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Pheidole aculifera
| Pheidole aculifera | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Pheidole |
| Species: | P. aculifera |
| Binomial name | |
| Pheidole aculifera Wilson, 2003 | |
Nothing is known about the biology of aculifera.
Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Only known from the type locality.
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Panama (type locality).
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. |
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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.
- aculifera. Pheidole aculifera Wilson, 2003: 259, figs. (s.w.) PANAMA.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
A small, yellow member of the fallax group (but close to the diligens group) distinguished by the exceptionally thin propodeal spines of the major and minor, as well as the very low mesonotal convexity in side view in both castes; and, in the major, the exceptionally large spiracle.
Similar to Pheidole prostrata of Costa Rica, but easily distinguished in the major by the large spiracle, low mesonotal convexity, and presence of a rugoreticulum mesad to the eyes, as well as yellow coloration.
See also the less similar Pheidole boruca, Pheidole variegata (= Pheidole pubiventris) and Pheidole violacea.
MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.96, HL 1.00, SL 0.78, EL 0.14, PW 0.42. Paratype minor: HW 0.44, HL 0.54, SL 0.72, EL 0.10, PW 0.28.
COLOR Major: body light reddish yellow, appendages yellow.
Minor: concolorous yellow.
Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.
Type Material
PANAMA: Nusagandi, San Blas, col. Leeanne E. Tennant-Alonso. Museum of Comparative Zoology
Etymology
L aculifera, needle-bearing, referring to the long, very thin propodeal spine of the major and minor.
References
- Wilson, E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (page 259, fig. major, minor described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Wilson E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, [ix] + 794 pp.