Pheidole phanigaster

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Pheidole phanigaster
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Pheidole
Species: P. phanigaster
Binomial name
Pheidole phanigaster
Longino, 2009

Pheidole phanigaster casent0609087 p 1 high.jpg

Pheidole phanigaster casent0609087 d 1 high.jpg

Specimen Labels

This species is known from numerous baiting samples in wet forest habitat, in one locality in the northern Chiapas lowlands. (Longino 2009)

Identification

With the morphometric profile of Pheidole anastasii but the shape and general habitus of Pheidole nebulosa. Minor worker: scape relatively long (SI 119-122) versus short (SI 104-106) (nebulosa); gastral dorsum shiny versus matte (anastasii); postpetiole in dorsal view lenticular versus flask-shaped, widest posterior to midlength (anastasii). Major worker: inner hypostomal teeth present and separated from median tooth versus medial hypostomal margin with large blunt medial tooth only (nebulosa); postpetiole in dorsal view lenticular, widest at or anterior to midlength, versus postpetiole flask-shaped, widest posterior to midlength (anastasii); color red brown versus usually yellow orange (anastasii). (Longino 2009)

Distribution

Chiapas

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 17.38542° to 17.385°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Mexico (type locality).

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 phanigaster casent0609089 h 1 high.jpgPheidole phanigaster casent0609089 p 1 high.jpgPheidole phanigaster casent0609089 d 1 high.jpgPheidole phanigaster casent0609089 l 1 high.jpg
Paratype Pheidole phanigasterWorker. Specimen code casent0609089. Photographer Stephanie Ware, uploaded by Field Museum. Owned by FMNH.
Pheidole phanigaster casent0609093 h 1 high.jpgPheidole phanigaster casent0609093 p 1 high.jpgPheidole phanigaster casent0609093 d 1 high.jpgPheidole phanigaster casent0609093 l 1 high.jpg
Paratype Pheidole phanigasterWorker. Specimen code casent0609093. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS.
Pheidole phanigaster casent0609108 h 1 high.jpgPheidole phanigaster casent0609108 p 1 high.jpgPheidole phanigaster casent0609108 d 1 high.jpgPheidole phanigaster casent0609108 p 2 high.jpgPheidole phanigaster casent0609108 l 1 high.jpg
Paratype Pheidole phanigasterWorker. Specimen code casent0609108. Photographer John T. Longino, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by UNAM.

Major

Images from AntWeb

Pheidole phanigaster casent0609100 h 1 high.jpgPheidole phanigaster casent0609100 p 1 high.jpgPheidole phanigaster casent0609100 d 1 high.jpgPheidole phanigaster casent0609100 l 1 high.jpg
Paratype Pheidole phanigasterWorker (major/soldier). Specimen code casent0609100. Photographer Erin Prado, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. Owned by CAS.
Pheidole phanigaster casent0609106 h 1 high.jpgPheidole phanigaster casent0609106 l 1 high.jpg
Worker (major/soldier). Specimen code casent0609106. Photographer J. Longino, uploaded by University of Utah. Owned by JTLC.

Nomenclature

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

  • phanigaster. Pheidole phanigaster Longino, 2009: 61, fig. 17 (s.w.) MEXICO.

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

Description

Worker

Minor Measurements (paratype): HL 0.49, HW 0.43, HLA 0.17, SL 0.52, EL 0.10, ML 0.55, PSL 0.05, PMG 0.00, SPL 0.03, PTW 0.07, PPW 0.11, CI 88, SI 120, PSLI 10, PMGI 0, SPLI 5, PPI 147.

Measurements (n=7): HL 0.46-0.50, HW 0.39-0.44, SL 0.46-0.53, CI 84-89, SI 119-122.

Mandible smooth and shiny; clypeus foveolate; face uniformly foveolate; margin of vertex rounded with median impression; occipital carina narrow, not or barely visible in full face view; scape with appressed pubescence and sparse, fine erect setae, these longer than maximum width of scape; promesonotal groove absent; propodeal spines present; entire mesosoma foveolate; mesosomal dorsum with about six pairs erect setae; dorsal (outer) margin of hind tibia with short decumbent pilosity, no long erect setae; first gastral tergum smooth and shining; gastral dorsum with moderately abundant erect setae; color orange.

Major Measurements (holotype): HL 1.08, HW 1.01, HLA 0.28, SL 0.61, EL 0.15, ML 0.86, PSL 0.11, PMG 0.00, SPL 0.05, PTW 0.12, PPW 0.26, IHT 0.24, OHT 0.39, CI 94, SI 60, PSLI 10, PMGI 0, SPLI 4, PPI 207, HTI 60.

Measurements (n=7): HL 0.95-1.08, HW 0.90-1.03, SL 0.58-0.62, CI 94-97, SI 60-64.

Mandible smooth and shiny; clypeus shiny, slightly concave, with median carina and parallel longitudinal carinulae laterally, with prominent anterior notch; face foveolate throughout, overlain with parallel rugulae on malar spaces and between frontal carinae, becoming more reticulate and fainter posteriorly; head with abundant suberect setae projecting from sides of head in face view; scape smooth and shining, terete at base, with sparse erect setae longer than maximum width of scape; hypostomal margin flat, median tooth present, usually prominent and larger than inner hypostomal teeth; inner hypostomal teeth present, stout, about one half distance from midline to outer hypostomal teeth; promesonotal groove not distinct; propodeal spines present; mesosoma largely foveolate, with shiny area at anterodorsal margin of pronotum; dorsal (outer) margin of hind tibia with appressed pubescence, no longer erect setae; pilosity abundant on mesosomal dorsum; postpetiole in dorsal view lenticular, widest at midlength, conules moderately developed; first gastral tergite matte, with abundant long stiff erect setae; head and mesosoma generally red brown with greater infuscation on mesosomal dorsum, first gastral tergum orange anteriorly, posterior portion and rest of gastral dorsum darker red brown.

Type Material

Holotype major worker. Mexico, Chiapas: 21km SW Salto de Agua, 17.38542°N 92.42802°W, ±200m, 180m, 15 Jun 2008 (LLAMA#Ba-A-08-3-02-10) UNAM, unique specimen identifier CASENT0609087.

Paratypes: major and minor workers. Same data as holotype The Natural History Museum, California Academy of Sciences, Field Museum of Natural History, Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad, John T. Longino Collection, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Musee d'Histoire Naturelle Genève, Instituto de Zoologia Agricola, Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de Sao Paulo, University of California, Davis, UNAM, National Museum of Natural History.

Etymology

The name is in reference to the smooth and shiny gaster of the minor worker, in contrast to the matte gaster of the similar P. anastasii.

References

  • Longino, J.T. 2009. Additions to the taxonomy of New World Pheidole. Zootaxa 2181: 1-90. PDF

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133