Extant: 11 valid subspecies
Formica megacephala Fabricius, 1793 PDF: 361 (s.) MAURITIUS. Malagasy. Primary type information: MAURITIUS, Camizard Mt., Bambous, 20.3328 S, 57.723 E, 375 m, rainforest, ex rotten log, 27.v.2005, coll. B.L. Fisher et al., BLF12051; CASENT0104990; CASC AntCat AntWiki HOLTaxonomic history
[Unjustified emendation of spelling to megalocephala: Schulz, 1906 PDF: 155.].Latreille, 1802a PDF: 232 (q.); Mayr, 1861 PDF: 70 (s.w.q.m.); Wheeler & Wheeler, 1953b PDF: 75 (l.).Combination in Myrmica: Losana, 1834 PDF: 328.Combination in Pheidole: Mayr, 1861 PDF: 70 (in key); Roger, 1863b PDF: 30.Status as species: Latreille, 1802a PDF: 232; Fabricius, 1804 PDF: 411; Losana, 1834 PDF: 328; Mayr, 1855 PDF: 458 (footnote); Mayr, 1861 PDF: 70 (in key); Roger, 1863b PDF: 30, 49; Mayr, 1863a PDF: 441; Dours, 1873 PDF: 169; André, 1874c: 198 (in key); Emery & Forel, 1879 PDF: 463; Forel, 1881 PDF: 8; André, 1883b: 383 (in key); Nasonov, 1889: 38; Saunders, 1890 PDF: 205; Forel, 1891c PDF: 176 (redescription); Emery, 1891c: 13; Dalla Torre, 1892 PDF: 90; Emery, 1892c PDF: 160; Mayr, 1893b PDF: 201; Forel, 1893j PDF: 417; Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 92; Emery, 1893e PDF: 84; Emery, 1893h PDF: 243; Forel, 1895e PDF: 227, 231; Emery, 1895d PDF: 294; Emery, 1895g PDF: 337; Emery, 1895m: 468; Saunders, 1896 PDF: 42; Emery, 1897f PDF: 598; Forel, 1899a PDF: 118; Forel, 1899b PDF: 76; Emery, 1899e PDF: 280; Emery, 1900: 682; Forel, 1901j PDF: 365; Forel, 1901m PDF: 81; Emery, 1901i PDF: 567; Ruzsky, 1902d PDF: 26; Forel, 1902c PDF: 173 (in key); Forel, 1902g PDF: 543; Forel, 1902j PDF: 433; Bingham, 1903 PDF: 242; Forel, 1903f PDF: 406; Mayr, 1904b PDF: 7; Ruzsky, 1905b: 650; Wheeler, 1905c PDF: 125; Wheeler, 1906j PDF: 349; Wheeler, 1907b PDF: 272; Mayr, 1907b PDF: 13; Forel, 1907g: 91; Forel, 1907h PDF: 17; Forel, 1907i PDF: 81; Forel, 1908b PDF: 3; Forel, 1908c PDF: 52; Forel, 1908a PDF: 65; Santschi, 1908 PDF: 517; Wheeler, 1908a PDF: 133; Forel, 1909i PDF: 226; Wheeler, 1909c PDF: 272; Wheeler, 1909d PDF: 336; Santschi, 1910c PDF: 370; Yano, 1910a PDF: 419; Wheeler, 1910a PDF: 563; Wheeler, 1911a PDF: 23; Forel, 1912a PDF: 69; Forel, 1912g PDF: 234; Forel, 1913f PDF: 662; Forel, 1913g PDF: 193; Forel, 1913l PDF: 27; Wheeler, 1913b PDF: 492; Santschi, 1914b PDF: 75; Santschi, 1914d PDF: 336; Santschi, 1914e: 22; Stitz, 1914 PDF: 67; Wheeler & Mann, 1914 PDF: 22; Forel, 1915a PDF: 28; Forel, 1915b PDF: 66; Emery, 1915i PDF: 235, 238; Donisthorpe, 1915f: 338; Crawley, 1915b: 235; Wheeler & Mann, 1916 PDF: 170; Stitz, 1917 PDF: 340; Wheeler, 1917g PDF: 458; Wheeler, 1919f PDF: 65; Santschi, 1920i PDF: 2; Emery, 1921c PDF: 85; Wheeler, 1922: 131, 812, 1018; Stitz, 1923: 154; Wheeler, 1924c PDF: 243; Mann, 1925b PDF: 5; Santschi, 1925h PDF: 160; Stärcke, 1926a PDF: 87 (in key); Wheeler, 1927d PDF: 4; Wheeler, 1927g PDF: 105; Donisthorpe, 1927c: 389; Clark, 1928b PDF: 169; Cheesman & Crawley, 1928 PDF: 517; Santschi, 1928a PDF: 47; Santschi, 1928c PDF: 69; Wheeler, 1928c PDF: 11; Menozzi, 1929b PDF: 2; Wheeler, 1929h PDF: 60; Menozzi, 1930h PDF: 328; Menozzi & Russo, 1930 PDF: 152; Wheeler, 1930b PDF: 98; Wheeler, 1930k PDF: 63; Santschi, 1930b PDF: 67; Donisthorpe, 1932c