Pheidole
species B (previously Pheidole minima/species B)
Nigeria specimens
Soldier TL 2.43 mm, HL 0.89, HW 0.81, SL 0.42, PW 0.37
Minor TL 1.56 mm, HL 0.44, HW 0.39, SL 0.40, PW 0.22
Colour dark red-brown. Sculpturation slight, faint spiculation
on the lateral mesonotum and propodeum. Erect hairs are moderately
abundant, and are relatively long and fine. In profile, the
petiole node of the soldier is relatively high and emarginate; the
post petiole node is relatively short with a rounded profile and
is produced laterally to give rounded triangular prominences. The
propodeal teeth are small acute and triangular. The minor has a
petiole which is short with a raised node but is not produced
laterally. From the description of
Pheidole
minima ssp malelana given by Wheeler (1922)
this must also be very close to that form.
In Nigeria it nests in crevices or rot holes on living
trees. Forages on the ground and on native trees. Fairly common on
cocoa, on 1.0% of trees, throughout the cocoa growing area;
nesting in soil and debris in crevices and building debris tents
over Homoptera of all main types. Also found on cashew, oil palm
and plantain (Taylor, 1977; Taylor & Adedoyin, 1978).
Also reported from the Mamfe-Mampong cocoa farm in Ghana
by Room (1971), but he collected it only in or cocoa leaf
litter, and it played no part in his report of the ant mosaic.
Found on cocoa at Kade by Majer (1975). |
The photomontage is of specimens collected in Cameroun -
south-western tropical coastal forest area between Edéa and
Campo (McKey Wolbachia project) -
Cameroon 58a from location EDO, 10 April 2001; on soil and
surface at sardine oil bait. Other images can be seen in the
folder at - 
Soldier -TL < 3 mm. Head, excluding the mandibles, as
broad as long, near square, considerably broader behind than in
front, and with the occipital border deeply and arcuately excised.
Behind the eyes the sides are convex but in front feebly concave.
Eyes small, moderately convex, situated just in front of the
anterior third of the head. In profile the head is relatively
slender, most convex in the middle dorsally but almost flat
ventrally, narrowing posteriorly but not depressed in the
occipital region. Mandibles large, smooth and convex, with very
low basal tooth, smooth dark margin and two low blunt teeth at the
apex. Clypeus flat, smooth, anterior border with a distinct median
notch. Frontal area large, subtriangular, without a median
carinula; frontal carinae long, diverging, continued back as
delicate rugae bordering a distinct shallow scrobe. Antennae
slender, scapes terete, curved at the base, reaching to just past
the middle of the face; funiculus segment 2 longer than broad, 3-8
square, club equal or longer than remainder of the funiculus, each
segment with convex sides, apex sharply tapered. Gula with a pair
of prominent, sharp (hypostomal) teeth. Thorax short and robust,
shorter than the head without the mandibles. Pronotum with
distinct and moderately acute humeral tubercles, mesonotum sloping
to a deep metanotal constriction, with a shallow transverse welt;
propodeum broader than long, dorsum raised behind metanotal groove
and sloping in the middle; spines blunt, somewhat shorter than the
base, a little longer than their interval, directed upward and
slightly outward. Petiole quite large, narrow, fully twice as long
as broad, seen from above with the immediate anterior flared and
wider than node with subparallel sides, the node fairly long and
high, with acute transverse superior border, distinctly notched in
the middle. Postpetiole three times as broad as the petiole,
subtriangular, broader than long and broader behind than in front,
with rounded sides, in profile near square its ventral surface
without a tooth, its dorsal surface flattened. Gaster quite
narrowly elliptical, smaller than the head. Legs quite stout,
femora thickened in the middle.
Shining; mandibles smooth. Head longitudinally rugose, the rugae
fine and quite dense, the interrugal spaces with very fine
spiculation, distinct scrobe. The rugae on the front straight
stoping at end of scrobes (2/3 length of face). Sides of head
smooth and shiny. Occipital lobes with quite numerous but small
hairs pits. Pronotum shiny but weaklytransversely rugulose. Gaster
wholly shiny.
Overall yellowish-brown, darkest on pronotal dorsum and posterior
gaster; funiculi and legs paler. Erect hairs yellow, fine abundant
on gaster and posterior head. |
Minor - short and stocky overall, darker than soldier,
legs and funiculi golden-yellow; shiny except densely spiculate
lateral alitrunk and propodeum; head in full-face very relatively
square, eyes fairly flat, fine nuchal collar; propodeal spines
very short and blunt.