Pheidole zoster

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Pheidole zoster
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
Genus: Pheidole
Species: P. zoster
Binomial name
Pheidole zoster
Wilson, 2003

The nest contained a seed cache and males 9- 12 March. (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: -9.166667° to -15.7°.

 
North
Temperate
North
Subtropical
Tropical South
Subtropical
South
Temperate

Distribution based on Regional Taxon Lists

Neotropical Region: Brazil, Peru (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.

  • zoster. Pheidole zoster Wilson, 2003: 778, figs. (s.w.) PERU.

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, bicolorous (major) or reddish yellow (minor) member of the tristis group whose major has a very large ovalangulate postpetiolar node, prominent subpostpetiolar convexity, dense parallel transverse carinulae covering all of the promesonotum, and completely foveolate and opaque dorsal head surface and first gastral tergite.

Minor: with large, somewhat elongated bell-shaped postpetiole; subpostpetiolar process; short, erect propodeal spines, and completely foveolate and opaque dorsal head surface and first gastral tergite.

Similar to Pheidole alpinensis, Pheidole exarata, Pheidole excubitor, Pheidole germaini, Pheidole grandinodus, Pheidole obrima, Pheidole rogeri, Pheidole stulta and Pheidole tristis, differing in many details of body form, sculpturing, and pilosity, as illustrated, and in color.

MEASUREMENTS (mrn) Holotype major: HW l.64, HL l.82, SL 0.82, EL 0.20, PW 0.88. Paratype minor: HW 0.70, HL 0.74, SL 0.68, EL 0.14, PW 0.44.

COLOR Major: head, mesosoma, and petiole reddish yellow; mandibles medium brown; postpetiole and gaster light brown; legs and antennae dark yellow.

Minor: reddish yellow.


Pheidole zoster Wilson 2003.jpg

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

Type Material

PERU: Tingo Maria, col. William L. Brown. Museum of Comparative Zoology

Etymology

Gr zoster, belt, girdle, referring to the broad postpetiole.

References

References based on Global Ant Biodiversity Informatics

  • Bezdeckova K., P. Bedecka, and I. Machar. 2015. A checklist of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Peru. Zootaxa 4020 (1): 101–133.
  • Fernández, F. and S. Sendoya. 2004. Lista de las hormigas neotropicales. Biota Colombiana Volume 5, Number 1.