Pheidole californica

Wilson, E. O., 2003, Pheidole in the New World. A dominant, hyperdiverse ant genus., Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press : 564-565

publication ID

20017

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6274260

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6938D4EE-D1EA-E310-6145-DD9154BDAA32

treatment provided by

Donat

scientific name

Pheidole californica
status

 

Pheidole californica View in CoL   HNS Mayr

Pheidole californica   HNS Mayr 1870b: 987. Syn.: Pheidole oregonica Emery   HNS 1895d: 291, n. syn.; Pheidole californica var. incenata Wheeler   HNS 1915b: 407, synonomy by Creighton 1950a:173; Pheidole californica var. satura Wheeler   HNS 1915b: 407, synonomy by Creighton 1950a: 173; Pheidole californica subsp.pyramidensis Emery   HNS 1922c: 105 (replacement name for nevadensis Wheeler   HNS 1915b: 408, junior primary homonym ofpheidole nevadensis   HNS Forel 190 lj: 353), synonomy by G. C. and J. Wheeler 1986g: 18; Pheidole californica var. shoshoni Cole   HNS 1933b: 618, synonomy by Gregg 1959: 1-9; Pheidole californica var. hagermani Cole   HNS 1936a: 35, synonomy by Creighton 1950a:173.

Types Naturhist. Mus. Wien.

Etymology Based on the state of origin of the type series.

diagnosis A member of the " pilifera   HNS complex" of the larger pilifera   HNS group, comprising calens   HNS , californica   HNS , carrolli   HNS , cavigenis   HNS , clementensis   HNS , creightoni   HNS , hoplitica   HNS , littoralis   HNS , micula   HNS , pilifera   HNS , polymorpha   HNS , rugulosa   HNS , senex   HNS , soritis   HNS , tepicana   HNS , and torosa   HNS , which complex is characterized by the following traits. Major: dorsal head surface extensively sculptured; occipital lobes horizontally rugulose (or, in carrolli   HNS smooth, in littoralis   HNS foveate, and in micula   HNS and soritis   HNS carinulate); postpetiole from above angulate and. trapezoidal to spinose. Minor: eye medium-sized to large.

P. californica   HNS is distinguished within this complex by the following combination of traits. Color yellow.

Major: all of pronotum smooth and shiny; humerus in dorsal-oblique view low and smoothly convex; propodeal spine in side view equilaterally triangular; postpetiole from above trapezoidal. Closest to clementensis   HNS , from which it differs by its smaller size (HW in californica   HNS major about 0.90 mm, in clementensis major   HNS about 1.10 mm) and proportionately larger eye (major EL/HW 0.20 in californica   HNS versus 0.13 in clementensis   HNS ). Also, the sides of the major head are smooth and shiny in some, but not all, californica   HNS populations (Philip S. Ward, personal communication).

measurements (mm) Major (Palo Alto, California): HW 0.92, HL 1.06, SL 0.54, EL 0.18, PW 0.44.

Minor (Palo Alto): HW 0.48, HL 0.56, SL 0.48, EL 0.12, PW 0.28.

Color Major: concolorous yellow; gaster a slightly contrasting brownish yellow.

Minor: yellow with a slight brownish tinge.

Range California north to Washington, east to Idaho and New Mexico.

Biology Colonies have been found nesting variously under objects, in oak galls, or in open sandy soil (Cole 1934b; Mallis 1941). Stefan Cover reports a population in moist spots in a grazed Chihuahuan desert at 1295 m in Hidalgo, extreme southwest New Mexico. The colonies were nesting in soil with a high clay content; the most common other ant species was Leptothorax pergandei   HNS .

figure Upper: major. Lower: minor. CALIFORNICA: Palo Alto. Type locality: San Francisco. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Formicidae

Genus

Pheidole

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