Pheidole

A hyperdiverse genus of ants that are distinguished by their discrete major and minor workers. While there are other genera with discrete worker castes, none have radiated to the extent of Pheidole. Ants in this genus are most diverse and abundant in the Neotropics but they are also abundant elements of the ant faunas in many other areas of the world. Wilson's (2003) treatment of the New World species and other more recent taxonomic and phylogenetic studies have brought some much needed clarity to defining the boundaries of many species. Still, much work remains before it can be claimed that the genus Pheidole has few new species to be described and that the taxonomy of the group is definitively complete.

Identification
Pheidole Working Group - Characters

Pheidole Working Group - Keys

Pheidole Working Group - Participants

Pheidole Working Group - Taxonomic Catalogue

Species richness
Species richness by country based on regional taxon lists (countries with darker colours are more species-rich). View Data



Regional Treatments

 * Afrotropical Species Groups
 * New World species

Biology
Pheidole are general scavengers, feeding on a wide range of prey. Here, a worker of an Australian species returns to its nest with an amphipod while another Australian species returns with a dead Camponotus worker.



Major workers are much less common than minor workers, commonly being out-numbered by 10-to-one or more.



Nomenclature

 *  PHEIDOLE [Myrmicinae: Pheidolini]
 * Pheidole Westwood, 1839: 219. Type-species: Atta providens, by monotypy.
 * Pheidole senior synonym of Oecophthora: Smith, F. 1858a: 282; Smith, F. 1858b: 172.
 * Pheidole senior synonym of Leptomyrma: Emery, 1892b: 166.
 * Pheidole senior synonym of Allopheidole, Cardiopheidole: Emery, 1921f: 84.
 * Pheidole senior synonym of Phidole: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 806.
 * Pheidole senior synonym of Macropheidole: Smith, M.R. 1951a: 800.
 * Pheidole senior synonym of Epipheidole: Cole, 1965: 174.
 * Pheidole senior synonym of Anergatides, Bruchomyrma, Ceratopheidole, Conothoracoides, Conothorax (homonym), Decapheidole, Elasmopheidole, Electropheidole, Eriopheidole, Gallardomyrma, Hendecapheidole (and its junior synonym Cephalomorium), Ischnomyrmex (and its junior synonym Isopheidole), Parapheidole, Pheidolacanthinus, Phidola, Scrobopheidole, Stegopheidole, Sympheidole, Trachypheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1365-1366; Snelling, R.R. 1981: 395.
 * Pheidole senior synonym of Anergatides, Bruchomyrma: Wilson, 1984: 327.
 * Pheidole senior synonym of Xenoaphaenogaster: Bolton, 1987: 291.
 * ALLOPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Allopheidole Forel, 1912f: 237 [as subgenus of Pheidole]. Type-species: Pheidole kingi (junior synonym of Pheidole tepicana), by subsequent designation of Wheeler, W.M. 1913a: 79.
 * Allopheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Emery, 1921f: 84.
 * ANERGATIDES [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Anergatides Wasmann, 1915b: 281. Type-species: Anergatides kohli (junior secondary homonym in Pheidole, replaced by Pheidole neokohli), by monotypy.
 * Anergatides junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366; Wilson, 1984: 328.
 * ANISOPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Anisopheidole Forel, 1914c: 616 (footnote) [as subgenus of Pheidole]. Type-species: Pheidole froggatti (junior synonym of Atta antipodum), by monotypy.
 * [Anisopheidole also described as new by Forel, 1915b: 61.]
 * Anisopheidole raised to genus: Ettershank, 1966: 129.
 * Anisopheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Ward et al., 2014: 15.
 * BRUCHOMYRMA [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Bruchomyrma Santschi, 1922d: 248. Type-species: Bruchomyrma acutidens, by monotypy.
 * Bruchomyrma junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366; Wilson, 1984: 327.
 * [Bruchomyrma listed as genus: Dlussky & Fedoseeva, 1988: 80 (anachronism)].
 * Bruchomyrma junior synonym of Pheidole: Bolton, 1994: 106; Wilson, 2003: 6.
 * CARDIOPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Cardiopheidole Wheeler, W.M. 1914b: 48 [as subgenus of Pheidole]. Type-species: Pheidole vaslitii, by original designation.
 * Cardiopheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Emery, 1921f: 84.
 * CEPHALOMORIUM [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Cephalomorium Forel, 1922: 91 [as subgenus of Tetramorium]. Type-species: Tetramorium (Cephalomorium) bahai, by monotypy.
 * Cephalomorium junior synonym of Hendecapheidole: Santschi, 1925d: 228.
 * Cephalomorium junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366; Wilson, 2003: 6].
 * CERATOPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Ceratopheidole Pergande, 1896: 889 [as subgenus of Pheidole]. Type-species: Pheidole (Ceratopheidole) granulata, by monotypy.
 * Ceratopheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1365; Wilson, 2003: 6.
 * CONOTHORACOIDES [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Conothoracoides Strand, 1935: 176. Replacement name for Conothorax Karavaiev, 1935a: 75. [Junior homonym of Conothorax Jekel, 1854: 9 bis (foldout pages) (Coleoptera).]
 * Conothoracoides junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366.
 * DECAPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Decapheidole Forel, 1912f: 237 [as subgenus of Pheidole]. Type-species: Pheidole perpusilla, by subsequent designation of Wheeler, W.M. 1913a: 80.
 * Decapheidole raised to genus: Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 661; Borgmeier, 1927c: 78.
 * Decapheidole subgenus of Pheidole: Emery, 1922e: 112; Kempf, 1972a: 183.
 * Decapheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366; Wilson, 2003: 6.
 * ELASMOPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Elasmopheidole Forel, 1913k: 43 [as subgenus of Pheidole]. Type-species: Pheidole aberrans, by subsequent designation of Emery, 1915i: 190.
 * Elasmopheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366.
 * ELECTROPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Electropheidole Mann, 1921: 438 [as subgenus of Pheidole]. Type-species: Pheidole (Electropheidole) roosevelti, by subsequent designation of Donisthorpe, 1943f: 642.
 * Electropheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366.
 * EPIPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Epipheidole Wheeler, W.M. 1903f: 664. Type-species: Epipheidole inquilina, by monotypy.
 * [Epipheidole also described as new by Wheeler, W.M. 1904a: 14.]
 * Epipheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Cole, 1965: 174.
 * ERIOPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Eriopheidole Kusnezov, 1952a: 10. Type-species: Eriopheidole symbiotica (junior secondary homonym in Pheidole, replaced by Pheidole kusnezovi), by monotypy.
 * Eriopheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366; Bolton, 1994: 106.
 * GALLARDOMYRMA [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Gallardomyrma Bruch, 1932: 271. Type-species: Gallardomyrma argentina, by original designation.
 * Gallardomyrma junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366; Wilson, 1984: 327.
 * [Gallardomyrma listed as genus: Dlussky & Fedoseeva, 1988: 80 (anachronism)].
 * Gallardomyrma junior synonym of Pheidole: Bolton, 1994: 106; Wilson, 2003: 6.
 * HENDECAPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Hendecapheidole Wheeler, W.M. 1922d: 3 [as subgenus of Pheidole]. Type-species: Pheidole tachigaliae, by original designation.
 * Hendecapheidole senior synonym of Cephalomorium: Santschi, 1925d: 228.
 * Hendecapheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366; Wilson, 2003: 6.
 * ISCHNOMYRMEX [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Ischnomyrmex Mayr, 1862: 738. Type-species: Myrmica longipes, by monotypy.
 * Ischnomyrmex junior synonym of Aphaenogaster: Emery & Forel, 1879: 461; Bingham, 1903: 270.
 * Ischnomyrmex subgenus of Aphaenogaster: Forel, 1891b: 166; André, 1893b: 150; Dalla Torre, 1893: 98; Forel, 1899c: 59; Emery, 1908c: 313; Wheeler, W.M. 1910g: 140.
 * Ischnomyrmex subgenus of Stenamma: Emery, 1895c: 298; Emery, 1895j: 769; Forel, 1903a: 693.
 * Ischnomyrmex subgenus of Pheidole: Forel, 1913k: 49.