PDF: 455; Wheeler, 1932e PDF: 156; Wheeler, 1932g PDF: 14; Wheeler, 1933f PDF: 142; Wheeler, 1934a PDF: 174; Wheeler, 1934i: 11; Donisthorpe, 1935 PDF: 633; Karavaiev, 1935a PDF: 77; Santschi, 1935b: 267; Wheeler, 1935g: 18; Wheeler, 1936c PDF: 198; Wheeler, 1936g PDF: 5; Smith, 1937 PDF: 843; Wheeler, 1937a PDF: 22; Santschi, 1937b PDF: 98; Santschi, 1937d PDF: 217; Menozzi, 1939c: 103; Santschi, 1939c PDF: 7; Santschi, 1939f PDF: 161; Teranishi, 1940: 58; Menozzi, 1942a PDF: 166; Weber, 1943d PDF: 305; Eidmann, 1944 PDF: 442, 469; Donisthorpe, 1946i PDF: 29; Weber, 1948b PDF: 81; Donisthorpe, 1949f PDF: 275; Bernard, 1950c PDF: 287; Donisthorpe, 1950e PDF: 1061; Smith, 1951c PDF: 803; Chapman & Capco, 1951 PDF: 145; Menozzi & Consani, 1952 PDF: 62; Bernard, 1953b PDF: 225; Smith, 1954c PDF: 4; Wellenius, 1955 PDF: 6; Ceballos, 1956: 302; Smith, 1958c PDF: 122; Gregg, 1959 PDF: 12 (in key); Kempf, 1962b PDF: 18; Taylor & Wilson, 1962 PDF: 143; Bernard, 1967a PDF: 153 (redescription); Smith, 1967a PDF: 354; Taylor, 1967b PDF: 1094; Wilson & Taylor, 1967b PDF: 46, 103; Yarrow, 1967 PDF: 27; Bernard, 1971: 7; Kempf, 1972b PDF: 196; Alayo, 1974 PDF: 12 (in key); Bolton & Collingwood, 1975: 4 (in key); Taylor, 1976a: 84; Taylor, 1976b: 195; Báez & Ortega, 1978: 190; Smith, 1979: 1371; Collingwood, 1979 PDF: 62; Onoyama, 1980a PDF: 197; Barquín, 1981: 111; Brown, 1981 PDF: 529; Ogata, 1982 PDF: 197; Collingwood, 1985 PDF: 254; Naves, 1985 PDF: 64; Wheeler & Wheeler, 1986g PDF: 42 (in key); Agosti & Collingwood, 1987a PDF: 54; Agosti & Collingwood, 1987b PDF: 272 (in key); Taylor, 1987a PDF: 54; Deyrup et al., 1989 PDF: 95; Brandão, 1991 PDF: 370; Ogata, 1991b PDF: 93; Morisita et al., 1992: 24; Collingwood, 1993b PDF: 194; Hohmann et al., 1993: 156; Dlussky, 1994a: 54; Bolton, 1995b: 325; Wu & Wang, 1995a: 103; Tang et al., 1995: 57; Dorow, 1996a PDF: 79; Collingwood & Agosti, 1996 PDF: 323; Berry et al., 1997 PDF: 27; Espadaler, 1997g PDF: 31; Zhou & Zheng, 1999 PDF: 84 (in key); Deyrup et al., 2000: 296; Zhou, 2001a PDF: 127; Eguchi, 2001b PDF: 77 (redescription) ; Markó & Csosz, 2002 PDF: 115; Wetterer, 2002 PDF: 129; Blard et al., 2003 PDF: 131; Imai et al., 2003 PDF: 159; Deyrup, 2003 PDF: 46; Lin & Wu, 2003: 65; Wetterer & Vargo, 2003 PDF: 417; Wilson, 2003a: 549 (redescription); Wetterer & Wetterer, 2004 PDF: 215; Jaitrong & Nabhitabhata, 2005 PDF: 34; Petrov, 2006 PDF: 93 (in key); Wetterer, 2006 PDF: 415; Clouse, 2007b PDF: 240; Don, 2007: 128; Wetterer et al., 2007 PDF: 31; Wetterer et al., 2007 PDF: 18; Framenau & Thomas, 2008 PDF: 71; Eguchi, 2008 PDF: 55 (redescription); Heterick, 2009 PDF: 169; Terayama, 2009 PDF: 170; Mohanraj et al., 2010 PDF: 7; Collingwood et al., 2011 PDF: 438; Karaman, 2011b PDF: 48; Legakis, 2011 PDF: 12; Pfeiffer et al., 2011 PDF: 49; Borowiec & Salata, 2012 PDF: 526; Guénard & Dunn, 2012 PDF: 50; Kiran & Karaman, 2012 PDF: 23; Sarnat & Economo, 2012 PDF: 99; Wetterer, 2012e PDF: 51; Borowiec & Salata, 2013 PDF: 363; Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 332 (redescription); Hita Garcia et al., 2013 PDF: 214; Sarnat et al., 2013 PDF: 71; Borowiec, 2014 PDF: 142 (see note in bibliography); Ramage, 2014 PDF: 172; Tohmé & Tohmé, 2014 PDF: 