Pheidole tillandsiarum

Pheidole tillandsiarum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Tribe:	Attini
Genus:	Pheidole
Species:	P. tillandsiarum
Binomial name
Pheidole tillandsiarum Wheeler, W.M., 1934

This species is only known from type specimens. The type colony was collected from an epiphyte (Tillandsia streptophylla) in Veracruz, Mexico (Wilson 2003). Its identity is uncertain and it could be Pheidole flavens or Pheidole navigans (Longino, 2019).

Identification

See the description in the nomenclature section.

Keys including this Species

• Key to Pheidole flavens group

Distribution

Only known from the type locality.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 27.292143° to 27.292143°.

North Temperate	North Subtropical	Tropical	South Subtropical	South Temperate

• Source: AntMaps

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Mexico (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.

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.

Nomenclature

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

• tillandsiarum. Pheidole floridana subsp. tillandsiarum Wheeler, W.M. 1934g: 166 (s.w.) MEXICO. Raised to species: Wilson, 2003: 525.

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

Description

From Wilson (2003): DIAGNOSIS Similar in various details to Pheidole amabilis, Pheidole arhuaca, Pheidole citrina, Pheidole crinita, Pheidole delicata, Pheidole floridana, Pheidole hedlundorum, Pheidole mallota, Pheidole melastomae, Pheidole nitidicollis, Pheidole similigena, and Pheidole terresi, differing as follows.

Major: yellow; occipital lobes smooth and shiny, and most of rest of head carinulate and sparsely foveolate; carinulate immediately mesad to eye curve forward (in side view) to travel to the anterior genal border; mesonotal convexity present but rudimentary; entire mesosoma foveolate; postpetiole from above trapezoidal.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Lectotype major: HW 0.86, HL 0.90, SL 0.44, EL 0.12, PW 0.40.

COLOR Major: medium yellow with reddish overtone except for appendages and gaster, which are plain medium yellow.

Figure. Lectotype, major. Minor not seen. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Type Material

Described from a number of soldiers and workers (Nos. 201 and 218), taken by Dr. Skwarra at Mirador, Vera Cruz, nesting in Tillandsia streptophylla. MEXICO: Mirador, Veracruz, col. Elisabeth Skwarra.

Museum of Comparative Zoology, minors not seen - as reported in Wilson (2003)

Etymology

L tillandsiarum, belonging to tillandsias (bromeliad epiphytes). (Wilson 2003)

References

• Longino, J.T. 2019. Pheidole (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) of Middle American Wet Forest. Zootaxa 4599: 1–126 (DOI 10.11646/zootaxa.4599.1.1).
• Wheeler, W. M. 1934g. Neotropical ants collected by Dr. Elisabeth Skwarra and others. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 77: 157-240 (page 166, soldier, worker described)
• Wilson, E. O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. (page 525, fig. major described; Raised to species: new status)

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

• Fernandes, P.R. XXXX. Los hormigas del suelo en Mexico: Diversidad, distribucion e importancia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).
• Kempf, W.W. 1972. Catalago abreviado das formigas da regiao Neotropical (Hym. Formicidae) Studia Entomologica 15(1-4).
• Vásquez-Bolaños M. 2011. Lista de especies de hormigas (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) para México. Dugesiana 18: 95-133
• Wilson, E.O. 2003. Pheidole in the New World: A Dominant, Hyperdiverse Genus. Harvard University Press