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Pheidole chilensis
| Pheidole chilensis | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Pheidole |
| Species: | P. chilensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Pheidole chilensis Mayr, 1862
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Nothing is known about the biology of chilensis.
Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Known from the type collection from Chile; I have further compared a 1961 series from Lima, Peru, with the Mayr types. (Wilson 2003)
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Chile (type locality), Peru.
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
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- chilensis. Pheidole chilensis Mayr, 1862: 748 (s.w.q.m.) CHILE. See also: Mayr, 1865: 95; Wilson, 2003: 179.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
From Wilson (2003): An unusual species, placed in the diligens group but also reminiscent of Pheidole indica, an exotic native to Mediterranean area. P. chilensis may also prove to be an exotic.
Major: lacking the 4-lobed profile and broad, convex metanotum of indica; dorsal surface of the head covered by carinulae except for frontal triangle and midclypeus; carinulae originating on the frontal lobes spread outward as they approach the occiput and then travel back to return to the anterior part of the head in parallel; antennal scrobes present; anterior midclypeal margin excavated; postpetiole from above conulate; all of promesonotum transversely carinulate.
Minor: occiput narrowed and with nuchal collar; postpetiole from above diamond-shaped.
Both castes have abundant, erect hairs on the antennal scapes.
MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.46, HL 1.48, SL 0.94, EL 0.22, PW 0.62 (may be distorted by pin through pronotum). Paralectotype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.76, SL 0.94, EL 0.14, PW 0.40.
COLOR Major: body light reddish yellow, gaster light yellowish brown.
Minor: concolorous yellow.
Majors and minors collected in Lima in 1961 are medium reddish brown.
Figure. Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.
Type Material
CHILE: no further data. Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna - as reported in Wilson (2003)
Etymology
Named after the country of origin. (Wilson 2003)
References
- Mayr, G. 1862. Myrmecologische Studien. Verh. K-K. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien 12: 649-776 (page 748, soldier, worker, queen, male described)
- Mayr, G. 1865. Formicidae. In: Reise der Österreichischen Fregatte "Novara" um die Erde in den Jahren 1857, 1858, 1859. Zoologischer Theil. Bd. II. Abt. 1. Wien: K. Gerold's Sohn, 119 pp. (page 95, see also)
- Wilson, E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (page 179, fig. major, minor described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Bezdeckova K., P. Bedecka, and I. Machar. 2015. A checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Peru. Zootaxa 4020 (1): 101–133.
- Escalante Gutiérrez J. A. 1993. Especies de hormigas conocidas del Perú (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Revista Peruana de Entomología 34:1-13.
- Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
- Kempf W. W. 1970. Catálogo das formigas do Chile. Papeis Avulsos de Zoologia (São Paulo) 23: 17-43.
- Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
- Snelling R. R., and J. H. Hunt. 1975. The ants of Chile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Revista Chilena de Entomología 9: 63-129.