Pheidole pepo

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

Collected in spiny bamboo (Guadua) forest. (Wilson 2003)

Identification

See the description in the nomenclature section.

Keys including this Species

Distribution

Only known from the type locality.

Latitudinal Distribution Pattern

Latitudinal Range: 2.705257° to -4.1°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Colombia (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.

  • pepo. Pheidole pepo Wilson, 2003: 730, 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 A large, yellow member of the tristis group, similar to Pheidole rotundiceps, Pheidole sphaerica and Pheidole subsphaerica, easily distinguished by the following traits.

Major: head greatly swollen; clypeus and mandibles reduced proportionate to the head; outline of head in full-face view almost completely devoid of pilosity; in side view, profiles of both anterior dorsal half and anterior ventral half of head capsule densely pilose, but profiles of posterior dorsal and ventral halves bare of pilosity; propodeal spines long and acute.

Minor: body slender; occiput narrowed, with nuchal collar; propodeal spines long and slender, i.e., needle-like.

MEASUREMENTS (mm) Holotype major: HW 1.78, HL 1.66, SL 1.02, EL 0.22, PW 0.84. Paratype minor: HW 0.64, HL 0.80, SL 1.06, EL 0.16, PW 0.44.

COLOR Major: head and appendages medium yellow; mesosoma, waist, and gaster yellowish brown.

Minor: concolorous dark yellow.


Pheidole pepo Wilson 2003.jpg

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

Type Material

COLOMBIA: Finca Los Guaduales, 10 km southwest of San José del Palmar, Rio Torito, Chocó, 800 m, col. Charles Kugler. Museum of Comparative Zoology

Etymology

Gr pepo, melon, alluding to the unusual head shape of the major.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Franco W., N. Ladino, J. H. C. Delabie, A. Dejean, J. Orivel, M. Fichaux, S. Groc, M. Leponce, and R. M. Feitosa. 2019. First checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of French Guiana. Zootaxa 4674(5): 509-543.
  • Leponce M., J. H. C. Delabie, J. Orivel, J. Jacquemin, M. Calvo Martin, and A. Dejean. 2019. Tree-dwelling ant survey (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Mitaraka, French Guiana, in Touroult J. (ed.), “Our Planet Reviewed” 2015 large-scale biotic survey in Mitaraka, French Guiana. Zoosystema 41 (10): 163-179.