Pheidole elecebra (Wheeler)

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 576

publication ID

20017

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6274286

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/A7EDCC50-A8E9-DD18-7771-D85D686A7F2C

treatment provided by

Donat

scientific name

Pheidole elecebra (Wheeler)
status

 

Pheidole elecebra (Wheeler) View in CoL   HNS

Sympheidole elecebra Wheeler   HNS 1904a: 8. Combination in Pheidole   HNS by D. R. Smith 1979.

Types Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard.

Etymology L elecebra   HNS , freeloaders, a social parasite.

Diagnosis A very small member of the pilifera   HNS group, a permanent, workerless social parasite of Pheidole ceres   HNS , distinguishable at once by the enormous curved, hornlike lateral extensions of the postpetiolar node; otherwise overall normal in appearance for a Pheidole   HNS queen.

Measurements (mm) Syntype queen: HW 0.58, HL 0.60, EL 0.22 (SL and PW not measured). Color Queen: light brown.

Range Known from several records in Colorado between 2000 and 2200 m; the preferred habitat is the same as that of its host, that is, primarily pinyon-cedar-oak woodland (Gregg 1963).

Biology Wheeler (1904a, 1910b), from an examination of a living host colony and its elecebra   HNS guests, concluded that the inquiline behaves like Anergates atratulus   HNS of Europe in preventing the host colony from producing new reproductives (queens and males) of its own. Contrary evidence was obtained by Stefan Cover, who rediscovered the species in 1994. One mixed colony he collected near North Cheyenne, Colorado, contained a dealate elecebra   HNS queen, many winged elecebra   HNS queens, and queen pupae of the parasite, but also abundant host ( ceres   HNS ) minor and major brood, along with 400-600 adult host minors and majors; this combination constitutes virtual proof that a reproducing host queen was also present. A second colony contained beyond 200-300 adult host minors and majors, only adult parasite males and parasite male pupae. This combination suggests the absence of a host queen.

figure Queen. COLORADO: 2.2 km north of North Cheyenne, Colorado Springs, 2200 m (Stefan Cover), compared with syntype. (Type Locality: Manitou, Colorado, 2130 m, W. M. Wheeler.) Scale bar = 1 mm.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Pheidole

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