135; Bezděčková et al., 2015 PDF: 120; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 50 (redescription); Bharti et al., 2016 PDF: 42; Lebas et al., 2016: 332; Wetterer et al., 2016 PDF: 15; Deyrup, 2017: 90; Sharaf et al., 2018 10.20362/am.010004 PDF: 27; Dekoninck et al., 2019 PDF: 1157; Lubertazzi, 2019 10.3099/MCZ-43.1 PDF: 149.Senior synonym of Pheidole agilis: Eguchi, 2008 PDF: 56; Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 333; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 50.Senior synonym of Pheidole picata bernhardae: Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 333; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 51.Senior synonym of Pheidole edax: Dalla Torre, 1892 PDF: 90; Emery, 1892c PDF: 160; Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 92; Emery, 1915i PDF: 235; Emery, 1921c PDF: 85; Wheeler, 1922: 812; Bolton, 1995b: 325; Eguchi, 2001b PDF: 77; Eguchi, 2008 PDF: 56; Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 332; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 50.Senior synonym of Pheidole picata gietleni: Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 333; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 51.Senior synonym of Pheidole janus: Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 92; Forel, 1899b PDF: 76; Wheeler, 1919f PDF: 66; Wheeler, 1922: 813; Smith, 1954c PDF: 4; Bolton, 1995b: 325; Eguchi, 2008 PDF: 56; Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 332; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 50.Senior synonym of Pheidole laevigata (Smith, 1855): Roger, 1863b PDF: 30; Dours, 1873 PDF: 169; Emery & Forel, 1879 PDF: 463; Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 92; Forel, 1899b PDF: 77; Ruzsky, 1905b: 650; Wheeler, 1919f PDF: 66; Bolton, 1995b: 325; Eguchi, 2008 PDF: 56; Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 332; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 50.Senior synonym of Pheidole laevigata Mayr, 1862: Roger, 1863b PDF: 30; Emery & Forel, 1879 PDF: 463; Forel, 1891c PDF: 176; Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 92; Forel, 1899b PDF: 77; Ruzsky, 1905b: 650; Wheeler, 1919f PDF: 66; Wheeler, 1922: 812; Donisthorpe, 1927c: 389; Donisthorpe, 1935 PDF: 633; Smith, 1954c PDF: 4; Kempf, 1972b PDF: 196; Naves, 1985 PDF: 64; Bolton, 1995b: 325; Eguchi, 2008 PDF: 56; Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 333; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 50.Senior synonym of Pheidole perniciosa: Emery, 1915i PDF: 235; Emery, 1921c PDF: 85; Wheeler, 1922: 813; Bolton, 1995b: 325; Eguchi, 2001b PDF: 77; Zhou, 2001a PDF: 127; Eguchi, 2008 PDF: 55; Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 333; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 50.Senior synonym of Pheidole picata: Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 333; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 51.Senior synonym of Pheidole pusilla: Roger, 1863b PDF: 30; Dours, 1873 PDF: 169; André, 1874c: 204 (in list); Emery & Forel, 1879 PDF: 463; Forel, 1891c PDF: 176; Dalla Torre, 1892 PDF: 90; Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 92; Forel, 1895e PDF: 231; Forel, 1899b PDF: 76; Ruzsky, 1905b: 