Pheidole boltoni

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Pheidole boltoni
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Pheidole
Species: P. boltoni
Binomial name
Pheidole boltoni
Wilson, 2003

Pheidole boltoni casent0624223 p 1 high.jpg

Pheidole boltoni casent0624223 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Synonyms

This species is a montane cloud forest specialist. In the tropics ant abundance declines dramatically between 1500m and 2000m and ants are very difficult to find above 2000m. Pheidole boltoni occurs in a narrow band at the very upper edge of ants’ natural occurrence. Several nests have been collected under epiphyte mats in recent branch and treefalls. One nest (the types of P. humida) was collected in a rotten log. (Longino 2009)

Identification

See the description in the nomenclature section.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 10.2° to 9.5534501°.

 
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

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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

Worker

Minor

Images from AntWeb

Pheidole boltoni casent0624221 h 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624221 p 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624221 d 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624221 p 4 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624221 l 1 high.jpg
Paratype Pheidole boltoniWorker. Specimen code casent0624221. Photographer J. Longino, uploaded by University of Utah. Owned by JTLC.
Pheidole boltoni casent0624224 h 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624224 p 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624224 d 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624224 p 4 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624224 l 1 high.jpg
Paratype Pheidole humidaWorker. Specimen code casent0624224. Photographer Jeremy Pilllow, uploaded by University of Utah. Owned by MCZC.
Pheidole boltoni casent0624225 h 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624225 p 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624225 d 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624225 p 4 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624225 l 1 high.jpg
Paratype Pheidole humidaWorker. Specimen code casent0624225. Photographer Jeremy Pilllow, uploaded by University of Utah. Owned by MCZC.

Major

Images from AntWeb

Pheidole boltoni inbiocri002279980 h 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni inbiocri002279980 p 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni inbiocri002279980 d 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni inbiocri002279980 p 4 high.jpgPheidole boltoni inbiocri002279980 l 1 high.jpg
Holotype major Pheidole boltoniWorker (major/soldier). Specimen code inbiocri002279980. Photographer Jeremy Pilllow, uploaded by University of Utah. Owned by JTLC.
Pheidole boltoni casent0624223 p 4 high.jpg
Holotype major Pheidole humidaWorker (major/soldier). Specimen code casent0624223. Photographer Jeremy Pilllow, uploaded by University of Utah. Owned by MCZC.

Queen

Images from AntWeb

Pheidole boltoni casent0624222 h 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624222 p 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624222 d 1 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624222 p 4 high.jpgPheidole boltoni casent0624222 l 1 high.jpg
Paratype Pheidole boltoniQueen (alate/dealate). Specimen code casent0624222. Photographer Jeremy Pilllow, uploaded by University of Utah. Owned by JTLC.

Nomenclature

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

  • boltoni. Pheidole boltoni Wilson, 2003: 666, figs. (s.w.) COSTA RICA. Senior synonym of humida: Longino, 2009: 17.
  • humida. Pheidole humida Wilson, 2003: 614, figs. (s.w.) COSTA RICA. Junior synonym of boltoni: Longino, 2009: 17.

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

Description

DIAGNOSIS A small, bicolorous species belonging to an ambiguous cluster composing the “carapuna complex” (Pheidole boltoni, Pheidole carapuna, Pheidole cornicula, Pheidole cuprina, Pheidole eriophora, Pheidole jivaro, Pheidole manuana) close to the flavens group. All are relatively small in size, with the major possessing a reduced mesonotal convexity and cephalic sculpturing, composed in turn entirely of longitudinal carinulae that extend to or close to the occipital border viewed in full face. All also have a minor with a broad, concave occiput, which lacks a nuchal collar. Among these species, P. boltoni is distinguished as follows.

Major: relatively flat profile of the promesonotum in dorsal-oblique view; eye set well forward so that its anterior margin is the same distance from the anterior genal border as the Eye Length; small, obtuse-angulate mesonotal convexity; and smooth, shiny occiput, postpetiolar node, and first gastral tergite.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.06, HL 1.06, SL 0.62, EL 0.18, PW 0.48. Paratype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.60, SL 0.60, EL 0.12, PW 0.34.

COLOR Major: head dark reddish yellow, rest of body light reddish brown, legs dark yellow.

Minor: concolorous dark yellow.


Pheidole boltoni Wilson 2003.jpg

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

Holotype Specimen Labels

Type Material

Longino (2009):

Pheidole boltoni Wilson, 2003: 666, figs. Holotype major worker and associated paratype minor worker: Costa Rica, Heredia, 8km N Volcan Barba, 10°12'N 84°06'W, 1830m, 4-14 Jul 1986 (Longino #1329) Museum of Comparative Zoology (examined).

Pheidole humida Wilson, 2003: 614, figs. Holotype major worker and associated paratype minor worker: Costa Rica, Puntarenas, Monteverde, 1550m, 20 May 1979 (P. S. Ward #3450) (MCZ) (examined).

Etymology

Named in honor of the distinguished British ant systematist Barry Bolton.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Longino J. T. 2009. Additions to the taxonomy of New World Pheidole (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 2181: 1-90.
  • Longino J. T. L., and M. G. Branstetter. 2018. The truncated bell: an enigmatic but pervasive elevational diversity pattern in Middle American ants. Ecography 41: 1-12.
  • Longino J. et al. ADMAC project. Accessed on March 24th 2017 at https://sites.google.com/site/admacsite/