Pheidole

Collingwood, C. A., 1979, The Formicidae (Hymenoptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark., Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica 8, pp. 1-174 : 61-62

Genus Pheidole Westwood, 1841

Pheidole Westwood, 1841:87.

Type-species: Atta providens Sykes , 1835.

Figs. 76-80.

Workers. Markedly dimorphic with large broad headed workers contrasting with smaller workers with narrow oval heads. Mandibles broad with very rounded exterior margins and teeth reduced to 2 or 4 in major workers, multidentate in minor workers. Mesopropodeal suture very deep, mesonotum often prominently raised. Antennae terminating in distinct three segmented club as long as or longer than rest of funiculus.

Queen. Head rectangular with well developed eyes and ocelli. Gaster more or less truncated at base.

Male. Antennal scape very short; first funicular segment swollen. Eyes and ocelli enormous, the latter developed on a prominence.

This genus includes many hundreds of similar species occurring throughout the tropics and subtropics with one European species P. pallidula (Nylander) . Several species may be introduced with imported fruit or on plant material; the commonest cosmopolitan species is P. megacephala (Fabricius) and this species and others of the genus have been recorded from time to time from heated premises in England and Denmark.