Pheidole cariniceps

Pheidole cariniceps
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Pheidole
Species:	P. cariniceps
Binomial name
	Pheidole cariniceps; Eguchi, 2001 Specimen Labels

This species inhabits well-developed lowland and hill forests, and nests in the soil. (Eguchi 2001) Heterick & Kitching (2022) collected this species in a pitfall trap within a lowland dipterocarp forest in Brunei.

Identification

Eguchi (2001) - The closest relative of this species is the sympatric Pheidole aglae, but in the latter antennal scrobe of the major is not margined below by distinct carina; propodeal spine of the major has narrow base; and prominence on posterior declivity of promesonotum, and dorsum of propodeum each bear more than two pairs of erect or suberect hairs in the minor.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 9.7375° to 3.698055556°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Borneo (type locality), Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore.
Oriental Region: Thailand.

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


Worker. Specimen code casent0281659. Photographer Estella Ortega, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.


Paratype of Pheidole cariniceps. Worker. Specimen code casent0901628. Photographer Ryan Perry, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Major

Images from AntWeb


Paratype of Pheidole cariniceps. Worker (major/soldier). Specimen code casent0901629. Photographer Ryan Perry, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences.	Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.

Nomenclature

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

cariniceps. Pheidole cariniceps Eguchi, 2001b: 41, fig. 10 (s.w.m.) BORNEO.

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

Description

Worker

Eguchi 2001. Figure 10.

Major (n=10): TL 3.7-4.6 mm, HL 1.57-1.85 mm, HW 1.45-1.63 mm, SL 0.83-0.88 mm, FL 1.27-1.38 mm, CI 88-93, SI 54-58, FI 83-89. Head broadest at 1/2-3/5 distance of head (as measured from the mid-point of a transverse line spanning the anteriormost and posteriormost projecting points, respectively (cf. Fig. 2A)) (Fig. 10A), in profile gently impressed on vertex (Fig. 10B). Hypostoma without distinct median processes. Clypeus rarely with a median longitudinal carina, with anterior margin emarginate medially. Eye situated at about 1/3 distance of head; distance between mandibular insertion and anterior margin of eye 1.5-1.7 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina distinct, extending backward to about 2/3 distance of head. Antennal scrobe shallow, running along frontal carina, margined below by a distinct carina along its anterior half (Fig. 10A). Antenna with 3-segmented club; scape extending backward to about 3/5 distance of head; terminal segment ca. 0.9 times as long as preceding two segments together. Masticatory margin of mandible with apical and preapical teeth, and a denticle in front of basal angle.

Promesonotal dome with a distinct prominence on its posterior declivity (Fig. 10C); the prominence in anterior view not or very weakly concave medially. Mesopleuron without a distinct transverse impression. Propodeal spine elongate-triangular, with broad base, ca. 3.5 times as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle (Fig. 10C). Petiole cuneiform, 1.3-1.5 times as long as postpetiole (excluding helcium); petiolar node in posterior view weakly emarginate at apex. Postpetiole in dorsal view subpentagonal, 2.1-2.3 times as broad as petiolar node.

Frons longitudinally rugose, with very weakly punctured interspaces; vertex and dorsal and lateral faces of occipital lobe rugoso-reticulate, with very weakly punctured enclosures; promesonotum smooth and shining with transverse rugulae dorsally; mesopleuron and lateral face of propodeum weakly rugoso-reticulate, with distinctly punctured enclosures; petiole (excluding smooth anterodorsal face), postpetiole and anterior part of first gastral tergite weakly punctured. Outer face of mandible covered with appressed hairs, which are 0.04-0.08 mm in length and much shorter than distance between piligerous punctures; submarginal zone of masticatory margin of mandible with a row of longer decumbent hairs. Body yellowish-brown to reddish-brown, with much darker gaster; legs a little lighter than alitrunk.

Minor (n=12): TL 2.0-2.4 mm, HL 0.59-0.74 mm, HW 0.46-0.55 mm, SL 0.81-0.97 mm, AL 0.88-1.10 mm, FL 0.84-1.08 mm, CI 73-77, SI 170-186, Fl183-200. Head in full-face view oval; occipital carina forming a well-developed flange (Fig. 10D, E). Clypeus without a median longitudinal carina, with anterior margin in full-face view truncate medially. Eyes situated just in front of midlength of head; distance between mandibular insertion and anterior margin of eye 0.9-1.0 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina and antennal scrobe present only around antennal insertion. Antenna with 3-segmented club; scape extending beyond posterior border of head by more than its 1/3 length; terminal segment 0.8-0.9 times as long as preceding two segments together. Promesonotal dome with a gentle prominence on its posterior declivity (Fig. 10F). Mesopleuron without a transverse impression. Propodeal spine elongate-triangular, ca. 1.5 times as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle. Petiole cuneiform, 1.2-1.3 times as long as postpetiole (excluding helcium); petiolar node low, in posterior view not emarginate at apex. Postpetiole in dorsal view subpentagonal, 1.8-2.2 times as broad as petiolar node.

