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Pheidole eosimilis
| Pheidole eosimilis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Pheidole |
| Species: | P. eosimilis |
| Binomial name | |
| Pheidole eosimilis Longino, 2019
| |
This species occurs in lowland to lower montane wet forest. Minor workers and occasional major workers recruit to ground baits. Workers occur in Winkler samples of sifted leaf litter and rotten wood. Two nests have been observed, both in rotten wood. One nest contained a seed cache. Another nest was in a cavity in a 15-20 cm diameter dead buttress, a few cm above ground. The entrance was covered with a thin-walled dome of accreted organic material, with two entrance holes in the dome.
Identification
Longino (2019) - Minor: clypeus completely smooth, without medial carina; face smooth and shining; promesonotal groove very weakly impressed; mesosoma almost entirely smooth and shining; propodeal spines long, about as long as posterior face of propodeum; gaster smooth and shining; abundant, flexuous, erect setae on mesosomal dorsum, tibiae, and gastral dorsum; color dark brown.
Major: inner hypostomal teeth stout, closely spaced; scape base terete; face foveolate throughout, overlain with reticulate rugulae, rugulae more longitudinally oriented anteriorly; propodeal spines about one half length of posterior face of propodeum; gastral dorsum very faintly foveolate on anterior third, fading to smooth and shiny; abundant erect setae on face, sides of head, mesosomal dorsum, tibiae, and gastral dorsum.
Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.71, HL 0.78, SL 1.08, EL 0.15, WL 1.16, PSL 0.12, PTW 0.13, PPW 0.17, CI 90, SI 153, PSLI 16, PPI 138 (n=10).
Measurements, major worker: HW 2.46, HL 2.53, SL 1.13, EL 0.27, WL 1.91, PSL 0.19, PTW 0.36, PPW 0.61, CI 97, SI 46, PSLI 8, PPI 169 (n=2).
Measurements, queen: HW 2.27, HL 2.06, SL 1.18, EL 0.37, WL 2.55, PSL 0.17, PTW 0.54, PPW 0.84, CI 110, SI 52, PSLI 8, PPI 156 (n=1).
This species is very similar to Pheidole eowilsoni, with which it is sympatric. The minor worker of P. eowilsoni has a longitudinal median carina on the clypeus. The major worker has the vertex lobes smoother, the scape base is flatter, and the anterior face of the petiolar node is less differentiated from the peduncle. Although very similar to P. eowilsoni, COI barcode data widely separate the two species.
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 12.96018° to 12.96018°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Costa Rica, Nicaragua (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. Worker (minor). Specimen code CASENT0619639. Photographer J. Longino, uploaded by University of Utah. | Owned by CAS, San Francisco, CA, USA. |
Queen
Images from AntWeb
   
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| Paratype. Queen (alate/dealate). Specimen code CASENT0619391. Photographer J. Longino, 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.
- eosimilis. Pheidole eosimilis Longino, 2019: 33, fig. 54 (w.q.) NICARAGUA.
Type Material
- HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Nicaragua, Matagalpa: 3km N Rio Blanco, 12.96018 -85.22488 ±50 m, 690 m, 1-May-2011, mature wet forest, nest in rotten wood (J.Longino, JTL7435) [MCZC, unique specimen identifier CASENT0619392].
- PARATYPES: major, minor workers, queen: same data as holotype [CAS, DZUP, JTLC, MCZC, USNM].
Description
see the identification section above
Etymology
Similar to P. eowilsoni.
References
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Longino J. T. 2019. Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Middle American wet forest. Zootaxa 4599: 1-126