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Pheidole planifrons
| Pheidole planifrons | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Formicidae |
| Subfamily: | Myrmicinae |
| Tribe: | Attini |
| Genus: | Pheidole |
| Species: | P. planifrons |
| Binomial name | |
| Pheidole planifrons Santschi, 1920
| |
This species occurs from forest edges to rather woody habitats, and nests in the soil and rarely in the walls of termite mounds on the ground.
Identification
Eguchi (2008) - This species is well characterized among Indo-Chinese species by the combination of the following features: in the major frontal carina well developed horizontally, partly overhanging antennal scrobe; in the major gena much more than 1.5 times as long as maximal diameter of eye; in the minor frons and vertex smooth or shagreened; in the minor preoccipital carina conspicuous dorsally and laterally; in the major hypostoma without median and submedian processes; in the major and minor posterior slope of promesonotal dome with a mound; in the minor dorsum of mesosoma sparsely with thick and short standing hairs which is somewhat stubbed apically; in the major first gastral tergite longitudinally rugoso-punctate entirely or largely.
This species is similar to Pheidole yeensis Forel. In the major of the latter, however, vertex in lateral view is strongly impressed in front of vertexal lobe; and frons is sparsely sculptured with longitudinal rugulae. The majors of this species and Pheidole capellinii are similar to each other, but morphology of the minor is very different between the two (see under P. capellinii).
Keys including this Species
Distribution
Known from N. Vietnam, S. Vietnam, Thailand and Java.
Latitudinal Distribution Pattern
Latitudinal Range: 21.96563889° to 21.857°.
| North Temperate |
North Subtropical |
Tropical | South Subtropical |
South Temperate |
- Source: AntMaps
Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists
Oriental Region: Thailand, Vietnam (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
Worker
Images from AntWeb
   
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| Syntype of Pheidole planifrons. Worker. Specimen code casent0913395. Photographer Will Ericson, uploaded by California Academy of Sciences. | Owned by NHMB, Basel, Switzerland. |
Nomenclature
The following information is derived from Barry Bolton's Online Catalogue of the Ants of the World.
- planifrons. Pheidole planifrons Santschi, 1920h: 166, fig. 1 (s.w.) VIETNAM. [Also described as new by Santschi, 1924c: 105.] See also: Eguchi, 2008: 77.
Unless otherwise noted the text for the remainder of this section is reported from the publication that includes the original description.
Description
Worker
Eguchi (2008) - Major (n=5). — HL 2.01–2.11 mm; HW 1.75–1.85 mm; CI 86–88; SL 0.84–0.92 mm; SI 45–51; FL 1.38–1.44 mm; FI 75–81. Minor (n=5). — HL 0.65–0.71 mm; HW 0.54–0.57 mm; CI 80–83; SL 0.83–0.87 mm; SI 153–155; FL 0.90–0.98 mm; FI 167–172.
Major — Head in lateral view with vertex which forms a gentle (and often weakly impressed) slope toward vertexal lobe; frons flat, densely rugose longitudinally, with sparse and very short appressed hairs, but without standing hairs except on the marginal area; vertex and dorsal and lateral faces of vertexal lobe reticulate or rugoso-reticulate, with standing hairs; frontal carina well developed horizontally, partly overhanging antennal scrobe; clypeus without median longitudinal carina; hypostoma without median and submedian processes, but with relatively small or low lateral processes; outer surface of mandible (excluding area around the base) smooth, with sparse and very short appressed hairs; antenna with a 3-segmented club; maximal diameter of eye longer than or almost as long as antennal segment X. Promesonotal dome in dorsal view rugose or rugoso-reticulate transversely, with interspaces/enclosures smooth or weakly punctured; the dome in lateral view with a conspicuous prominence or mound on its posterior slope; humerus very weakly produced laterad; the dome at the humeri as broad as or narrower than at the bottom. Petiole (a little) longer than postpetiole (excluding helcium); petiolar node in rear view weakly to strongly concave mediodorsally; postpetiole not massive. First gastral tergite longitudinally rugoso-punctate entirely (but its posteromedian part often polished).