650; Wheeler, 1911g PDF: 169; Wheeler, 1919f PDF: 66; Wheeler, 1922: 812; Donisthorpe, 1927c: 389; Donisthorpe, 1935 PDF: 633; Smith, 1954c PDF: 4; Kempf, 1972b PDF: 196; Naves, 1985 PDF: 64; Bolton, 1995b: 325; Eguchi, 2001b PDF: 77; Zhou, 2001a PDF: 127; Eguchi, 2008 PDF: 56; Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 332; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 50.Senior synonym of Pheidole megacephala scabrior: Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 333; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 50.Senior synonym of Pheidole suspiciosa: Donisthorpe, 1932c PDF: 455; Bolton, 1995b: 325; Eguchi, 2001b PDF: 77; Zhou, 2001a PDF: 127; Eguchi, 2008 PDF: 56; Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 333; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 50.Senior synonym of Pheidole testacea: Brown, 1981 PDF: 530; Brandão, 1991 PDF: 370; Bolton, 1995b: 325; Eguchi, 2001b PDF: 77; Zhou, 2001a PDF: 127; Eguchi, 2008 PDF: 56; Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 333; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 50.Senior synonym of Pheidole trinodis: Roger, 1863b PDF: 30; Emery & Forel, 1879 PDF: 463; Forel, 1891c PDF: 176; Dalla Torre, 1893 PDF: 92; Forel, 1899b PDF: 76; Ruzsky, 1905b: 650; Wheeler, 1919f PDF: 65; Wheeler, 1922: 812; Bolton, 1995b: 325; Eguchi, 2001b PDF: 77; Zhou, 2001a PDF: 127; Eguchi, 2008 PDF: 55; Fischer & Fisher, 2013 PDF: 332; Sarnat et al., 2015 10.3897/zookeys.543.6050 PDF: 50.. T91, Gouela. Prairie a 1.600 m. (LaMOTTE). Peu commune.
En 1937, SANTSCHI en a separe comme espece la race punctulata MAYR et ses 3 varietes. Il reste neanmoins dans megacephala , espece cosmo-tropicale, onze sous-especes et 8 varietes, rien que pour l'Afrique. Le polymorphisme des soldats, tres net pour des formes classiques comme P. pallidula mediterraneenne , aurait du inciter les specialistes a la prudence. J'avoue ne- pas y voir tres clair dans le fouillis des races, et voici simplement les quelques formes du Nimba correspondant a des types extremes et bien tranches:
[[ worker ]]. Fundnotiz: Mayotte und Anjou an (Comoren).
Entom. Syst., vol. 2, p. 361 (1775). - Dalla Torre, Cat. Hym., vol. 7, Formicidae, p. 92 (1893).
Afrique orientale anglaise: region cotiere: Shimoni (st. n° 9, nov. 1911), [[worker]], [[soldier]]; - riviere Ramisi (st. n° 3, nov. 1911), 9 [[worker]]; - Naivasha, dans le Rift Valley (alt. 1.900 m., st. n° 14, dec. 1911), [[worker]], [[soldier]] -Nairobi (1904), [[worker]]; - idem (1903), [[worker]], [[soldier]], [[queen]];
- Port-Florence, sur la baie de Kavirondo (st. n° 22, dec. 1911). Afrique orientale allemande: Tanga (st. n° 74, avril 1912), [[worker]];
- Kilimandjaro: Neu-Moschi (alt. 800 m., st. n° 72, avril 1912), [[worker]]. Espece cosmopolite sous les tropiques.
Les nids de ce Pheidole etaient abondants sous les pierres plates d'un petit col de la route dc Naivasha a Nyere, au-dessus du vallon de Naivasha (alt. 1.600 m. env.). Quelques Paussus ont ete recueillis dans ces fourmilieres (st. n° 14, 16 dec. 1911).
Dans la st. n° 22, Pheidole megacephala a ete recueilli dans les galeries d'une termitiere [Termes bellicosus Smeath] sur les bords du Victoria Nyanza. (Alluaud et Jeannel.)
