Pheidole caffra

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Pheidole caffra
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Pheidole
Species: P. caffra
Binomial name
Pheidole caffra
Emery, 1895

Pheidole caffra casent0281614 p 1 high.jpg

Pheidole caffra casent0281614 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

Subspecies

This species has been found in woodland habitats, and collected from the soil, under a roadside rock, and as foragers.

Identification

A member of the speculifera species group.

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -17.83333° to -20.45°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Nigeria, South Africa (type locality), United Republic of Tanzania.

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

Images from AntWeb

Pheidole caffra casent0281615 p 1 high.jpgPheidole caffra casent0281615 h 1 high.jpgPheidole caffra casent0281615 d 1 high.jpgPheidole caffra casent0281615 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0281615. Photographer Shannon Hartman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.
Pheidole caffra casent0904210 h 1 high.jpgPheidole caffra casent0904210 p 1 high.jpgPheidole caffra casent0904210 d 1 high.jpgPheidole caffra casent0904210 l 1 high.jpg
Syntype of Pheidole caffraWorker (major/soldier). Specimen code casent0904210. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy.
Pheidole caffra casent0904211 h 1 high.jpgPheidole caffra casent0904211 p 1 high.jpgPheidole caffra casent0904211 d 1 high.jpgPheidole caffra casent0904211 l 1 high.jpg
Syntype of Pheidole caffraWorker. Specimen code casent0904211. Photographer Z. Lieberman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by MSNG, Genoa, Italy.

Nomenclature

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

  • caffra. Pheidole caffra Emery, 1895h: 33 (s.) SOUTH AFRICA. Santschi, 1939b: 239 (w.). Current subspecies: nominal plus abyssinica, amoena, bayeri, montivaga, senilifrons.

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

Description

Emery 1895i, page 33.
Emery 1895i, page 34.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Braet Y., and B. Taylor. 2008. Mission entomologique au Parc National de Pongara (Gabon). Bilan des Formicidae (Hymenoptera) recoltes. Bulletin S. R. B. E./K.B.V.E. 144: 157-169.
  • IZIKO South Africa Museum Collection
  • Medler J. T. 1980: Insects of Nigeria - Check list and bibliography. Mem. Amer. Ent. Inst. 30: i-vii, 1-919.
  • Santschi F. 1910. Formicides nouveaux ou peu connus du Congo français. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 78: 349-400.
  • Stephens S. S., P. B. Bosu, and M. R. Wager. 2016. Effect of overstory tree species diversity and composition on ground foraging ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in timber plantations in Ghana. International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services & management 12(1-2): 96-107.
  • Wheeler W. M. 1922. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 45: 711-1004