Pheidole ajaxigibba

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Pheidole ajaxigibba
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Pheidole
Species: P. ajaxigibba
Binomial name
Pheidole ajaxigibba
Longino, 2019

Pheidole ajaxigibba CASENT0638172 p.jpg

Pheidole ajaxigibba CASENT0638172 d.jpg

Holotype Labels

This species occurs in lowland rain forest of Costa Rica. A nest was collected in dead wood, in a dead horizontal tree trunk about 1 m above the ground. Minor workers have been collected in beating samples from low vegetation and in a Malaise trap.

Identification

Longino (2019) - Minor: face smooth and shining; head tapered posteriorly to narrow neck and strongly developed occipital carina; promesonotal groove deep and broad; mesonotum strongly protruding in lateral view; pronotum smooth and shining; katepisternum with faint foveolation and strong longitudinal rugulae; propodeal spines long, thin, about as long as posterior face of propodeum; gaster smooth and shining; abundant erect setae on mesosomal and gastral dorsum, tibiae; color yellow orange. Major: inner hypostomal teeth widely spaced, in form of small, inconspicuous denticles; scape base terete; face with foveolation overlain with reticulate rugulae throughout, these becoming more longitudinally oriented posteriorly; propodeal spines about two thirds length of posterior face of propodeum; gastral dorsum sericeous/striolate on anterior two thirds, fading to smooth and shiny posteriorly; face and sides of head covered with dense, decumbent, somewhat silky pubescence; abundant erect setae on mesosomal and gastral dorsum, tibiae.

Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.65, HL 0.89, SL 1.29, EL 0.15, WL 1.22, PSL 0.23, PTW 0.12, PPW 0.20, CI 73, SI 197, PSLI 35, PPI 161 (n=4).

Measurements, major worker: HW 1.38, HL 1.43, SL 1.23, EL 0.21, WL 1.57, PSL 0.24, PTW 0.23, PPW 0.37, CI 96, SI 89, PSLI 18, PPI 161 (n=4).

This species and Pheidole ajax are similar. Pheidole ajaxigibba differs in the much more produced mesonotum and the bright yellow color. It is allopatric with P. ajax, the two appearing to be complementary forms on the two sides of Costa Rica.

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 8.48067° to 8.48067°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Costa Rica (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

AntMapLegend.png

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 ajaxigibba CASENT0638167 h.jpgPheidole ajaxigibba CASENT0638167 p.jpgPheidole ajaxigibba CASENT0638167 d.jpgPheidole ajaxigibba CASENT0638167 l.jpg
ParatypeWorker (minor). Specimen code CASENT0638167. Photographer J. Longino, uploaded by University of Utah. Owned by MCZC.

Nomenclature

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

  • ajaxigibba. Pheidole ajaxigibba Longino, 2019: 21, fig. 51 (w.) COSTA RICA.

Type Material

  • HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Costa Rica, Puntarenas: Sirena, Corcovado NP, 8.48067 -83.58885 ±1 km, 25 m, 29-Jun-2013, rainforest, nest in dead wood (J. Longino, JTL8286.1) [MUCR, unique specimen identifier CASENT0638172].
  • PARATYPES: major, minor workers: same data as holotype [CAS, DZUP, MCZC, USNM].

Description

see the identification section above

Etymology

Similar to P. ajax but with more pronounced mesonotum.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Longino J. T. 2019. Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Middle American wet forest. Zootaxa 4599: 1-126