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Pheidole mirabilis
| Pheidole mirabilis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Pheidole |
| Species: | P. mirabilis |
| Binomial name | |
| Pheidole mirabilis Wilson, 2003 | |
All of the three series were collected in montane rainforest. A seed cache was found in the nest of the type colony. (Wilson 2003)
Identification
See the description in the nomenclature section.
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Known from three localities in Valle, at 1570-1700 m. (Wilson 2003)
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 5.133333333° to 3.329426°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Neotropical Region: Colombia (type locality).
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
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- mirabilis. Pheidole mirabilis Wilson, 2003: 722, figs. (s.w.) COLOMBIA.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
DIAGNOSIS Similar to Pheidole binasifera, Pheidole diabolus, Pheidole gravida, Pheidole moseni, Pheidole mosenopsis, Pheidole nasifera, Pheidole rhinoceros, Pheidole unicornis but unique among Pheidole, and all ants, for the complex armament at the front of the major's head.
Major: a spike emerges from the middle carina of the clypeus; the clypeus divides into two layers, each of which projects a pair of angulate processes down and forward; carinulae originating on the frontal carinae tum outward and travel toward the sides of the head; rugoreticulum present mesad to eye; most of posterior third of dorsal head surface smooth; propodeal spines vertical to propodeal basal face.
Minor: dorsal mesosomal surface mostly covered by widely spaced transverse carinulae; propodeal spines vertical to propodeal basal face; postpetiolar node low in side view.
MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.24, HL 1.64, SL 0.64, EL 0.14, PW 0.70. Paratype minor: HW 0.64, HL 0.74, SL 0.62, EL 0.10, PW 0.42.
COLOR Major: body medium reddish brown, legs yellowish brown.
Minor: body plain medium brown except for gaster, which is plain light brown; appendages yellowish brown.
Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.
Type Material
COLOMBIA: Pance, Mun. de Cali, Valle, 1700 m, col. W. L. Brown and S. Chaplin. Museum of Comparative Zoology
Etymology
L mirabilis, wonderful, strange, alluding to the armament of the major.
References
- Wilson, E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (page 722, fig. major, minor described)
- Radchenko, A., Khomych, M. 2022. First records of aneuretine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Aneuretinae) in late Eocene Rovno amber (Ukraine). Travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle “Grigore Antipa” 65 (2): 69–80 (doi:10.3897/travaux.65.e85206).