Pheidole ariel

AntWiki: The Ants --- Online
Pheidole ariel
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Pheidole
Species: P. ariel
Binomial name
Pheidole ariel
Wilson, 2003

Nothing is known about the biology of ariel.

Identification

See the description in the nomenclature section.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Only known from the type locality.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 19.613842° to 19.613842°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Mexico (type locality).

Distribution based on AntMaps

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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.

  • ariel. Pheidole ariel Wilson, 2003: 169, figs. (s.w.) MEXICO.

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

Description

Similar to Pheidole desertorum and Pheidole vistana (see also the less similar Pheidole hyatti), distinguished from these members of the fallax group and other members of the diligens group as follows.

Major: pale to medium yellow; slender; antennal scape just reaching occipital border; occipital border deep, subangulate at midline; pilosity of body dorsum moderately abundant, suberect to erect, and very long; propodeal spine reduced to a denticle; pronotum and all of gaster smooth and shiny.

Minor: occiput broad and lacking nuchal collar; propodeal spine reduced to a denticle; carinulae limited to circular lines around antennal fossae; mesopleuron and side of propodeum foveolate and opaque; rest of body smooth and shiny.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.46, HL 1.62, SL 1.34, EL 0.26, PW 0.72. Paratype minor: HW 0.66, HL 0.82, SL 1.16, EL 0.22, PW 0.44.

COLOR Major: concolorous pale to medium yellow.

Minor: concolorous pale yellow.


Pheidole ariel Wilson 2003.jpg

Figure. Upper: holotype, major. Lower: paratype, minor. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Type Material

MEXICO: 38 km south of Monclova, Puente La Muralla, Coahuila, 1280 m, Robert J. Hamton. Museum of Comparative Zoology

Etymology

Gr ariel, airy sprite, alluding to the slender, pale yellow bodies of both castes.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • 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