Pheidole erethizon

Pheidole erethizon
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Pheidole
Species:	P. erethizon
Binomial name
Pheidole erethizon Wilson, 2003 Specimen Labels

Nothing is known about the biology of erethizon.

Identification

See the description in the nomenclature section.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Pheidole crassicornis group

Distribution

Recorded from the type locality (Michoacán); Azizintla, Guerrero; and Miacatlan, Morelos. (Wilson 2003)

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 19.48783° to 18.75°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Mexico (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.

Castes

Images from AntWeb

Paratype Pheidole erethizon. Worker (major/soldier). Specimen code jtlc000016369. Photographer Skyler Oswald, 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.

• erethizon. Pheidole erethizon Wilson, 2003: 154, figs. (s.w.) MEXICO.

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

Description

A member of the crassicornis group characterized in both the major and minor by exceptionally dense, long hair (reaching an extreme in the gastral pilosity of the major); and entire head (except frontal triangle and central piece of clypeus),mesosoma, and waist foveolate and opaque. In addition, the minor is unusual within the crassicornis group in possessing a narrowed occiput seen in full-face view, yet nevertheless lacking a nuchal collar.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.26, HL 1.34, SL 0.92, EL 0.22, PW 0.64. Paratype minor: HW 0.58, HL 0.70, SL 0.86, EL 0.16, PW 0.42.

COLOR Major: concolorous medium yellow with a very slight reddish tinge.

Minor: concolorous medium yellow.

Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Type Material

MEXICO: San José Purua, Michoacán, col. A. B. Hamton. Museum of Comparative Zoology

Etymology

NL erethizon, porcupine, referring to the very long, bristly pilosity of the major and minor.

References

• Wilson, E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (page 154, fig . major, minor described)
• Varela-Hernández, F., Medel-Zosayas, B., Martínez-Luque, E.O., Jones, R.W., De la Mora, A. 2020. Biodiversity in central Mexico: Assessment of ants in a convergent region. Southwestern Entomologist 454: 673-686.
• Vazquez-Franco, C.M., Castano-Meneses, G., Rios-Casanova, L., Morrone, J.J. 2024. Three new species of Pheidole Westwood, 1839 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Attini) from central Mexico. Zootaxa 5523(2), 192–210 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5523.2.3).
• Vázquez-Franco, C.M., Morrone, J.J. 2022. The genus Pheidole (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in Puebla, Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 93: e933820 (doi:10.22201/ib.20078706e.2022.93.3820).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133
• Wilson, E.O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A Dominant, Hyperdiverse Genus. Harvard University Press