Minor — Dorsum of head with sparse thick standing hairs; frons and vertex smooth or shagreened; preoccipital carina conspicuous dorsally and laterally; median part of clypeus smooth and shining; median longitudinal carina of clypeus absent, or present but very weak; antenna with a 3-segmented club; scape extending far beyond posterolateral margin of head; maximal diameter of eye shorter than antennal segment X. Dorsum of mesosoma with sparse thick and short standing hairs which are somewhat stubbed apically; promesonotal dome largely smooth and shining, in lateral view with a low mound on its posterior slope; humerus in dorso-oblique view not produced; mesopleuron, metapleuron and lateral face of propodeum well punctured. Petiole as long as or a little longer than postpetiole (excluding helcium); postpetiole relatively large.
Type Material
Eguchi (2008) - Syntypes: 2 majors & 3 minors, “Indochine Dalat (Bouvard)” [Dalat, Lam Dong, S. Vietnam], Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel, examined.
References
- Eguchi, K. 2008. A revision of Northern Vietnamese species of the ant genus Pheidole (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Zootaxa 1902:1-118.
- Khachonpisitsak, S., Yamane, S., Sriwichai, P., Jaitrong, W. 2020. An updated checklist of the ants of Thailand (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys 998, 1–182 (doi:10.3897/zookeys.998.54902).
- Santschi, F. 1920h. Fourmis d'Indo-Chine. Ann. Soc. Entomol. Belg. 60: 158-176 (page 166, fig. 1 soldier, worker described)
- Santschi, F. 1924c. Fourmis d'Indochine. Opusc. Inst. Sci. Indoch. 3:95-117 [= Faune Entomol. Indoch. Fr Fr: 95-117 [= (page 105, also described as new)
References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics
- Alcantara M. J., S. Modi, T. C. Ling, J. Monkai, H. Xu, S. Huang, and A. Nakamura. 2019. Differences in geographic distribution of ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) between forests and rubber plantations: a case study in Xishuangbanna, China, and a global meta-analysis. Myrmecological News 29: 135-145.
- Chantarasawat N., D. Sitthicharoenchai, C. Chaisuekul, and C. Lekprayoon. 2013. Comparison of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Diversity in Dry Dipterocarp and Mixed-Deciduous Forests at Sri Nan National Park, Northern Thailand. Tropical Natural History 13(1): 1-19.
- Chapman, J. W., and Capco, S. R. 1951. Check list of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Asia. Monogr. Inst. Sci. Technol. Manila 1: 1-327
- Eguchi K. 2008. A revision of Northern Vietnamese species of the ant genus Pheidole (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae). Zootaxa 1902: 1-118.
- Eguchi K.; Bui T. V.; Yamane S. 2011. Generic synopsis of the Formicidae of Vietnam (Insecta: Hymenoptera), part I Myrmicinae and Pseudomyrmecinae. Zootaxa 2878: 1-61.
- Jaitrong W., and T. Ting-Nga. 2005. Ant fauna of Peninsular Botanical Garden (Khao Chong), Trang Province, Southern Thailand (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The Thailand Natural History Museum Journal 1(2): 137-147.
- Jaitrong W.; Nabhitabhata, J. 2005. A list of known ant species of Thailand. The Thailand Natural History Museum Journal 1(1): 9-54.
- Liu C, B. Guénard, F Hita Garcia, S. Yamane, B. Blanchard, and E. Economo. New records of ant species from Yunnan, China. Submitted to Zookeys
- Lopwichan S., and S. Khachonpisitsak. 2015. Ant diversity in Nong Tha Yu Arboretum, Si Racha District, Chon Buri Province. Proceedings The 7 th National Science Research Conference. 30-31 March 2015. Naresuan University.
- Sitthicharoenchai D., and N. Chantarasawat. 2006. Ant species diversity in the establishing area for Advanced Technology Institute at Lai-Nan Sub-district, Wiang Sa district, Nan Province, Thailand. The Natural History Journal of Chulalongkorn University 6(2): 67-74
- Zryanin V. A. 2011. An eco-faunistic review of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). In: Structure and functions of soil communities of a monsoon tropical forest (Cat Tien National Park, southern Vietnam) / A.V. Tiunov (Editor). – M.: KMK Scientific Press. 2011. 277 р.101-124.
- Zryanin V.A. 2011. Analysis of the local ant fauna (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Southern Vietnam. Entomological Review 91(2): 198-211.