The Ants of Africa
SUBFAMILY MYRMICINAE - Genus Pheidole
provisional key to major workers of all African species - Section 8
Genus Pheidole Introduction
return to key Head length and width near equal but with distinct long frontal carinae, shallow scrobes and most with long scapes (SI ca 60-65)
-- Hypostomal teeth
(non-type)

HL near equal to HW --
36 Head fully striate and parallel-sided; postpetiole squamiform (with anterior ventral process, smaller process on anterior ventral petiole); funiculi filiform 37
-- Head never fully striate and with at least weakly convex sides 38
-- No images available West Africa - [species B] nigeriensis.
-- {Pheidole species A major}
CAR major TL ca 3.4 mm, HL 1.2, HW 1.1, CI 92, SL 0.62, SI 60, PW 0.52 
Pheidole nsp CAR DAA
car daa
-- Pheidole corticicola major
TL 3.0 mm HL slightly > HW; frontal carinae reach the posterior quarter of the head; sides of head very convex; head striate in anterior three-quarter, smooth posteriorly; yellow-red to dull brown-red, margin of mandibles and anterior border of the clypeus brown-black; with abundant long erect pilosity all over
. corticicola
. Pheidole corticicola minor
TL 2.3-2.5 mm, HL 0.54, HW 0.48, SL 0.75, PW 0.32; CI 87, SI 135; eyes occupy almost all the second quarter of the sides of the head; frontal area wide and rounded posteriorly; scape surpasses occiput by just under one-third its length; propodeal spines short but thick and about as long as two-thirds the basal interval; smooth and shiny, sides of mesonotum, propodeum and base of petiole reticulate; with abundant long erect pilosity all over; yellow-red to dull brown-red, anterior of head brown-black
West Africa & Congo Basin - corticicola
-- {Pheidole minima major}
Antennal scapes almost reaching occipital border;
type TL 2.1 mm (Mayr)
ssp faurei TL 2.5-2.7 mm); HL 1.02, HW 0.96, SL 0.48, PW 0.45; CI 94, SI 50
. Pheidole minima
. {Pheidole minima minor}
TL 1.6-1.7 mm, CI 85, SI 135; red-yellow or brown-yellow
West Africa & Congo Basin - minima
50 {Pheidole nkomoana major}
(TL 2.6-3.1 mm) type TL 3.5 mm, HL 0.95, HW 1.00, SL 0.65, PW 0.43; CI 105, SI 64; frontal carinae reaching posterior quarter of head; eyes more obviously convex; pronotum with more pronounced lateral tubercles; propodeum with sharp lateral margination; abundant long fine pilosity; colour a little darker than megacephala; hypostoma with pronounced median tooth and paired lateral teeth
. nkomoana
. {Pheidole nkomoana minor}
TL 1.8-2.2 mm, HL 0.65, HW 0.59, SL 0.90, PW 0.37; CI 92, SI 150; head narrowed and convex behind with indistinct posterior border; eyes very convex; scape surpasses occiput by about one-third its length; promesonotum weakly convex, with an indistinct promesonotal suture; propodeum dorsum twice as long as declivity; petiole as whole insect elongated relative to megacephala
Congo Basin - nkomoana
-- Pheidole amalricae
TL ca. 4.4 mm, HL 1.22, HW 1.28, SL 0.75, PW 0,58, CI 105, SI 59. Mandibles weakly striate, clypeus with fine median and paired lateral carinae, frontal carinae reaching 3/4 point and scrobes just distunguishable, whole of head with fine longitudinal striations; alitrunk with weak dorsal sculpture; promesonotum shallowly domed, propodeal spines short and sharp; pedicel small, postpetiole near globular; base of gaster with distinct spiculation

. Pheidole amalricae var camp2
. Pheidole amalricae
TL ca 3.0 mm, HL 0.73 , HW 0.70, SL 0.92,  PW 0.42,  CI 94, SI 130.
Zaire - amalricae
-- Pheidole rubricalva
TL (Forel) 3.5-3.6 mm; HL 1.50, HW 1.50, SL 0.83, PW 0.60, CI 100, SI 60. Clypeus and mandibles appear smooth; head completely striated in full face view, the striae curving outwards on the occiput, frontal carinae not much stronger than striae but distinct and enclosing a shallow scrobe with spiculate sculpture; alitrunk weakly sculptured, apiculate on lateral mesonotum and propodeum

.
. Pheidole rubricalva
TL ca 3.3 mm, HL 0.71, HW 0.69, SL 1.00, PW 0.46, CI 97, SI 144
Head in full face view domed smoothly from behind the eyes, frons smooth and shiny, genae with long fine striations; promesonotum profile a long, low arc; propdeum woth convex dorsum, short spines amd convex declivity; pedicel small, postpetiole distorted subglobular; very fine spiculation on head and alitrunk but very faint on most of the head and pronotum.
Zaire - rubricalva

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Genus Pheidole Introduction

Contents MYRMICINAE Introduction
© 2016, 2017 - Brian Taylor CBiol FRSB FRES
11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K.

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