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Pheidole macclendoni
| Pheidole macclendoni | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Pheidole |
| Species: | P. macclendoni |
| Binomial name | |
| Pheidole macclendoni Wheeler, W.M., 1908
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In western Texas Moody and Francke (1982) discovered two colonies nesting in open soil and one beneath a clump of grass. Winged queens were found by William S. Creighton at Dryden, Texas, on 29 December. (Wilson 2003)
Identification
The majors of this species can be recognized by having a flattened, rugose area located between the frontal lobe and the eye, with large, intrarugal foveolae, and the petiole has a large, prominent lateral spiracle. The head of the major is large, at least 2 millimeters in total length, excluding the mandibles. The pronotum of the major has transverse striae. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)
Also see the description in the nomenclature section.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Evidently scarce, recorded from Arizona, as well as central and western Texas. (Wilson 2003)
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 34.156971° to 27.530567°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Nearctic Region: United States (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. |
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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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Habitat
Sandy-gravely desert (Cole, 1957b).
Biology
This species nests in the soil, with the nest marked by a small entrance. (Mackay and Mackay 2002)
Castes
This species is weakly polymorphic.
Worker
Minor
Images from AntWeb
   
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| Worker. Specimen code casent0103474. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by LACM, Los Angeles, CA, USA. |
   
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| Worker. Specimen code casent0103476. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by LACM, Los Angeles, CA, USA. |
Major
       
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Male
Images from AntWeb
   
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| Male (alate). Specimen code casent0103471. Photographer April Nobile, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by LACM, Los Angeles, CA, USA. |
Additional images can be found here
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- macclendoni. Pheidole macclendoni Wheeler, W.M. 1908e: 450, pl. 27, fig. 36 (s.w.) U.S.A. See also: Wilson, 2003: 582.
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 “bicarinata complex” of the larger pilifera group, comprising Pheidole agricola, Pheidole aurea, Pheidole barbata, Pheidole bicarinata, Pheidole centeotl, Pheidole cerebrosior, Pheidole defecta, Pheidole gilvescens, Pheidole macclendoni, Pheidole macrops, Pheidole marcidula, Pheidole paiute, Pheidole pinealis, Pheidole psammophila, Pheidole xerophila, Pheidole yaqui and Pheidole yucatana, which complex is characterized by the large to very large, forward-set eyes of both castes, especially the minor; and, in the major, the occipital lobes lacking any sculpturing (except in aurea); the posterior half of the head capsule almost entirely smooth and shiny; and the postpetiolar node seen from above oval, elliptical, or laterally angulate (cornulate in cerebrosior).
P. macclendoni is distinguished by the presence of a supermajor in addition to the major caste and is further distinguished by the following traits.
Major: long, thin propodeal spine; prominent humeral lobe in dorsal-oblique view; bell-shaped postpetiolar node seen from above.
Supermajor: lacks sculpturing on the posterior half of the head.
Minor: propodeal spines reduced to denticles; humerus subangulate in dorsal-oblique view; very low postpetiolar node in side view;bell-shaped postpetiolar node seen from above.
MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 1.50, HL 1.60, SL 0.82, EL 0.26, PW 0.74.
- Paralectotype supermajor: HW 2.74, HL 2.58, SL 1.02, EL 0.34,. PW (not measured).
- Paralectotype minor: HW 0.62, HL 0.64, SL 0.60, EL 0.18, PW 0.38.
COLOR Major: reddish yellow, gaster a slightly contrasting yellowish brown.
Supermajor: concolorous reddish yellow.
Minor: body light brown, appendages a lighter shade of yellowish brown.
Figure. Upper: lectotype, major (body and full head), Corsicana, in Navarro Co. near Dallas, Texas. Paralectotype, supermajor (partial head only), Benson, Cochise Co., Arizona. Lower: paralectotype, minor, Laredo, Webb Co., Texas. Scale bars = 1 mm.
Type Material
American Museum of Natural History and Museum of Comparative Zoology - as reported in Wilson (2003)
Etymology
Eponymous (Wilson 2003)
Worker Morphology
Explore: Show all Worker Morphology data or Search these data. See also a list of all data tables or learn how data is managed.
- Caste: trimorphic
References
- Mackay, W. P. and E. Mackay. 2002. The ants of New Mexico (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Edwin Mellen Press, Lewiston, NY.
- Moody, J. V., Francke, O. F. 1982. The ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of western Texas, Part 1: Subfamily Myrmicinae. Grad. Stud. Tex. Tech Univ. 27: 1–80.
- Wheeler, W. M. 1908h. The ants of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. (Part I.). Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 24: 399-485 (page 450, pl. 27, fig. 36 soldier, worker described)
- Wilson, E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (page 582, fig. major, minor described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Moody J. V., and O. F. Francke. 1982. The Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Western Texas Part 1: Subfamily Myrmicinae. Graduate Studies Texas Tech University 27: 80 pp.
- O'Keefe S. T., J. L. Cook, T. Dudek, D. F. Wunneburger, M. D. Guzman, R. N. Coulson, and S. B. Vinson. 2000. The Distribution of Texas Ants. The Southwestern Entomologist 22: 1-92.
- Wheeler, G.C. and J. Wheeler. 1985. A checklist of Texas ants. Prairie Naturalist 17:49-64.
- Wilson, E.O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A Dominant, Hyperdiverse Genus. Harvard University Press