.jpg){kind=logo}
Pheidole tschinkeli
| Pheidole tschinkeli | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Pheidole |
| Species: | P. tschinkeli |
| Binomial name | |
| Pheidole tschinkeli Wilson, 2003 | |
The nest of the type colony was found in a piece of rotten wood near the Tikal ruins. (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: 18.5859972° to 13.1068996°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Guatemala (type locality), Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Venezuela.
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. |
|
Biology
Castes
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- tschinkeli. Pheidole tschinkeli Wilson, 2003: 242, figs. (s.w.) GUATEMALA.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
A member of the diligens group similar to Pheidole anima, Pheidole indistincta, Pheidole plebecula and Pheidole piceonigra, differing markedly as follows.
Major: propodeal spines stout, half as long as the basal propodeal face, and curved posteriorly; antennal scapes just reach the occipital border; mesopleuron and sides of propodeum longitudinally rugulose; postpetiolar node laterally angular; pilosity sparse and long, with some hairs 2X the Eye Length; head bicolorous.
Minor: propodeal spines stout, half as long as the basal propodeal face; mesopleuron longitudinally rugulose; occiput narrowed but lacking nuchal collar.
MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.04, HL 1.00, SL 0.82, EL 0.20, PW 0.54. Paratype minor: HW 0.56, HL 0.66, SL 0.80, EL 0.04, PW 0.42.
COLOR Major: head and body dark, almost blackish brown except for genae, which are dark yellow; appendages brownish to medium yellow.
Minor: head and body dark, almost blackish brown; appendages brownish to medium brown.
Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.
Type Material
GUATEMALA: El Peten Tikal National Park, near ruins, col. Walter R. Tschinkel. Museum of Comparative Zoology
Etymology
Named after the collector and distinguished myrmecologist Walter R. Tschinkel.
References
- Wilson, E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (page 242, fig. major, minor described)
- Baena, M.L., Escobar, F., Valenzuela, J.E. 2019. Diversity snapshot of green–gray space ants in two Mexican cities. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science 40, 239–250 (doi:10.1007/s42690-019-00073-y).
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Dattilo W. et al. 2019. MEXICO ANTS: incidence and abundance along the Nearctic-Neotropical interface. Ecology https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2944
- Longino J. T. 2013. Ants of Nicargua. Consulted on 18 Jan 2013. https://sites.google.com/site/longinollama/reports/ants-of-nicaragua
- Longino J. T. L., and M. G. Branstetter. 2018. The truncated bell: an enigmatic but pervasive elevational diversity pattern in Middle American ants. Ecography 41: 1-12.
- Longino J. et al. ADMAC project. Accessed on March 24th 2017 at https://sites.google.com/site/admacsite/
- Wilson, E.O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A Dominant, Hyperdiverse Genus. Harvard University Press