Pheidole hecate

Pheidole hecate
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Pheidole
Species:	P. hecate
Binomial name
Pheidole hecate Wheeler, W.M., 1911 Specimen Label
Synonyms
Pheidole hecate bruesi Wheeler, W.M., 1917 Pheidole hecate malevola Wheeler, W.M., 1911

Nothing is known about the biology of hecate.

Identification

See the description in the nomenclature section.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Pheidole granulata group

Distribution

An apparent Jamaican endemic, hecate has been recorded from the following localities on the island: Hardwar Gap, Kingston, Newton, Troy, and southwest side of the main range, Blue Mountains, variously at 600-900 m. (Wilson 2003)

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 18.126486° to 17.98333333°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Jamaica (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.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

• hecate. Pheidole (Ceratopheidole) hecate Wheeler, W.M. 1911a: 26 (s.w.) JAMAICA. Combination in Ceratopheidole: Emery, 1922e: 113; in Pheidole: Kempf, 1972a: 183. Senior synonym of bruesi, malevola: Wilson, 2003: 544.
• malevola. Pheidole (Ceratopheidole) hecate subsp. malevola Wheeler, W.M. 1911a: 27 (s.w.) JAMAICA. Combination in Ceratopheidole: Emery, 1922e: 113; in Pheidole: Kempf, 1972a: 183. Junior synonym of hecate: Wilson, 2003: 544.
• bruesi. Pheidole (Ceratopheidole) hecate subsp. bruesi Wheeler, W.M. 1917g: 460 (s.w.) JAMAICA. [Unresolved junior primary homonym of bruesi Wheeler, above.] Combination in Ceratopheidole: Emery, 1922e: 113; in Pheidole: Kempf, 1972a: 183. Junior synonym of hecate: Wilson, 2003: 544.

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

Description

From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS A member of the granulata group (4-segmented antennae), unique in both castes in the very long propodeal spines and completely carinulate mesosoma.

MEASUREMENTS (mrn) Lectotype major: HW 1.20, HL 1.18, SL 0.86, EL 0.20, PW 0.62. Paralectotype minor: HW 0.72, HL 0.78, SL 0.92, EL 0.16, PW 0.48.

COLOR Major: body very dark reddish brown, appendages light to medium brown.

Minor: body blackish brown, appendages medium brown.

Figure. Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Type Material

JAMAICA: Troy. Museum of Comparative Zoology - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Etymology

Gr Hecate, goddess of magic and witchcraft. (Wilson 2003)

References

• Emery, C. 1922c. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Myrmicinae. [part]. Genera Insectorum 174B: 95-206 (page 113, Combination in Ceratopheidole)
• Kempf, W. W. 1972b. Catálogo abreviado das formigas da regia~o Neotropical. Stud. Entomol. 15: 3-344 (page 183, Combination in Pheidole)
• Wheeler, W. M. 1911a. Additions to the ant-fauna of Jamaica. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 30: 21-29 (page 26, soldier, worker described)
• Wilson, E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (page 544, Senior synonym of malevola, bruesi, fig. major, minor described)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Gregg R. E. 1950. A new species of Pheidole from the Southwest. Journal of the New York Entomological Society 58: 89-93.
• Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
• Wheeler W. M. 1917. Jamaican ants collected by Prof. C. T. Brues. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 61: 457-471.
• Wheeler, William Morton. 1911. Additions to the Ant-Fauna of Jamaica. Bulletin American Museum of Natural History. 30:21-29.
• Wilson, E.O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A Dominant, Hyperdiverse Genus. Harvard University Press