Pheidole megacephala impressifrons

Pheidole megacephala impressifrons
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Pheidole
Species:	P. megacephala
Subspecies:	P. megacephala impressifrons
Trinomial name
Pheidole megacephala impressifrons Wasmann, 1905
Synonyms
Pheidole megacephala impressiceps Wasmann, 1904

Taylor et al. (2018) have observed this taxon in a Mangifera indica (mango) orchard in Benin, as prey of Oecophylla longinoda.

Identification

A member of the megacephala species group

Distribution

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: -17.833333° to -34.035556°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Afrotropical Region: Benin, Eritrea, Nigeria, South Africa (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.

• impressiceps. Pheidole megacephala subsp. impressiceps Wasmann, 1904a: 72 (footnote) (s.w.q.) SOUTH AFRICA. [Junior primary homonym of impressiceps Mayr, above.] Replacement name: impressifrons Wasmann, 1905: 110.
• impressifrons. Pheidole megacephala subsp. impressifrons Wasmann, 1905: 110. Replacement name for impressiceps Wasmann, 1904a: 72. [Junior primary homonym of impressiceps Mayr, 1876: 105.] Forel, 1913j: 213 (q.). Subspecies of punctulata: Forel, 1913a: 127; Forel, 1913b: 328; of rotundata: Forel, 1913j: 213; Arnold, 1920a: 426. Currently subspecies of megacephala: Emery, 1915j: 236; Emery, 1921f: 85; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 814.

Taxonomic Notes

Taylor et al. (2018) note that Benin specimens are similar to the West African forms of Emery (1915), a major worker from Cameroun, CASENT0173311, and a minor worker, CASENT0173310, are listed on Antweb as “Pheidole punctulata” but they differ from the types of that species from South Africa (major, CASENT0901316, minor, CASENT0901315).

They then propose treating P. impressifronts as a full species. This as not been accepted by later authors.

References

• Arnold, G. 1920a. A monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. Part IV. Myrmicinae. Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 14: 403-578 (page 426, subspecies\race of rotundata)
• Emery, C. 1915i. Les Pheidole du groupe megacephala (Formicidae). Rev. Zool. Afr. (Bruss.) 4: 223-250 (page 236, subspecies\race of megacephala)
• Emery, C. 1921c. Hymenoptera. Fam. Formicidae. Subfam. Myrmicinae. [part]. Genera Insectorum 174A:1-94 94: 1-94 + 7 (page 85, subspecies\race of megacephala)
• Forel, A. 1913a. Fourmis de Rhodesia, etc. récoltées par M. G. Arnold, le Dr. H. Brauns et K. Fikendey. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 57: 108-147 (page 127, subspecies\race of punctulata)
• Forel, A. 1913b. Formicides du Congo Belge récoltés par MM. Bequaert, Luja, etc. Rev. Zool. Afr. (Bruss.) 2: 306-351 (page 328, subspecies\race of punctualat)
• Forel, A. 1913k. Ameisen aus Rhodesia, Kapland usw. (Hym.) gesammelt von Herrn G. Arnold, Dr. H. Brauns und Anderen. Dtsch. Entomol. Z. 1913(Su Suppl: 203-225 (page 213, queen described)
• Forel, A. 1913k. Ameisen aus Rhodesia, Kapland usw. (Hym.) gesammelt von Herrn G. Arnold, Dr. H. Brauns und Anderen. Dtsch. Entomol. Z. 1913(Su Suppl: 203-225 (page 213, subspecies\race of rotundata)
• Mayr, G. 1876. Die australischen Formiciden. J. Mus. Godeffroy 12: 56-115 (page 105, primary homonym)
• Taylor, B., Agoinon, N., Sinzogan, A., Adandonon, A., Kouaguou, Y. N., Bello, S., Wargui, R., Anato, F., Ouagoussounon, I., Houngbo, H., Tchibozo, S., Todjihounde, R., Vayssieres, J.F. 2018. Records of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from the Republic of Benin, with particular reference to the mango farm ecosystem. Journal of Insect Biodiversity 8(1): 6-29 (doi:10.12976/jib/2018.08.1.2).
• Wasmann, E. 1904a. Neue Beiträge zur Kenntniss der Paussiden, mit biologischen und phylogenetischen Bemerkungen. Notes Leyden Mus. 25: 1-82 (page 72, junior primary homonym of impressiceps)
• Wasmann, E. 1905f. Berichtigungen zu Note I dieses Bandes. Notes Leyden Mus. 25: 110 (page 110, replacement name for impressiceps)
• Wheeler, W. M. 1922j. Ants of the American Museum Congo expedition. A contribution to the myrmecology of Africa. VIII. A synonymic list of the ants of the Ethiopian region. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 45: 711-1004 (page 814, subspecies\race of megacephala)