Head including clypeus and promesonotum smooth and shining; remainder of alitrunk punctured; lateral faces of petiole and postpetiole weakly punctured; dorsa of petiole and postpetiole, and gaster almost smooth and shining. Prominence on posterior declivity of promesonotum, and dorsum of propodeum each bearing a pair of standing hairs (Fig. 10F). Body yellowish-brown with a little lighter alitrunk; legs sometimes a little lighter than alitrunk.

Paratype Specimen Labels

Type Material

Holotype Major, colony: Eg98-BOR-840, Logging area nr. Ranau, Sabah, E. Malaysia (Borneo), K. Eguchi leg., 1998, deposited in Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Paratypes 9 majors, 15 minors and 5 males from the same colony to which the holotype belongs, deposited in The Natural History Museum, Museum Brunei, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Genoa, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève, Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, Milano, Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna and UMS.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

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Bruhl C.A. 2001. Leaf litter ant communities in tropical lowland rain forests in Sabah, Malaysia: effects of forest disturbance and fragmentation. PHD thesis Wurzburg Universitat, 168 pp.
Davidson D. W., S. C. Cook, R. R. Snelling and T. H. Chua. 2003. Explaining the Abundance of Ants in Lowland Tropical Rainforest Canopies. Science 300: 969-972.
Eguchi K. 2001. A revision of the Bornean species of the ant genus Pheidole (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Tropics Monograph Series 2: 1-154.
Eguchi K., and S. Yamane. 2003. Species diversity of ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in a lowland rainforest, northwestern Borneo. New Entomol. 52(1,2): 49-59.
Fayle T.M., Bakker, L., Cheah, C., Ching, T.M., Davey, A., Dem, F., Earl, A., Huaimei, Y., Hyland, S., Johansson, B., Ligtermoet, E., Lim, R., Lin, L.K., Luangyotha, P., Martins, B.H., Palmeirim, A.F., Paninhuan, S., Rojas, S.K., Sam, L., Sam, P.T.T., Susanto, D., Wahyudi, A., Walsh, J., Weigl, S., Craze, P.G., Jehle, R., Metcalfe, D. & Trevelyan, R. 2011. A positive relationship between ant biodiversity (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and rate of scavenger-mediated nutrient redistribution along a disturbance gradient in a south-east Asian rain forest. Myrmecological News 14: 5-12.
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Jaitrong W.; Nabhitabhata, J. 2005. A list of known ant species of Thailand. The Thailand Natural History Museum Journal 1(1): 9-54.
Kishimoto-Yamata K., F. Hyodo, M. Matsuoka, Y. Hashimoto, M. Kon, T. Ochi, S. Yamane, R. Ishii, and T. Itioka. 2012. Effects of remnant primary forests on ant and dung beetle species diversity in a secondary forest in Sarawak, Malaysia. Journal of Insect Conservation DOI 10.1007/s10841-012-9544-6
Pfeiffer M., and D. Mezger. 2012. Biodiversity Assessment in Incomplete Inventories: Leaf Litter Ant Communities in Several Types of Bornean Rain Forest. PLoS ONE 7(7): e40729. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040997
Pfeiffer M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58
Watanasit S., Noon-anant N., and N. Binnima. 2005. Preliminary survey of ants at a reserve area of Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla Provinces, Southern Thailand. Songklanakarin J. Sci. Technol. 27(1): 39-46.
Woodcock P., D. P. Edwards, R. J. Newton, C. Vun Khen, S. H. Bottrell, and K. C. Hamer. 2013. Impacts of Intensive Logging on the Trophic Organisation of Ant Communities in a Biodiversity Hotspot. PLoS ONE 8(4): e60756. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0060756
Woodcock P., D. P. Edwards, T. M. Fayle, R. J. Newton, C. Vun Khen, S. H. Bottrell, and K. C. Hamer. 2011. The conservation value of South East Asia's highly degraded forests: evidence from leaf-litter ants. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B. 366: 3256-3264.