Pheidole montana

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Pheidole montana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Pheidole
Species: P. montana
Binomial name
Pheidole montana
Eguchi, 1999

Pheidole montana casent0281649 p 1 high.jpg

Pheidole montana casent0281649 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

This species inhabits well-developed hill forests. I found its nests in the soil, and many colonies were collected from rotting logs by TK. (Eguchi 2001)

Identification

Eguchi (2001) - This species is closely related to Pheidole comata and Pheidole longipes, and all these are peculiar among Indo-Chinese and Indo-Malayan congeners in the characteristics noted under P. comata. Diagnostic characteristics of this species which separate it from P. longipes are: propodeal spine horn-like, more than 3.5 times as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle in the major and more than 4 times in the minor; in profile dorsum of promesonotal dome in front of the prominence on its posterior declivity bearing 10-20 standing hairs in the major. Body yellowish-brown to brown in the minor. This species is distinguished from P. comata by the characters noted under P. comata.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Indo-Australian Region: Borneo (type locality), Indonesia, Malaysia.

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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

Worker

Minor

Images from AntWeb

Pheidole montana casent0281650 h 1 high.jpgPheidole montana casent0281650 p 1 high.jpgPheidole montana casent0281650 d 1 high.jpgPheidole montana casent0281650 l 1 high.jpg
Worker. Specimen code casent0281650. Photographer Shannon Hartman, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by NHMUK, London, UK.
Pheidole montana casent0282607 h 1 high.jpgPheidole montana casent0282607 p 1 high.jpgPheidole montana casent0282607 d 1 high.jpgPheidole montana casent0282607 l 1 high.jpg
Not ProvidedWorker. Specimen code casent0282607. Photographer Adam Lazarus, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by EPEC.

Nomenclature

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

  • montana. Pheidole montana Eguchi, 1999: 100, figs. 8-11 (s.w.q.) BORNEO. See also: Eguchi, 2001b: 83.

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

Description

Worker

Eguchi 2001. Figure 31.

Eguchi (2001) - Major (n=8): TL 5.8-6.3 mm, HL 2.37-2.70 mm, HW 2.32-2.53 mm, SL 1.60-1.72 mm, FL 2.63-2.87 mm, CI 93-100, SI 64-71, FI 108-117. Head broadest at 3/5-7/10 distance of head (as measured from the mid-point of a transverse line spanning the anteriormost and posteriormost projecting points, respectively; posterior margin of head in full-face view with median emargination from which an inconspicuous longitudinal impression extends to midlength of head (Fig. 31A); head in profile not impressed on vertex (Fig. 31B) Hypostoma without median processes. Clypeus with a median longitudinal carina, with anterior margin weakly emarginate medially. Eye situated around 1/3 distance of head; distance between mandibular insertion and anterior margin of eye 1.7-1.8 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina and antennal scrobe present only around antennal insertion. Antenna without conspicuous club; scape extending backward to 4/5 distance of head. Masticatory margin of mandible with apical and pre apical teeth, and a denticle in front of basal angle. Promesonotal dome with a distinct prominence on its posterior declivity (Fig. 31 C); the prominence in anterior view not or very weakly concave medially. Mesopleuron with an indistinct transverse impression. Propodeal spine corniform, 3.5-4 times as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle. Petiole in profile cuneiform, almost as long as postpetiole, with ill-defined node of which apex is in posterior view distinctly concave. Postpetiole in dorsal view subpentagonal, 2.2-2.5 times as broad as petiole.

Frons and gena longitudinally rugose; dorsum of occipital lobe with fine longitudinal rugulae curving outward, and with interspaces weakly punctured and dull; lateral face of occipital lobe finely and weakly rugose, sometimes with punctured interspaces; median portion of dorsolateral face of head rugoso-reticulate with enclosures punctured and dull; promesonotal dome smooth and shining; remainder of alitrunk largely punctured very weakly and shining; lateral faces of petiole and postpetiole very weakly punctured and shining; dorsa of petiole and postpetiole punctured very weakly, or smooth and shining; gaster smooth and shining. Dorsal face of head (including occipital lobe) and lateral face of occipital lobe bearing standing hairs (Fig. 31A); outer face of mandible sparsely covered with appressed to decumbent hairs, which are 0.05-0.08 mm in length and shorter than distance between piligerous punctures; submarginal zone of masticatory margin of mandible with a row of longer decumbent hairs; in profile dorsum of promesonotal dome in front of the prominence on its posterior declivity bearing 10-20 standing hairs (Fig. 31C). Body yellowish-brown, brown, or reddish-brown; legs lighter than alitrunk.

Minor (n=162): TL 3.5-4.8 mm, HL 0.92-1.42 mm, HW 0.62-0.99 mm, SL 1.28-1.95 mm, AL 1.27-1.93 mm, FL 1.57-2.51 mm, CI 64-73, SI 172-227, FI 226-280. Head in full-face view narrowed and prolonged behind eyes toward occipital carina which forms a distinct flange. Clypeus with a weak longitudinal median carina, with anterior margin slightly convex or truncate medially. Eye situated at 4/9-1/2 distance of head (as measured from anterior margin of clypeus to occipital carina); distance between mandibular insertion and anterior margin of eye 1.1-1.3 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Antenna without conspicuous club, but 8th segment 1.3-1.4 times as long as 7th. Promesonotal dome with a distinct prominence on its posterior declivity (Fig. 31D). Mesopleuron without a distinct transverse impression. Propodeal spine 4-5 times as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle (Fig. 310). Petiole in profile cuneiform, with ill-defined node, 0.8-0.9 times as long as postpetiole. Postpetiole 2.2-2.3 times as broad as petiole, in dorsal view distinctly longer than broad, gently narrowed forward in its anterior 2/3.

Head including clypeus and promesonotum smooth and shining; remainder of alitrunk largely smooth (or very weakly punctured) and shining; lateral faces of petiole and postpetiole smooth and shining, or very weakly punctured; dorsa of petiole and postpetiole, and gaster smooth and shining. Body light brown to brown, with a little darker head and gaster.

Type Material

Eguchi (2001) - Major, minor and queen (Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Museum of Nature and Human Activities). Type locality: Mt. Kinabalu (nr. Park Headquarters, ca. 1500 malt.), Sabah, Borneo.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Eguchi K. 1999. Pheidole longipes (Fr. Smith) and two closely related species from Kinabalu Park, Sabah, Borneo (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). Japanese Journal of Systematic Entomology 5: 97-104.
  • Eguchi K. 2001. A revision of the Bornean species of the ant genus Pheidole (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Tropics Monograph Series 2: 1-154.
  • Eguchi K. 2003. A study on the male genitalia of some Asian species of Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae). Sociobiology 41: 317-355.
  • Pfeiffer M.; Mezger, D.; Hosoishi, S.; Bakhtiar, E. Y.; Kohout, R. J. 2011. The Formicidae of Borneo (Insecta: Hymenoptera): a preliminary species list. Asian Myrmecology 4:9-58