The Ants of Africa
Genus Pheidole
Pheidole species A

megacephala-group - Soldier - head width and length equal or subequal; mandibles relatively slender, with at most reduced teeth or denticles; postpetiole trapezoidal but without elongated lateral prominences. Minors without or variable development of a nuchal collar.

minima subgroup - TL < 3.3 mm

{Pheidole species A}

Pheidole species A

Soldier - return to key Minor - return to key Soldier TL 2.89 mm, HL 1.18, HW 0.93, SL 0.50, PW 0.44
Minor TL 1.87 mm, HL 0.47, HW 0.42, SL 0.47, PW 0.26
Colour orange, gaster very dark brown. Dorsum of head and entire alitrunk densely spiculate in the minor, but head only faintly spiculate in the soldier. Erect hairs moderately abundant. Propodeal spines of soldier short and acute.

In Nigeria collected by me from under the bark of a tree and in cocoa crevices.

Found in Ghana cocoa at Kade by Majer (1975, 1976b), using pkd, apparently in two samples with 2-3 workers per sample. A total of 87 workers were found on the ground under Amelonado cocoa at CRIG (two samples under cocoa dominated by Crematogaster clariventris) (Bigger, 1981a).

Also reported from Tanzania by Kemp (1951), as sharing the savannah habitat with Pheidole crassinoda.

{Pheidole species A major}The photomontage is of a major from the Central African Republic; Dzanga-Sangha National Park; site DAA; 17.i.2005; 04°22’19.4" N 18°35’49.7" E 360m; Battage, 14h-16h, Bangui, après la cornich; collector Philippe Annoyer. Other images can be seen in the folder at - {original description}

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© 2007, 2008 - Brian Taylor CBiol FIBiol FRES
11, Grazingfield, Wilford, Nottingham, NG11 7FN, U.K.

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