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Pheidole cuprina
| Pheidole cuprina | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Pheidole |
| Species: | P. cuprina |
| Binomial name | |
| Pheidole cuprina Wilson, 2003
| |
From Wilson (2003): The type colony was found in terra firme forest nesting in a rotten branch on the litter surface of the ground. It comprised a single queen and several hundred workers (Stefan Cover, personal communication).
Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
I have seen an additional series of cuprina from Tingo Maria, Madre de Dios, Peru, collected by W. L. Brown. (Wilson 2003)
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: -2.687467° to -12.56903°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Peru (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. |
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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
    
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| Paratype Pheidole cuprina. Worker. Specimen code jtlc000016356. Photographer Jeremy Pilllow, uploaded by University of Utah. | Owned by MCZC. |
Major
Images from AntWeb
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| Paratype Pheidole cuprina. Worker (major/soldier). Specimen code casent0627921. Photographer Jeremy Pilllow, uploaded by University of Utah. | Owned by MCZC. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- cuprina. Pheidole cuprina Wilson, 2003: 678, figs. (s.w.) PERU.
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, reddish yellow species belonging to a group of ambiguous species composing the "carapuna complex" (Pheidole boltoni, Pheidole carapuna, Pheidole cornicula, Pheidole eriophora, Pheidole jivaro and Pheidole manuana), close to the flavens group and possibly better placed there. All are relatively small in size, with the major possessing a reduced mesonotal convexity, as well as cephalic sculpturing that consists entirely of longitudinal carinulae extending to or almost to the occipital border seen in full face. All also have a minor with a broad, concave occiput, which lacks a collar.
Among these species, P. cuprina is close to carapuna but distinguished from it by color and the absence of foveolation on the postpetiolar node of the major and posterior three-fourths of the dorsal head surface of the minor.
MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW l.02, HL 1.16, SL 0.58, EL 0.16, PW 0.56. Paratype minor: HW 0.60, HL 0.66, SL 0.56, EL 0.12, PW 0.38.
COLOR Major and minor: concolorous medium yellow, with slight reddish tinge.
Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.
Type Material
PERU: Cuzco Amaz6nico, 15 km northeast of Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 200 m, col. Stefan Cover. Museum of Comparative Zoology
Etymology
L cuprina, of copper, referring to the color.
References
- Wilson, E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (page 678, fig. major, minor described)
- Franco, W., Ladino, N., Delabie, J.H.C., Dejean, A., Orivel, J., Fichaux, M., Groc, S., Leponce, M., Feitosa, R.M. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674, 509–543 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4674.5.2).
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.
- Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.
- Franco W., N. Ladino, J. H. C. Delabie, A. Dejean, J. Orivel, M. Fichaux, S. Groc, M. Leponce, and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674(5): 509-543.