- Naivasha (station 14). Commensaux: Coleopteres (Paussus).
Bagamoyo und Kihengo.
[[soldier]] [[worker]]. Takao.
[[ worker ]] Costa Rica (Biolley).
[[ worker ]] [[ queen ]] [[ male ]] [[ soldier ]]. Coetivy; Amirantes; Farquhar; He Desroches. Espece cosmopolite.
[[ worker ]] [[ soldier ]] et [[ queen ]]. (No. 49 a a 49 d). Cosmopolite dans les tropiques,
(49). Apparently a rare species.
(49 a). Wallilobo (leeward), Nov. 8 th; seashore. From passages at the root of a tree. Formicary could not be found. The ants are moderately active, and not very pugnacious.
(49 b). Fitz-Hugh Estate (leeward), near sea-level. Dec. 12 th. A large community, with extensive passages about an old arrowroot-machine; the passages partly under stones, or by the sides of posts which supported the machine; partly in the ground near the surface. In places there were galleries, covered with a substance apparently formed of wood-fibre and earth. I could find no larvae, and no males nor females, though I dug deep. Probably this was a branch of the main nest, which may have been some distance away. The workers major were numerous, probably one-fourth of the whole. The place was quite near the seashore.
(49 c). Petit Bordelle Estate; open land near the sea. Dec. 15 th. A very large community (eight or ten thousand, I should think), under turf on a rock; shore of a stream. The chambers were large, some of them four inches long and wide, but not high; and they were partly built up with walls of wood-fibre or some similar substance. The passages were numerous, and the whole formicarium occupied a space of about two square feet. The workers major are not numerous; about as one to twenty compared with the workers minor. Only one female could be found. The larvas were numerous. This ant walls in a large proportion of its works, both pas-. sages and chambers, with ' the wood-fibre substance mentioned above. It does not tunnel more than an inch or two below the surface of the ground, so far as I can discover.
(44 d). Same locality and date as No. 49 c, but another nest; under a stone. Most of the space under the stone was occupied by a large chamber, about 6 x 4 in., but not high, around the outside of the stone; next the ground were other chambers, formed of the wood-fibre substance. Apparently this was only a part of the nest, with. ' branches under other stones. Only one female found.
The species is common at Petit Bordelle, but I have not been able to find males.
Variétéfoncée . Sfax.
Les soldats ont la tete considerablement retrecie en avant, en quoi ils different de pallidula et de picata ; le corselet est plus large que chez pallidula , notamment le pronotum; ce segment a des epaules plus ou moins marquees, qui ne se voient pas, ou sont rudimentaires chez pallidula . La tete est ordinairement luisante dans sa partie posterieure, rugueuse longitudinalement, pointillee et mate, sur le front, les parties laterales de l'epistome et les joues; la portion rugueuse s'etend sur les cotes, en arriere de l' oe il; a l'endroit ou s'appuie le scape, il y a une impression plus ou moins pointillee, mate. Le derriere de la tete a des points piligeres de grandeur variable; le fond du sillon median a generalement des strioles longitudinales, qui s'etendent; parfois plus ou moins sur le vertex et l'occiput.
L'ouvriere est, en general, plus petite que pallidula par rapport au soldat. Elle a la tete plus etroite, surtout chez les individus de petite taille, plus arrondie en arriere et le bord posterieur n'est pas droit, en quoi elle differe de pallidula et de picata . On remarque, au moins chez les individus de petite taille, le bord releve du trou occipital, faisant saillie, quand on regarde la tete en dessus.
Je n'ai pas etudie les caracteres des femelles et des males, je ne dispose pas d'un materiel suffisant pour le faire utilement.
Je n'ai pas l'intention de donner une description complete des sous-especes et varietes de Ph. megacephala : pour cela je renvoie le lecteur aux auteurs´qui les ont publiees. Il me suffira d'avoir mis un peu d'ordre dans cet echeveau embrouille. Il y a, sans doute, beaucoup de choses obscures, particulierement dans la serie punctulata-rotundata et dans ce qui est confondu sous le nom de la forme cosmopolite « pusilla », dans son sens restreint. Dans cette derniere surtout, des mutations dues aux conditions d'existence (notamment dans l'Amerique meridionale) meriteraient une etude.
- Colombo, Kandy.
— Canaria (4), Tenerife (M. Noualhier).
Espece cosmopolite.
