, extending backward to about midlength of head. Antennal scrobe present only around antennal insertion. Antenna with 3-segmented club; scape reaching about 3/5 distance of head; terminal segment almost 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 pair of dorsolateral spines, which are slender, sharp, with narrow base; posterior declivity of the dome with a distinct prominence (Fig. 3C); the prominence in anterior view not or very weakly concave medially. Mesopleuron with an inconspicuous transverse impression. Propodeal spine horn-like, with narrow base, ca. 5 times as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle. Petiole cuneiform, ca. 1.4 times as long as postpetiole (excluding helcium); petiolar node in profile acute (Fig. 3C), and in posterior view emarginate at apex; subpetiolar process absent. Postpetiole 1.9-2.2 times as broad as petiolar node, in profile usually angulate anteroventrally.

Frons and gena longitudinally rugose; vertex, and dorsal and lateral faces of occipital lobe reticulate; alitrunk irregularly rugoso-reticulate; lateral face of petiole weakly punctured; dorsum of petiole, and postpetiole largely smooth and shining; gaster largely smooth and shining, or weakly punctured on anterior half of first gastral tergite. Outer face of mandible sparsely covered with appressed to decumbent hairs which are 0.07-0.12 mm in length and (a little) longer than distance between piligerous punctures. Body brown to dark reddish-brown, with darker head (and abdomen); antennae and legs brown, lighter than alitrunk.

Minor. (n=5): TL 2.8-3.3 mm, HL 0.88-1.00 mm, HW 0.76-0.91 mm, SL 1.17-1.26 mm, AL 1.23-1.43 mm, FL 1.28-1.47 mm, CI 86-93, SI 139-153, FI 160-168. Head in full-face view oval (Fig. 3D), with distinct occipital carina. Clypeus with a median longitudinal carina, with anterior margin in full-face view weakly convex medially. Eyes situated at about midlength of head; distance between mandibular insertion and anterior margin of eye 1.2-1.3 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina and antennal scrobe present only around antennal insertion. Antenna with 3-segmented club; in full-face view scape extending beyond posterior border of head by more than its 1/3 length; terminal segment 0.9-1.0 times as long as preceding two segments together. Promesonotal dome with a pair of dorsolateral spines, with a weak prominence on its posterior declivity (Fig. 3E). Mesopleuron without a transverse impression. Propodeal spine horn-like, with narrow base, 4-5 times as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle. Petiole cuneiform, ca. 1.2 times as long as postpetiole (excluding helcium); petiolar node in profile acute (Fig. 3E), and in posterior view emarginate at apex. Postpetiole 2.0-2.3 times as broad as petiolar node.

Clypeus smooth and shining with a few rugulae; remainder of head rugoso-reticulate; area between promesonotal spines smooth and shining; remainder of alitrunk punctured, or weakly reticulate with punctured enclosures; lateral face of petiolar pedicel very weakly punctured; dorsum of petiole, and postpetiole and gaster smooth and shining. Dorsum of alitrunk in profile bearing less than 10 standing hairs. Body colour pattern similar to that of the major.

Paratype Specimen Labels

Type Material

Holotype Major, colony: Eg97-BOR-404, Mt. Kinabalu (near the Headquarter, ca. 1500 m alt.), Sabah, E. Malaysia (Borneo), K. Eguchi leg., 1997, deposited in Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Paratypes 4 majors, 10 minors and 1 queen from the same colony to which the holotype belongs, deposited in The Natural History Museum, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Milano, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna and UMS.

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., B. Tuan Viet, E. Oguri, and S. Yamane. 2016. The first discovery of the “Pheidole quadricuspis group” in the Indo-Chinese Peninsula (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Revue suisse de Zoologie 123(1): 45-55.
Eguchi, K. "A revision of the Bornean species of the ant genus Pheidole (Insecta:Hymenoptera:Formicinae:Myrmicinae)." Tropics Monograph Series 2 (2001): 1-154.
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
Sukimin S., M. Mohamed, and H. Aris. 2010. Ant diversity of Maliau Basin Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia. Journal of Tropical Biology and Conservation 6:89-101.