Pheidole cahui
Pheidole cahui | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
Tribe: | Attini |
Genus: | Pheidole |
Species: | P. cahui |
Binomial name | |
Pheidole cahui Longino, 2019 |
This species is known from one site, a reserve with somewhat seasonal moist forest. Minor and major workers recruit to ground baits. A nest was discovered by following workers from a nocturnal ground bait. The entrance was a simple hole in the soil beneath a leaf. An alate queen was collected in a beating sample.
Identification
Longino (2019) - Minor: face smooth and shining; head rounded posteriorly to medially flattened posterior margin; occipital carina thin; promesonotal groove absent, promesonotum evenly convex; lateral pronotum smooth and shiny; katepisternum faintly foveolate with traces of superimposed rugulae; dorsal mesonotum and dorsal face of propodeum with a few transverse carinulae; propodeal spines absent; gaster smooth and shining; abundant flexuous erect setae on mesosomal dorsum, tibiae, and gastral dorsum; color orange.
Major: inner hypostomal teeth stout, closely spaced; scape base subterete, narrower than apical portion; head subrectangular; antennal scrobe present, short, well-delimited and forming distinct dorsal concavity beneath frontal carina, scrobe surface smooth and shining; entire face (excluding scrobes) with irregular but largely longitudinal carinulae, interspaces smooth to faintly microsculptured; propodeal spines triangular, about one fifth length of posterior face of propodeum; gastral dorsum smooth; abundant, erect, flexuous setae on face, sides of head, mesosomal dorsum, tibiae, and gastral dorsum.
Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.51, HL 0.57, SL 0.53, EL 0.12, WL 0.70, PSL 0.00, PTW 0.10, PPW 0.12, CI 90, SI 105, PSLI 0, PPI 130 (n=2).
Measurements, major worker: HW 1.30, HL 1.60, SL 0.59, EL 0.20, WL 1.25, PSL 0.07, PTW 0.27, PPW 0.47, CI 81, SI 45, PSLI 5, PPI 176 (n=2).
Measurements, queen: HW 1.23, HL 1.31, SL 0.63, EL 0.31, WL 1.79, PSL 0.08, PTW 0.41, PPW 0.71, CI 94, SI 51, PSLI 6, PPI 174 (n=1).
The minor worker of this species is similar to Pheidole hasticeps. The major is very different, with antennal scrobes and heavily sculptured face.
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 16.99944° to 16.99944°.
North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Guatemala (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. |
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. |
Biology
Castes
Worker
Minor
Images from AntWeb
Paratype. Worker (Minor). Specimen code CASENT0611059. Photographer M. Pierce, uploaded by University of Utah. | Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
Queen
Images from AntWeb
Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code CASENT0613042. Photographer J. Longino, 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.
- cahui. Pheidole cahui Longino, 2019: 28, fig. 26 (w.q.) GUATEMALA.
Type Material
- HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Guatemala, Petén: Cerro Cahuí, 16.99944 -89.70443 ±24 m, 130 m, 24-May-2009, moist forest, nest in soil (J. Longino, JTL6696) [MCZC, unique specimen identifier CASENT0611056].
- PARATYPES: major, minor workers: same data as holotype [CAS, DZUP, JTLC, MCZC, USNM, UVGC].
Description
see the identification section above
Etymology
From the type locality.
References
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Longino J. T. 2019. Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Middle American wet forest. Zootaxa 4599: 1-126