Figs. 15a-g
Formica megacephala Fabricius , 1793: 36. Roger 1863b: 30 (combination in Pheidole ). Syntype(s): major, no locality given, not examined.
Myrmica trinodis Losana , 1834: 327. Roger 1863b: 30 (junior synonym of megacephala ). Syntype(s): "worker", Italy, not examined.
Formica edax Forskal , 1775: 84. Emery 1892: 160 (junior synonym of megacephala ), Dalla Torre 1892: 90 (same). Syntype(s): "worker", Egypt, not examined.
Oecophthora perniciosa Gerstacker , 1859: 263. Roger 1863b: 31 (combination in Pheidole ), Emery, 1915c: 235 (junior synonym of megacephala ). Syntype(s): "worker", Mozambique, not examined.
Oecophthora pusilla Heer , 1852: 15. F. Smith 1858: 173 (combination in Pheidole ), Roger 1859: 259 (senior synonym of laevigata Fr. Smith , 1855: 130), Mayr 1870: 981 (senior synonym of laevigata Mayr , 1862: 747), Mayr 1886: 360 (senior synonym of janus ), Emery 1915: 235 (subspecies of megacephala ), Wheeler 1922: 812 (junior synonym of megacephala ). Syntypes: major, minor, queen & male, Madeira, not examined.
Myrmica agilis F. Smith , 1857: 71. Donisthorpe 1932: 449 (combination in Pheidole ). Syn.n. Syntypes: 3 minors, "MALAC" [= Malacca, S. Malay Peninsula], OXUM TYPE HYM: 988 1-3/3, examined.
Myrmica suspiciosa F. Smith , 1859: 148. Donisthorpe 1932: 455 (junior synonym of megacephala ). Syntype (s): "worker", Aru I. (Indonesia), not examined.
Atta testacea F. Smith , 1858: 168. Mayr 1886: 360 (combination in Pheidole ), Brown, 1981: 530 (junior synonym of megacephala ). Syntypes: major & minor, Brazil, not examined.
Subspecies enumerated in Bolton, 1995: nominal plus costauriensis Santschi , 1914: 443, syntype(s): major, Ghana, not examined; duplex Santschi , 1937a: 220, syntypes: major, minor & queen, Angola, not examined; ilgi Forel , 1907: 82, syntypes: major & minor, Ethiopia, not examined.; impressifrons Wasmann , 1905: 110 (replacement name for impressiceps Wasmann , 1904: 72), syntypes: major, minor & queen, South Africa, not examined; melancholica Santschi , 1912: 164, syntypes: major & minor, Ivory Coast, not examined; nkomoana Forel , 1916: 415, syntypes: major, minor, queen & male, Zaire, not examined; rotundata Forel , 1894: 92, syntypes: major & minor, Mozambique, not examined; scabrior Forel , 1891: 178, syntypes: major & minor, Madagascar, not examined; speculifrons Stitz , 1911: 386, syntypes: major & minor, Tanzania, not examined; talpa Gerstacker , 1871: 356, syntypes: "worker" & queen, Kenya, not examined. For these forms type material not examined.
Other material examined: S. China: Hong Kong: Victoria Park, Hong Kong I. [K. Eguchi]; Macau: Mong Ha [K. Eguchi]. N. Vietnam: Ha Noi: Hanoi Agric. Univ. (Gia Lam) [K. Ogata: 15-min TUS #2]; Quang Ninh: Hoanh Bo [K. Eguchi]. S. Vietnam: Vinh Long (misspelled as "Vinlong"): Vinh Long (10°15'N, 105°58'N) [S. Kawaguchi]. Thailand: Trang: Khao Chong Waterfall [Eg01-VN-761]. W. Malaysia: Penang: beside a building of Univ. Sains Malaysia [C.Y. Lee]. E. Malaysia: Sabah: Kota Kinabalu [Eg97-BOR-376], Tambunan Village [H. Okido], Danam Valley [Eg96-BOR-108]. Indonesia: Kalimantan Timur: Tandjung Isuy [Seyfert & Graindl]; Irian Jaya: Wamena, 1600 m alt. [Eg98-IRI-674, -675, -676, -703]. Australia: Queensland: S. Mission Beach near Tully [AU01-SKY-12]. Tonga: Tongatapu: Vaini [J.K. Wetterer].
Worker measurements & indices: Major (n=5). - HL 1.28-1.45 mm; HW 1.25-1.45 mm; CI 98-100; SL 0.71-0.76 mm; SI 52-57; FL 0.94-0.98 mm; FI 68-77.
