Pheidole soesilae

Pheidole soesilae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Pheidole
Species:	P. soesilae
Binomial name
Pheidole soesilae Makhan, 2007

Makhan (2007) described this species based on a single major worker. Bolton (unpublished) considered it a dubious species poorly described from a single major, with the two images of the type suggesting that it is a junior synonym of Pheidole fimbriata. Longino (2019) supported Bolton's view, finding that the images of the holotype major are conspecific with the highly distinctive species Pheidole fimbriata. However, Markhan (2021) states that this species shows an oval head, with short carinae around the eyes and longer carinae on the dorsal view, while P. fimbriata has an elongated head, with long carinae around the eyes and longer carinae on the dorsal and lateral view. In addition, the petiole & mesosoma differ between these species (but no specific details were provided). Makhan provides images of the holotypes of both species, but does not discuss the variation found within P. fimbriata, making the intrepation of the observed differences between the two imaged specimens difficult to access. As a result the taxonomic status of P. soesilae remains uncertain.

Distribution

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Suriname (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.

Nomenclature

The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.

• soesilae. Pheidole soesilae Makhan, 2007d: 1, figs. 1, 2 (s.) SURINAM.
  • Junior synonym of fimbriata: Longino, 2019: 35.
  • Status as species: Makhan, 2021: 7.

Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.

Description

Worker

(holotype major): Length 8.2 mm. Colour dark-brown. Total head length 3.7 mm, width 3.0 mm. Entire head carinulate, mandible length 0.7 mm. Eyes small. Antennae dark-brown, scape with short hairs. Mesosoma length 2.0 mm, width 1.1 mm, with short hairs. Petiole length 0.3 mm, width 0.5 mm. Postpetiole length 0.5 mm, width 0.7 mm. Gaster length 2.2 mm, width 2.1 mm, with short hairs.

Type Material

• Pheidole soesilae: Holotype, worker (major), Mt. Kasikasima, Suriname, 27.3.1996, D. Makhan, Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden, Netherlands.

Etymology

This species is named after my wife, Soesila Makhan.

References

• Longino, J.T. 2019. Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Middle American Wet Forest. Zootaxa 4599: 1–126 (DOI 10.11646/zootaxa.4599.1.1).
• Makhan, D. 2007. Pheidole soesilae sp. nov. from Suriname (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Calodema Suppl. No. 59: 1-2.
• [[Media:Makhan, D. 2021. Pheidole soesilae as distinct species.pdf|Makhan, D. 2021. Pheidole soesilae Makhan, 2007 as distinct species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). University of Sindh Journal of Animal Sciences 5(2)*Vázquez-Franco, C.M., Morrone, J.J. 2022. The genus Pheidole (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) in Puebla, Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 93: e933820 (doi:10.22201/ib.20078706e.2022.93.3820).

7-12.]]