Pheidole cocciphaga Borgmeier

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA, USA: Harvard University Press : 181

publication ID

20017

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3508488

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/EA20F431-0A39-A9A6-7EB5-D6435F72AC6F

treatment provided by

Donat

scientific name

Pheidole cocciphaga Borgmeier
status

 

Pheidole cocciphaga Borgmeier View in CoL   HNS

Pheidole cocciphaga Borgmeier   HNS 1934: 99.

Types Mus. Zool. Univ. Sao Paulo.

Etymology l Gr cocciphaga   HNS , eater of coecum, or scale insect.

diagnosis A slender, small-headed member of the diligens   HNS group distinguished by the following combination of traits. Major: head small relative to body and with a "crown" on the occiput of dense foveae and tuft of erect to suberect medium-length hair; antennal scape exceeding the occipital corner by over 2X the scape's maximum width.

Minor: head elliptical in full-face view, with nuchal collar; antennal scape exceeds occipital border by half its own length.

measurements (mm) Lectotype major: HW 0.88, HL 0.92, SL 0.92, EL 0.20, PW 0.50.

Paralectotype minor: HW 0.54, HL 0.70, SL 0.94, EL 0.16, PW 0.40.

color Major: light reddish brown.

Minor: brownish yellow.

The color varies in both castes to dark brown.

Range I have verified records of this unusual species from Nicaragua (Kukra River), Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, and Puerto Rico (Guanica). In addition, Longino (1997) reports it from southwestern and northeastern Costa Rica. Because it occurs at least occasionally in disturbed habitats (see below), the population in Puerto Rico may be an adventive carried accidentally by human commerce.

Biology In Costa Rica, Longino (1997) found cocciphaga   HNS in mature rainforest at La Selva, near Puerto Viejo, and on vegetated land close to the beach at Llorona, Corcovado National Park. One of the latter colonies was on a vegetated rock island separated from the nearby mainland by a shallow marine channel.

Figure Upper: lectotype, major. Lower: paralectotype, minor. SURINAME: Paramaribo. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Pheidole

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