Pheidole hispaniolae

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

The type colony was found in a rotting log in second-growth mountain rainforest. Other colonies were found in pine and mixed pine-hardwood forests. One nest contained males when discovered in April. (Wilson 2003)

Identification

See the description in the nomenclature section.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Known from the type locality and other sites at 1100–1500 m in the Dominican Republic. (Wilson 2003)

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 19.04166667° to 18.84354°.


North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Dominican Republic (type locality), Greater Antilles.

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

Worker

minor


.

Nomenclature

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

hispaniolae. Pheidole hispaniolae Wilson, 2003: 707, figs. (s.w.) DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

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

Description

DIAGNOSIS Similar in various traits to Pheidole balzani, Pheidole brunnescens, Pheidole exarata, Pheidole excubitor, Pheidole fabricator, Pheidole germaini, Pheidole nigella, Pheidole prattorum, Pheidole sabina, Pheidole sarpedon, Pheidole tristis, Pheidole tristops and Pheidole unicornis, differing as follows.

Major: head subquadrate, with gently convex sides and deep occipital cleft; promesonotal profile flat; propodeal spines thin, almost needle-like; petiolar node in side view tapered to a blunt point; postpetiolar node 2X broader than petiolar node in dorsal view, and cone-shaped; posterior third of dorsal head surface smooth and mostly shiny, sprinkled with widely spaced foveae; no rugoreticulum present anywhere; promesonotum carinulate.

Minor: occiput broad, lacking nuchal collar; humeri dentate; promesonotal profile smoothly semicircular; promesonotum partially carinulate; most of body smooth and shiny.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.64, HL 1.86, SL 0.86, EL 0.20, PW 0.78. Paratype minor: HW 0.66, HL 0.74, SL 0.78, EL 0.14, PW 0.46.

COLOR Major: body light reddish brown, mandibles medium reddish brown, legs plain medium yellow.

Minor: light to medium brownish yellow, legs plain medium yellow.

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

Type Material

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: 14 km northwest of Bonao, 19°02'N 70°30'W, 1100 m, col. Philip S. Ward. Museum of Comparative Zoology

Etymology

Named after the Greater Antillean island of origin.

References

Wilson, E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (page 707, fig. major, minor described)
Lubertazzi, D. 2019. The ants of Hispaniola. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 162(2), 59-210 (doi:10.3099/mcz-43.1).

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

Perez-Gelabert D. E. 2008. Arthropods of Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti): A checklist and bibliography. Zootaxa 1831:1-530.