Pheidole huberi

This species inhabits well-developed forests.

Identification
Eguchi (2001a) - This medium- to large-sized species is characterised among Indo-Chinese and Indo-Malayan congeners by a combination of the following characteristics: alitrunk completely lacking standing hairs in both the subcastes; posterior declivity of promesonotal dome lacking a distinct prominence in both the subcastes; hypostoma of the major bearing three median processes.

Distribution
Southern Malay Peninsula, Borneo and Sumatra.

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Indo-Australian Region: Borneo, Indonesia, Malaysia.

Worker
Minor

Nomenclature

 *  huberi. Pheidole huberi Forel, 1911d: 374 (s.w.) INDONESIA (Sumatra). Senior synonym of perakensis: Eguchi, 2001a: 12. See also: Eguchi, 2001b: 64.
 * perakensis. Pheidole huberi var. perakensis Forel, 1911d: 376 (s.w.) WEST MALAYSIA. Forel, 1911d: 386 (q.). Junior synonym of huberi: Eguchi, 2001a: 12.

Worker
Eguchi (2001a) - Major (n=7): TL 3.6-3.9 mm, HL 1.56-1.66 mm, HW 1.58-1.70 mm, SL 0.93-0.99 mm, FL 1.39-1.46 mm, CI 96-102, SI 54-62, FI 82-91. Head broadest at about 4/5 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 broadly concave medially (Fig. 21A); head in profile not impressed on vertex (Fig. 21B). Hypostoma with three median processes (medianmost one of them lower) (Fig. 21C). Clypeus with a median longitudinal carina, with anterior margin emarginate medially. Eye situated at about 1/3 distance of head; distance between mandibular insertion and anterior margin of eye 1.7-1.9 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina weak, extending backward to about 2/3 distance of head. Antennal scrobe present only around antennal insertion. Antenna with 3-segmented club; scape reaching 2/3-3/4 distance of head; terminal segment 0.8-0.9 times as long as preceding two segments together. Masticatory margin of mandible with apical and preapical teeth, and a denticle in front of basal angle. Promesonotal dome without a distinct prominence on its posterior declivity (Fig. 21D). Mesopleuron with a weak transverse impression. Propodeal spine horn-like, 4.5-5 times as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle. Petiole cuneiform, 1.4-1.5 times as long as postpetiole (excluding helcium); petiolar node in posterior view slightly emarginate at apex. Postpetiole 1.7-1.9 times as broad as petiolar node.

Frons longitudinally rugose, with smooth and shining interspaces; the longitudinal rugulae curving outward on occipital lobes (Fig. 21A); area between frontal carina and subocular level rugoso-reticulate; lateral face of head in front of eye longitudinally rugose; dorsum of promesonotum smooth and shining, sometimes with transverse rugulae; lateral face of promesonotum largely smooth and shining or with rugulae; mesopleuron and lateral face of propodeum rugoso-reticulate, with weakly punctured enclosures; dorsa of petiole and postpetiole smooth and shining, and their lateral faces weakly punctured; gaster smooth and shining. Head with few standing hairs, and scattered short appressed hairs; outer face of mandible sparsely covered with very short appressed hairs, which are 0.02-0.04 mm in length and much shorter than distance between piligerous punctures; submarginal zone of masticatory margin of mandible with a row of longer hairs; alitrunk completely lacking standing hairs, with scattered short appressed hairs. Body reddish-brown to dark reddish-brown, sometimes with a little darker occipital lobe, dorsum of alitrunk and gaster.

Minor (n=13): TL 2.3-3.0 mm, HL 0.67-0.87 mm, HW 0.58-0.76 mm, SL 0.80-1.01 mm, AL 0.97-1.25 mm, FL 0.98-1.27 mm, CI 87-90, SI 130-140, FI 163-174. Head in full-face view oval (Fig. 21E); occipital carina distinct. Clypeus with a median longitudinal carina, with anterior margin in full-face view slightly convex medially. Eye situated at about mid length of head; distance between mandibular insertion and anterior margin of eye 1.0-1.1 times as long as maximal diameter of eye. Frontal carina and antennal scrobe present only around antennal insertion. Antenna with 3-segmented club; scape extending beyond posterior border of head by more than its 1/3 length; terminal segment 0.8-0.9 times as long as preceding two segments together. Promesonotal dome without a distinct prominence on its posterior declivity (Fig. 21F). Mesopleuron without a distinct transverse impression. Propodeal spine horn-like, 4.5-5 times as long as diameter of propodeal spiracle. Petiole elongate-cuneiform, 1.3-1.4 times as long as postpetiole (excluding helcium); petiolar node low, in posterior view not emarginate at apex. Postpetiole 1.8-2.0 times as broad as petiolar node.

Clypeus very weakly rugose and weakly shining; remainder of head largely smooth and shining; area between antennal insertion and eye weakly punctured with several rugulae; promesonotum smooth and shining; mesopleuron and propodeum punctured; lateral face of petiole slightly punctured; dorsum of petiole, and postpetiole and gaster smooth and shining. Head with few standing hairs (Fig. 21E), and alitrunk completely lacking them (Fig. 21F), but whole body with scattered short appressed hairs. Body reddish-brown, brown or dark brown, sometimes with a little darker head.

Type Material
Eguchi (2001b) - major and minor; type locality: C. Sumatra. Three syntypes (1 major and 2 minors, ) were examined, of which the major is designated as the lectotype.

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

 * Bluthgen N., D. Mezger, and K.E. Linsenmair. 2006. Ant-hemipteran trophobioses in a Bornean rainforest- diversity, specificity and monopolisation. Insectes Sociaux 53: 194-203.
 * Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
 * 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. 2001. A taxonomic study on Asian Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): new synonymy, rank changes, lectotype designations and redescriptions. Insecta Koreana 18: 1-35.
 * Eguchi K. 2003. A study on the male genitalia of some Asian species of Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae). Sociobiology 41: 317-355.
 * Forel A. 1911. Fourmis nouvelles ou intéressantes. Bull. Soc. Vaudoise Sci. Nat. 47: 331-400.
 * Pfeiffer M., D. Mezger, and J. Dyckmans. 2013. Trophic ecology of tropical leaf litter ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) - a stable isotope study in four types of Bornean rain forest. Myrmecological News 19: 31-41.
 * 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