Pheidole
Encyclopedia
Pheidole is a genus
of ant
that belongs to the ant subfamily Myrmicinae
.
, which means that colonies contain two castes
of workers
: the "minor" workers, and the "major" workers, or "soldiers". The latter generally have enormous heads and mandibles in comparison to their usually fairly modest body size.
In addition, as in other ant species, a colony may contains one or several queens
and also, in mature colonies, alate
s, virgin winged females and males.
al Phorid flies that lay their eggs on the major workers; the fly larva
e grow mainly in the head capsules of the victims, eventually decapitating them, and probably would starve in the bodies of minor workers.
In most cases, the major workers are employed within the nest to break up large food items, or outside to carry large items, like seeds; many Pheidole species are ecologically important seed consumers ("harvesters").
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of ant
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
that belongs to the ant subfamily Myrmicinae
Myrmicinae
Myrmicinae is a subfamily of ants. There are about 140 genera within the group, with the family being cosmopolitan. The pupae lack cocoons. Some species retain a functional sting. The petioles of Myrmicinae consist of two nodes...
.
The Genus
The genus Pheidole is widespread and ecologically dominant. It probably includes more than a thousand species .Colony structure
Most species of Pheidole are dimorphicPolymorphism (biology)
Polymorphism in biology occurs when two or more clearly different phenotypes exist in the same population of a species — in other words, the occurrence of more than one form or morph...
, which means that colonies contain two castes
Eusociality
Eusociality is a term used for the highest level of social organization in a hierarchical classification....
of workers
Eusociality
Eusociality is a term used for the highest level of social organization in a hierarchical classification....
: the "minor" workers, and the "major" workers, or "soldiers". The latter generally have enormous heads and mandibles in comparison to their usually fairly modest body size.
In addition, as in other ant species, a colony may contains one or several queens
Queen ant
A queen ant is an adult, reproducing female ant in an ant colony; generally she will be the mother of all the other ants in that colony. Some female ants do not need to mate to produce offspring, reproducing through asexual parthenogenesis or cloning and all of those offspring will be female.Ant...
and also, in mature colonies, alate
Alate
An alate is a winged reproductive of a social insect . Alate females are typically those destined to become queens , whereas alate males are occasionally referred to as "drones"...
s, virgin winged females and males.
Major workers
The distinctive major workers have earned the genus Pheidole the nickname of "big headed ants." The major workers of a Pheidole colony, while they may look fierce, are often quite shy and are often the first to flee on any hint of danger. Interestingly, many Pheidole species are the prey of parasitoidParasitoid
A parasitoid is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life history attached to or within a single host organism in a relationship that is in essence parasitic; unlike a true parasite, however, it ultimately sterilises or kills, and sometimes consumes, the host...
al Phorid flies that lay their eggs on the major workers; the fly larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e grow mainly in the head capsules of the victims, eventually decapitating them, and probably would starve in the bodies of minor workers.
In most cases, the major workers are employed within the nest to break up large food items, or outside to carry large items, like seeds; many Pheidole species are ecologically important seed consumers ("harvesters").
Species list
- Pheidole acutidensPheidole acutidensPheidole acutidens is a species of insect in family Formicidae. It is endemic to Argentina.-Source:* Social Insects Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 10 August 2007....
- Pheidole argentinaPheidole argentinaPheidole argentina is a species of insect in family Formicidae. It is endemic to Argentina.-Source:* Social Insects Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 10 August 2007....
- Pheidole bigotePheidole bigotePheidole bigote has been discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole branstetteriPheidole branstetteriPheidole branstetteri has been discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole bulaPheidole bulaPheidole bula is an ant of the genus Pheidole, discovered in Fiji, and described by E. M. Sarnat in 2008.-External links:*...
- Pheidole carinotePheidole carinotePheidole carinote has been discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole debilisPheidole debilisPheidole debilis has been discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole elecebraPheidole elecebraPheidole elecebra is a species of insect in family Formicidae. It is endemic to the United States.-Source:* Social Insects Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 10 August 2007....
- Pheidole elongicephalaPheidole elongicephalaPheidole elongicephala has been discovered and described by Eguchi, K. in 2008....
