Contents Contents The Ants of Egypt
SUBFAMILY MYRMICINAE - Genus Pheidole
Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius) - majors

Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius) - majors

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{Pheidole megacephala} MAJOR - new description
TL 4.0-4.5 mm (may be smaller); CI 96 SI 41 OI 14
Clypeus smooth and shiny with a weak median longitudinal carina; frontal carinae short and weakly divergent posteriorly; lateral propodeum and petiole densely spiculate less shiny; overall colour dark yellow-brown;
Head in full face view cordate with a weakly impressed occiput
Mandibles small and relatively weak, wholly smooth.
Clypeus shiny with an indistinct median longitudinal carina
Frontal carinae very short and almost parallel
Antennae with both scapes and funiculi slender and quite short; funiculus segments 2-7 all shorter than they are wide
Eye fairly small and weakly ovoid (13 facets long X 10 wide); set 1.8 X its own length back from the lateral margin of the clypeus
Hypostoma with a very narrow border of the same colour as the rest of the underside of the head, bearing quite large lateral teeth but no median or sublateral teeth
Underside of head almost completely smooth and shiny
Alitrunk profile with a quite strongly domed pro-mesonotum, without a transverse welt on the mesonotum or a pronounced drop into the shallow metanotal groove; the propodeum profile is almost flat with small narrow triangular teeth; the dorsum of the propodeum is emarginate and ungrooved
Petiole in profile a low triangle, the upper margin rounded and medially impressed
Postpetiole quite large and rhomboidal to lateral apices sharp, in profile assymetrically globular with an antero-ventral process
Gaster much smaller than the head and quite narrow with a short, straight anterior margin
Erect pilosity mostly fairly short, fine and quite abundant; pubescence short, adpressed and generally sparse.
Overall appearance of fresh specimens is quite shiny; sculpturation on head confined to fine striations on anterior half; pronotum with fine transverse striations; mesonotum and propodeum with faint but distinct spiculation;
General colour yellow-brown, with the gaster usually darker


{Pheidole megacephala holotype}The photomontage of the holotype (?) is adapted from the Antweb.org site at http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=CASENT0101411
Specimen Code Collection Information CASENT0101411; Locality Mauritius: [Ste Catherine]; Collection codes: ANTC3611 Collected by: Linden
CI 96 SI 48 OI 14


{Pheidole megacephala major}The photomontage is of major specimens from Gabon, Pongara National Park, Pointe Wingombé; 9-27.vi.2006; malaise trap at edge of forest; collected by Yves Braet.


{Pheidole megacephala major}The photomontage is of major workers from Saudi Arabia, Wadi Abha, 18°12'59"N 42°30'19"E; 1.i.2008; collector Mostafa Sharaf.

© 2009, 2015 - Brian Taylor CBiol FRSB FRES
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