Pheidole

Pheidole
Pheidole dentata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Family:	Formicidae
Subfamily:	Myrmicinae
Genus:	Pheidole Westwood, 1839
Species
many, see text
Diversity[1]
c. 1,000 species

Pheidole is a genus of ant that belongs to the ant subfamily Myrmicinae.

Pheidole mendicula

The Genus

The genus Pheidole is widespread and ecologically dominant. It probably includes more than a thousand species .^[1]

Colony structure

Most species of Pheidole are dimorphic, which means that colonies contain two castes of workers: the "minor" workers, and the "major" workers, or "soldiers". The latter generally have enormous heads and mandibles in comparison to their usually fairly modest body size.

In addition, as in other ant species, a colony may contains one or several queens and also, in mature colonies, alates, virgin winged females and males.

Major workers

The distinctive major workers have earned the genus Pheidole the nickname of "big headed ants." The major workers of a Pheidole colony, while they may look fierce, are often quite shy and are often the first to flee on any hint of danger. Interestingly, many Pheidole species are the prey of parasitoid Phorid flies that lay their eggs on the major workers; the fly larvae grow mainly in the head capsules of the victims, eventually decapitating them, and probably would starve in the bodies of minor workers.

In most cases, the major workers are employed within the nest to break up large food items, or outside to carry large items, like seeds; many Pheidole species are ecologically important seed consumers ("harvesters").

Minor and major workers of P. purpurea
Minor worker  Minor worker, top  Major worker  Major worker, top

Species list

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pheidole.

• Myrmecos.net images of live Pheidole
• gallery of Pheidole specimen images, on Antweb.org

References