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Pheidole rogeripolita
| Pheidole rogeripolita | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Pheidole |
| Species: | P. rogeripolita |
| Binomial name | |
| Pheidole rogeripolita Longino, 2019
| |
This species occurs in lower montane, mature wet forest. It nests in clay soil on vertical banks. Several nests have been discovered and excavated.
- Nest 1: the entrance was a flared auricle-like structure of accreted soil; irregular galleries extended back into bank from the entrance; abundant workers, soldiers, brood were found about 5cm deep.
- Nest 2: on a concave clay bank, the entrance under a shelf, pointing downward; the nest entrance was a projecting, thin-walled, open-mouthed cylinder, made of accreted soil.
- Nest 3: in an abandoned wax tube of a Trigona bee nest, in a buttressed trunk, 1.5 m high; the wax tube covered a hemispherical chamber about 8 cm diameter; the entire colony with a single queen appeared to be in this chamber; a uniformly distributed layer of larvae were adhering to the vertical back wall of the chamber.
- Nest 4: incipient nest in a clay bank; inconspicuous circular entrance tunnel; nest a spherical chamber 3-4 cm deep; most of the colony collected; 16 minor workers, 1 colony queen, brood.
- Nest 5: stream edge in moist forest; nest in clay bank deep in alcove with overhanging roots.
Identification
Similar in most respects to Pheidole rogeri. The minor worker has a smooth, shiny face, rather than the lustrous, shagreened face of P. rogeri. The major worker is not readily distinguishable.
Measurements, minor worker: HW 0.84, HL 1.14, SL 1.56, EL 0.18, WL 1.63, PSL 0.42, PTW 0.14, PPW 0.23, CI 74, SI 185, PSLI 50, PPI 164 (n=2).
Measurements, major worker: HW 2.35, HL 2.59, SL 1.53, EL 0.28, WL 2.19, PSL 0.44, PTW 0.29, PPW 0.51, CI 91, SI 66, PSLI 19, PPI 173 (n=2).
Measurements, queen: HW 2.23, HL 2.14, SL 1.62, EL 0.48, WL 3.25, PSL 0.41, PTW 0.51, PPW 0.90, CI 104, SI 73, PSLI 19, PPI 175 (n=1).
Pheidole rogeripolita is a montane variant of the widespread lowland species Pheidole rogeri. The two are sister taxa and diverged about 5 mya (Pheidole JTL134 in Economo et al. 2019).
Distribution
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 10.3107° to 10.3°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Costa Rica (type locality), Panama.
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
Worker
Minor
Images from AntWeb
   
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| Paratype. Worker (minor). Specimen code CASENT0646359. Photographer Michele Esposito. | |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- rogeripolita. Pheidole rogeripolita Longino, 2019: 56, fig. 58 (w.q.) COSTA RICA.
Type Material
- HOLOTYPE: 1 major worker, Costa Rica, Alajuela: Peñas Blancas River, 10.3 -84.73333 ±2 km, 850 m, 3-Mar-2005, wet forest, nest in clay bank (J. Longino, JTL5465) [MUCR, unique specimen identifier CASENT0636564].
- PARATYPES: major, minor worker, queen: same data as holotype [JTLC, MUCR]; Costa Rica, Alajuela: 10km E Monteverde, 10.3107 -84.71356 ±50 m, 830 m, 15-May-2014, mature wet forest, nest in cavity in treetrunk (J. Longino, JTL8640) [CAS, DZUP, JTLC, MCZC, USNM].
Description
Etymology
Similar to P. rogeri, but smooth and shiny, without a dull surface.
References
- Guerrero, R.J., García, E., Fernández, F. 2022. The Pheidole Westwood, 1839 ants (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in Colombia: new records including two species with remarkable morphology. Zootaxa 5154 (3): 319-332 (doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5154.3.5).
- Longino, J.T. 2019. Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Middle American Wet Forest. Zootaxa 4599: 1–126 (DOI 10.11646/zootaxa.4599.1.1).
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Longino J. T. 2019. Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Middle American wet forest. Zootaxa 4599: 1-126