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Pheidole machetula
| Pheidole machetula | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Pheidole |
| Species: | P. machetula |
| Binomial name | |
| Pheidole machetula Wilson, 2003 | |
The type colony was found in a gap in mature rainforest, nesting in bare clay soil. (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: -2.687467° to -12.497473°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Peru (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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Biology
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- machetula. Pheidole machetula Wilson, 2003: 207, figs. (s.w.) PERU.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
A small member of the diligens group, similar to Pheidole calimana, Pheidole cataractae, Pheidole demeter, Pheidole scimitara, Pheidole sicaria and Pheidole tenuis in various characters, differing as follows.
Major: small (HW 0.80 mm), with equilaterally triangular propodeal spines; antennal scape exceeds occipital corner by a little less than its own maximum width; head in full-face subrectangular, with nearly straight, parallel sides; carinulae on head do not extend posteriorly beyond eye level; in dorsal-oblique view, mesonotal convexity prominently lobose, its rounded apex directed posteriorly.
Minor: propodeal spines equilaterally triangular; occiput narrowed but lacking nuchal collar.
MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 0.80, HL 0.86, SL 0.72, EL 0.18, PW 0.46. Paratype minor: HW 0.46, HL 0.56, SL 0.64, EL 0.14, PW 0.30.
COLOR Major: body concolorous medium brown, legs light brown.
Minor: very dark, almost blackish brown; in some but not all minors, the mandibles, trochanters, and tarsi are clear yellow.
Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.
Type Material
PERU: Cuzco Amazónico, 15 km northeast of Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, col. Stefan Cover and John E. Tobin. Museum of Comparative Zoology
Etymology
Gr machetula, little warrior.
References
- Wilson, E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (page 207, fig. major, minor described)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Bezdeckova K., P. Bedecka, and I. Machar. 2015. A checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Peru. Zootaxa 4020 (1): 101–133.
- Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.