Pheidole eriophora

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Pheidole eriophora
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Pheidole
Species: P. eriophora
Binomial name
Pheidole eriophora
Wilson, 2003

The type colony was collected in montane rainforest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification

See the description in the nomenclature section.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Only known from the type locality.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 3.75° to 3.75°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Colombia (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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

Images from AntWeb

Pheidole eriophora jtlc000016370 h 1 high.jpgPheidole eriophora jtlc000016370 l 1 high.jpgPheidole eriophora jtlc000016370 d 1 high.jpg
Paratype Pheidole eriophoraWorker (major/soldier). Specimen code jtlc000016370. 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.

  • eriophora. Pheidole eriophora Wilson, 2003: 685, figs. (s.w.) COLOMBIA.

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

Description

DIAGNOSIS Somewhat similar to the "carapuna complex" (Pheidole boltoni, Pheidole carapuna, Pheidole cornicula, Pheidole cuprina, Pheidole jivaro and Pheidole manuana).

Major: reddish yellow; occiput narrowed, giving the head capsule plus mandibles an overall elliptical shape in full-face view; some hairs on dorsal surfaces of head curved, giving a locally woolly look to the pilosity; humerus prominent, subangulate from above; propodeal spines vertical; postpetiole from above oval; most of posterior third of head, including occiput, smooth and shiny.

Minor: propodeal dorsum transversely carinulate; sides ofpropodeum with scattered short rugulae; upper mesopleuron foveolate; propodeal spines reduced to denticles.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.12, HL 1.26, SL 0.60, EL 0.14, PW 0.64. Paratype minor: HW 0.58, HL 0.62, SL 0.52, EL 0.08, PW 0.40.

COLOR Major: body and mandibles reddish yellow, legs and antennae plain medium yellow. Minor: body and mandibles plain brownish yellow, legs and antennae plain medium yellow.


Pheidole eriophora Wilson 2003.jpg

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

Type Material

COLOMBIA: Pance, Mun. de Cali, Valle, 1700 m, col. William L. Brown and S. Chaplin. Museum of Comparative Zoology

Etymology

Gr eriophora, wool-bearing, alluding to the curving, wool-like pilosity of the mesosoma.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Wilson E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, [ix] + 794 pp.