The Ants of Africa

The Ants of Africa
Genus Pheidole
Pheidole bequaerti Forel

termitophila group - Major - head longer than wide by at least 25%; mandibles very stout with dentate border and distinct apical teeth; clypeus with at least a shallow central notch; postpetiole with distinct lateral prominences; minor head square; major and minor with relatively swollen three-segmented club

Pheidole bequaerti Forel

Type location Zaïre (Pheidole Bequaerti n. sp., Forel, 1913b: 330, major & minor) collected at Lake Kabwe, by J. Bequaert - see below; major & minor described (see Bolton, 1995) .

Forel's (1913b) description is at . From comparing the type minors and the fresh specimens, this is likely to be the junior synonym of Pheidole katonae (Forel, 1907a).

Pheidole bequaerti major The photomontage of the type major worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0907845.

{Pheidole bequaerti minor The photomontage of a type minor worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0907846.

A minor from South Africa, Kimberley, collector Simon, can be seen at http://www.antweb.org/specimenImages.do?code=casent0904211 where it is posted under Pheidole caffra, which almost certainly is wrong. The form, sculpturation on the head and peculiar eye shape is identical to this type minor.

The minor workers shown below seem a close fit to the Forel description and the type minor (above), although perhaps less brown. The elongated eyes and dense spiculation are unlike any other Pheidole I have seen. The vast distance between the type location, in South-East Zaire suggests there might be little in common with the Senegal locations. The vegetation cover in the Kabwe area, however, also is primarily savannah see http://www.feow.org/ecoregion_details.php?eco=545

Oxford University Museum specimens

Pheidole bequaerti B Taylor det.	Senegal Tambacounda B Ndiaye	Dindifa 13°09'40" N 12°06'46" W	Dindifa 10-V-09 St 7 P6F 213 m; Soudanian savannah, pitfall traps	2
Pheidole bequaerti B Taylor det.	Senegal Tambacounda B Ndiaye	Kenieba 14°05'54" N 12°03'34" W	Sabodola 14-V-09 Kenieba St 11 P8F [C] 85 m; Soudanian savannah, pitfall traps; minors (1 of 4 mounted)	1
Pheidole bequaerti B Taylor det.	Senegal Tambacounda B Ndiaye	Niakafiri 13°09'40" N 12°06'46" W	Niakafiri 5-VIII-09 St 6 P4F [B] 213 m; Soudanian savannah, pitfall traps; minors	2
Pheidole bequaerti B Taylor det.	Senegal Lamine Diamé 06	21.vi.2012 Doyene-KS 14°46'N 17°07'W	Sébikotane V 45 Pitfall 7 minor workers tube 08	3
Pheidole bequaerti B Taylor det.	Senegal Lamine Diamé 07	21.vi.2012 Doyene-KS 14°46'N 17°07'W	Sébikotane V 45 Pitfall 8 minor workers tube 08	3
Pheidole bequaerti B Taylor det.	Senegal Lamine Diamé 08	2012 Thiés 14°45'N 17°03'W	Pout (S. saiche) minor workers	2
Pheidole bequaerti B Taylor det.	Benin J-F Vayssieres RVA 3099.19	9.xi.2011 Kika-Beterou 09°14'07'' N 02°11'52'' E	running on the ground minor	1

{Pheidole bequaerti} The photomontage is of a minor worker from Senegal, Sabodala; collector B Ndiaye.

{Pheidole bequaerti} The photomontage is of a minor worker from Senegal, Tambacounda; collector B Ndiaye.

{Pheidole bequaerti} The photomontage is of a minor worker from Senegal, Sébikotane; collector Lamine Diamé (06).

{Pheidole bequaerti minor} The photomontage is of a minor worker from Benin, collector J-F Vayssieres (RVA 3099).

© 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016 - Brian Taylor CBiol FRSB FRES
11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K.

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