Pheidole fortis
Pheidole fortis | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Formicidae |
Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
Tribe: | Attini |
Genus: | Pheidole |
Species: | P. fortis |
Binomial name | |
Pheidole fortis Eguchi, 2006 |
This species inhabits open forests and forest edges, and nests in the soil (Eguchi 2006).
Identification
Eguchi (2008) - This species is characterized among Indo-Chinese species by the following characteristics: in the major head densely covered with short decumbent to subdecumbent hairs entirely; in the major frons with longitudinal-oblique rugulae which reach posterolateral corner of vertexal lobes; in the minor promesonotal dome lacking a conspicuous prominence on its posterior slope; in the major and minor postpetiole massive. Pheidole fortis is similar to Pheidole wroughtonii Forel (the type material housed in MHNG was examined), but well distinguished from the latter in which vertex and dorsum of vertexal lobe in lateral view forms an obtuse angle in the major, maximal diameter of eye longer than antennal segment X in the minor, and the posterior slope of promesonotal dome has a conspicuous prominence/mound in the minor. The minor of this species is similar to that of Pheidole magna, but the minor of P. magna has a conspicuous prominence/mound on the posterior slope of promesonotal dome (see also Eguchi 2006).
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Known from N. Vietnam and Thailand.
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 14.9° to 14.9°.
North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Thailand, Vietnam (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. |
Biology
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- fortis. Pheidole fortis Eguchi, 2006: 118, figs. (s.w.) VIETNAM. See also: Eguchi, 2008: 31.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Eguchi (2008) - Major (data from the original description). — HL 2.12–2.23 mm, HW 1.79–2.05 mm, CI 84–92, SL 0.90–0.91 mm, SI 44–51, FL 1.33–1.39 mm, FI 67–78. Minor (data from the original description). — HL 0.71–0.75 mm, HW 0.64–0.71 mm, CI 90–95, SL 0.79– 0.87 mm, SI 118–124, FL 0.92–0.97 mm, FI 134–144.
Major — Head in lateral view not or hardly impressed on vertex; head densely covered with short decumbent to subdecumbent hairs entirely; frons with longitudinal rugulae which reach posterolateral corner of vertexal lobes; frontal carina and antennal scrobe absent; clypeus with a median longitudinal carina; hypostoma with an inconspicuous median process and low or relatively developed submedian processes in addition to small lateral processes; antenna with a 3-segmented club; maximal diameter of eye almost as long as or longer than antennal segment X. Promesonotal dome with a much reduced prominence on its posterior slope; humerus not or very weakly produced laterad; the dome at the humeri as broad as or narrower than at the bottom. Petiole as long as postpetiole (excluding helcium); postpetiole massive. First gastral tergite rugoso-punctured at least in its anterior 1/3.
Minor — Dorsum of head largely smooth and shining; preoccipital carina complete but weak dorsally; median part of clypeus almost smooth, usually with a conspicuous to weak median longitudinal carina; antenna with a 3-segmented club; scape extending far beyond posterolateral margin of head; maximal diameter of eye shorter than antennal segment X. Promesonotal dome smooth, in lateral view lacking a conspicuous prominence/mound on its posterior slope; humerus of the dome in dorso-oblique view hardly to weakly produced laterad; propodeal spine small, elongate-triangular. Petiole shorter than postpetiole (excluding helcium); postpetiole massive.
Type Material
Eguchi (2008) - Holotype: major, “Cat Cat (a trail to Mt. Phansipan), ca. 1300–1400 m alt., Sa Pa, Lao Cai, Vietnam, Eg02-VN-264”, Entomological Collection of the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, examined; paratypes: 1 major & 19 minors, same data as holotype, IEBR, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève, Museum of Comparative Zoology, The Natural History Museum, Entomological Collection of Faculty of Science & Katsuyuki Eguchi, examined.
References
- Eguchi, K. 2008. A revision of Northern Vietnamese species of the ant genus Pheidole (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Zootaxa 1902:1-118.
- Khachonpisitsak, S., Yamane, S., Sriwichai, P., Jaitrong, W. 2020. An updated checklist of the ants of Thailand (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 998, 1–182 (doi:10.3897/zookeys.998.54902).
- Liu, C., Fischer, G., Hita Garcia, F., Yamane, S., Liu, Q., Peng, Y.Q., Economo, E.P., Guénard, B., Pierce, N.E. 2020. Ants of the Hengduan Mountains: a new altitudinal survey and updated checklist for Yunnan Province highlight an understudied insect biodiversity hotspot. ZooKeys 978, 1–171 (doi:10.3897/zookeys.978.55767).
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Eguchi K. 2006. Six new species of Pheidole Westwood from North Vietnam (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Revue Suisse de Zoologie 113:115-131
- Eguchi K. 2008. A revision of Northern Vietnamese species of the ant genus Pheidole (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Zootaxa 1902: 1-118.
- Eguchi K.; Bui T. V.; Yamane S. 2011. Generic synopsis of the Formicidae of Vietnam (Insecta: Hymenoptera), part I Myrmicinae and Pseudomyrmecinae. Zootaxa 2878: 1-61.
- Fontanilla A. M., A. Nakamura, Z. Xu, M. Cao, R. L. Kitching, Y. Tang, and C. J. Burwell. 2019. Taxonomic and functional ant diversity along tropical, subtropical, and subalpine elevational transects in southwest China. Insects 10, 128; doi:10.3390/insects10050128
- Huong N. T. T., P. V. Sang, and B. T. Viet. 2015. A preliminary study on diversity of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) at Hon Ba Nature Reserve. Environmental Scientific Conference 7: 614-620.