 * Ischnomyrmex as genus: Stitz, 1911a: 367; Emery, 1914a: 40; Forel, 1917: 241; Wheeler, W.M. 1922a: 661; Emery, 1922e: 113.
 * Ischnomyrmex senior synonym of Isopheidole: Forel, 1913k: 49; Emery, 1922e: 113 [both have the same type-species, synonymy is therefore absolute].
 * Ischnomyrmex junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1365.
 * ISOPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Isopheidole Forel, 1912m: 765 [as subgenus of Pheidole]. Type-species: Myrmica longipes, by monotypy.
 * Isopheidole junior synonym of Ischnomyrmex: Forel, 1913k: 49 [both have the same type-species, synonymy is therefore absolute].
 * Isopheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1365.
 * LEPTOMYRMA [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Leptomyrma Motschoulsky, 1863: 17. Type-species: Leptomyrma gracilipes, by monotypy.
 * Leptomyrma junior synonym of Pheidole: Emery, 1892b: 166.
 * MACHOMYRMA [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Machomyrma Forel, 1895f: 425 [as subgenus of Liomyrmex]. Type-species: Liomyrmex (Machomyrma) dispar, by monotypy.
 * Machomyrma raised to genus: Emery, 1896e: 184.
 * Machomyrma junior synonym of Pheidole: Ward et al., 2014: 15.
 * MACROPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Macropheidole Emery, 1915i: 190 [as subgenus of Pheidole]. Type-species: Pheidole fimbriata, by monotypy.
 * Macropheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, M.R. 1951a: 800; Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366.
 * OECOPHTHORA [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Oecophthora Heer, 1852: 15. Type-species: Oecophthora pusilla (junior synonym of Formica megacephala), by monotypy.
 * Oecophthora junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, F. 1858a: 282; Smith, F. 1858b: 172.
 * PARAPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Parapheidole Emery, 1915d: 68. Type-species: Aphaenogaster oculata, by monotypy.
 * Parapheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366.
 * PHEIDOLACANTHINUS [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Pheidolacanthinus Smith, F. 1865: 75. Type-species: Pheidolacanthinus armatus (junior synonym of Myrmica quadrispinosa), by monotypy.
 * Pheidolacanthinus subgenus of Pheidole: Forel, 1900a: 25.
 * Pheidolacanthinus junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1365.
 * PHIDOLA [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Phidola Schulz, W.A. 1906: 155, unjustified emendation of Pheidole.
 * Phidola junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1365.
 * PHIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Phidole Bingham, 1903: 220, unjustified emendation of Pheidole.
 * Phidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Wheeler, 1922a: 806.
 * SCROBOPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Scrobopheidole Emery, 1915i: 190 [as subgenus of Pheidole]. Type-species: Pheidole scrobifera, by monotypy.
 * Scrobopheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366; Wilson, 2003: 6.
 * STEGOPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Stegopheidole Emery, 1915i: 190 [as subgenus of Pheidole]. Type-species: Pheidole (Elasmopheidole) upeneci, by monotypy.
 * Stegopheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366.
 * SYMPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Sympheidole Wheeler, W.M. 1904a: 7. Type-species: Sympheidole elecebra, by monotypy.
 * Sympheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1365; Wilson, 2003: 6.
 * TRACHYPHEIDOLE [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Trachypheidole Emery, 1915i: 190 [as subgenus of Pheidole]. Type-species: Pheidole bicornis, by original designation.
 * Trachypheidole junior synonym of Pheidole: Smith, D.R. 1979: 1366; Wilson, 2003: 6.
 * XENOAPHAENOGASTER [junior synonym of Pheidole]
 * Xenoaphaenogaster Baroni Urbani, 1964b: 50. Type-species: Xenoaphaenogaster inquilina (junior synonym of Myrmica pallidula), by original designation.
 * Xenoaphaenogaster junior synonym of Pheidole: Bolton, 1987: 291.

Etymology
Greek pheidolos = thrifty