- Pheidole eowilsoniPheidole eowilsoniPheidole eowilsoni is a species of ant that was discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009. It was named in honor of E. O. Wilson....
- Pheidole epiphytaPheidole epiphytaPheidole epiphyta has been discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole fossimandibulaPheidole fossimandibulaPheidole fossimandibula is a species of ant discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole gymnocerasPheidole gymnocerasPheidole gymnoceras is a species of ant discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole harrisonfordiPheidole harrisonfordiPheidole harrisonfordi is a species of ant named after the actor Harrison Ford in honor of his work in conservation....
- Pheidole inquilinaPheidole inquilinaPheidole inquilina is a species of insect in family Formicidae. It is endemic to the United States.-Source:* Social Insects Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 10 August 2007....
- Pheidole janzeniPheidole janzeniPheidole janzeni is a species of ant discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole karolmoraePheidole karolmoraePheidole karolmorae is a species of ant discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole karolsetosaPheidole karolsetosaPheidole karolsetosa is a species of ant discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole laevithoraxPheidole laevithoraxPheidole laevithorax has been discovered and described by Eguchi, K. in 2008....
- Pheidole lagunculinodaPheidole lagunculinodaPheidole lagunculinoda is a species of ant discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole lanuginosaPheidole lanuginosaPheidole lanuginosa is a species of insect in family Formicidae. It is endemic to India.-Source:* Social Insects Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 10 August 2007....
- Pheidole leoncortesiPheidole leoncortesiPheidole leoncortesi is a species of ant discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole megacephalaPheidole megacephalaPheidole megacephala is a species of ant in the family Formicidae. It is commonly known as the bigheaded ant in the USA and the coastal brown ant in Australia. It is a very successful invasive species and is considered a danger to native ants in Australia and other places...
- Pheidole microgynaPheidole microgynaPheidole microgyna is a species of insect in family Formicidae. It is endemic to Guyana.-Source:* Social Insects Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 10 August 2007....
- Pheidole neokohliPheidole neokohliPheidole neokohli is a species of insect in family Formicidae. It is endemic to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.-Source:* Social Insects Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 10 August 2007....
- Pheidole ochraceaPheidole ochraceaPheidole ochracea has been discovered and described by Eguchi, K. in 2008....
- Pheidole oculataPheidole oculataPheidole oculata is a species of insect in family Formicidae. It is endemic to Madagascar.-Source:* Social Insects Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 10 August 2007....
- Pheidole pallidula
- Pheidole pararugicepsPheidole pararugicepsPheidole pararugiceps is a species of ant discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole parasiticaPheidole parasiticaPheidole parasitica is a species of insect in family Formicidae. It is endemic to India.-Source:* Social Insects Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 10 August 2007....
- Pheidole pegasusPheidole pegasusPheidole pegasus has been discovered and described by Sarnat, E. M. in 2008....
- Pheidole phanigasterPheidole phanigasterPheidole phanigaster is a species of ant discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole picobarvaPheidole picobarvaPheidole picobarva is a species of ant discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole psilogasterPheidole psilogasterPheidole psilogaster is a species of ant in the genus Pheidole. It is distributed across Mexico, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua....
- Pheidole rhinomontanaPheidole rhinomontanaPheidole rhinomontana is a species of ant discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole rugithoraxPheidole rugithoraxPheidole rugithorax is a species of ant discovered and described by Eguchi, K. in 2008....
- Pheidole sebofilaPheidole sebofilaPheidole sebofila is a species of ant discovered and described by Longino, J. T. in 2009....
- Pheidole simplispinosaPheidole simplispinosaPheidole simplispinosa is a species of ant native to the forests of Fiji.-External links:*...
- pheidole sinaitica
- Pheidole symbioticaPheidole symbioticaPheidole symbiotica is a species of insect in family Formicidae. It is endemic to Argentina.-Source:* Social Insects Specialist Group 1996. . Downloaded on 10 August 2007....
- Pheidole tasmaniensis
- Pheidole uncagenaPheidole uncagenaPheidole uncagena is a species of ant which was discovered and described by Sarnat, E. M. in 2008....
- Pheidole vietiPheidole vietiPheidole vieti has been discovered and described by Eguchi, K. in 2008....