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Pheidole arboricola
| Pheidole arboricola | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Pheidole |
| Species: | P. arboricola |
| Binomial name | |
| Pheidole arboricola Wilson, 2003
| |
Arboricola is a resident of moist mature and second-growth forest, nesting in the hollow branches and under the dead bark variously of Bauhinia, Cecropia, Stryphnodendron, and other trees. (Longino 1997).
Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Atlantic lowlands of Costa Rica, up to 500 meters elevation. (Wilson 2003)
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 10.33333° to 10.33333°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Costa Rica (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
Worker
Minor
Images from AntWeb
    
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| Paratype Pheidole arboricola. Worker. Specimen code casent0610092. Photographer J. Russ, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by JTLC. |
Major
Images from AntWeb
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| Specimen code inbiocri001218129. . | |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- arboricola. Pheidole arboricola Wilson, 2003: 372, figs. (s.w.) COSTA RICA.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
A very small species, close to Pheidole amazonica, Pheidole mackayi, Pheidole minutula and especially Pheidole quercicola distinguished in the major from these species by its subangulate (as opposed to lobate) humerus in dorsal-oblique view, rounded lateral borders of the postpetiole, and bicolorous head.
MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.76, HL 0.84, SL 0.40, EL 0.06, PW 0.40. Paratype minor: HW 0.42, HL 0.46, SL 0.40, EL 0.06, PW 0.26.
COLOR Major: head capsule anterior to eyes, along with a fuzzy circular spot in the middle of the capsule dorsum, light brown. Waist and gaster also light brown; rest of body and appendages dark yellow.
Minor: body medium brown, tarsi yellow, rest of appendages light brown.
Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.
Type Material
COSTA RICA: La Selva Biological Station, near Puerto Viejo, J. T. Longino. Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad
Etymology
L arboricola, tree-dwelling, alluding to the arboricolous nests of the species.
References
- Wilson, E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (page 372, fig. major, minor described)