Minor (n=5). - HL 0.62-0.72 mm; HW 0.55-0.65 mm; CI 88-91; SL 0.67-0.73 mm; SI 111-121; FL 0.68-0.77 mm; FI 118-123. Worker description
Major. - Head in lateral view roundly convex dorsally, not impressed on vertex, in full-face view shallowly concave posteriorly; frons longitudinally rugose (or rarely almost smooth, only sparsely with short interrupted longitudinal rugulae); vertex and dorsum of vertexal lobe smooth and shining or shagreened; frontal carina absent or present just as weak rugula(e); antennal scrobe absent; median longitudinal carina of clypeus weak or absent; hypostoma at most with a pair of very small or inconspicuous submedian processes in addition to a pair of conspicuous lateral processes; antenna with a 3-segmented club; maximal diameter of eye almost as long as or longer than antennal segment X. Promesonotal dome in dorsal view smooth and shining or shagreened, sometimes with several weak transverse rugulae, in lateral view at most with an inconspicuous mound on its posterior slope; humerus not or weakly produced laterad; the dome at the humeri narrower than at the bottom; mesopleuron, metapleuron and lateral face of propodeum weakly or very weakly punctured. Petiole a little longer than postpetiole (excluding helcium); postpetiole not massive; its anteroventral part weakly swollen. First gastral tergite smooth and shining entirely, or very weakly punctured around its articulation with postpetiole and smooth or shagreened in the remainder.
Minor. - Head smooth and shining; preoccipital carina weak but present dorsally and laterally; median part of clypeus smooth and shining, without a median longitudinal carina; antenna with a 3-segmented club; scape extending beyond posterolateral margin of head by the double length of antennal segment II or more; maximal diameter of eye almost as long as, or sometimes a little shorter than antennal segment X. Promesonotal dome smooth and shining, in lateral view lacking a mound on its posterior slope; humerus in dorso-oblique view not or hardly produced; mesopleuron, metapleuron and lateral face of propodeum punctured weakly; metanotal groove inconspicuous. Petiole almost as long as or a little longer than postpetiole (excluding helcium); postpetiole relatively long but not massive; its anteroventral part weakly swollen.
Recognition: The syntype minors of " Myrmica agilis " agree well with minors of Bornean populations (e.g., Eg96-BOR-108) of P megacephala . I conclude that P agilis is a juninor synonym of P megacephala .
P. megacephala is well distinguished from Indo-Chinese species by the combination of the following characteristics: in the major head in full-face view only shallowly concave posteriorly; in the major dorsum of vertexal lobe smooth and shining or shagreened; in the major hypostoma in the middle at most with a pair of very small or inconspicuous submedian processes; in the minor preoccipital carina weak but present dorsally and laterally; posterior slope of promesonotal dome at most with an inconspicuous mound in the major, and without any mound in the minor; in the major and minor anteroventral part of postpetiole weakly swollen.
Distribution & bionomics: Widely distributed in the world tropics and subtropics. For detailed information on biology and ecological and economic impacts of this species see Reimer et al. (1993), Campbell (1994), Hoffmann (1998), Wetterer (1998), Hoffmann et al. (1999), Vanderwoude et al. (2000), etc.
Niangara, [[worker]]; Akenge, [[queen]]; Stanleyville, [[queen]]; Banana, [[soldier]], [[worker]] (Lang and Chapin); Zambi, [[soldier]], [[worker]], [[queen]] (Bequaert and Lang); Matadi, [[soldier]],[[worker]]; Thysville, [[worker]]; Boma, [[soldier]], [[worker]], [[queen]]; Malela, [[soldier]], [[worker]], [[queen]] (J. Bequaert). All these specimens belong to the typical form of this well-known tropicopolitan pest. I have been unable to recognize among it If Forel's subspecies nkomoana, originally described from the vicinity of Stanleyville. In the colony taken at Zambi by Lang and Bequaert there are several specimens of an interesting Microdon larva, which is figured and described in Part VI. The female specimens from Akenge and Stanleyville, five in number, were taken from the stomach of a toad (Bufo polycercus) and a frog (Rana, mascareniensis).
de forme ordinaire, partout, de la plaine jusqu'à 1600 mètres Une variétéentièrement d'un jaune pâle (aussi le soldat dont les mandibules seules sont d'un jaune roux) sur le Djebel Ozmor près de Tébessa et au sommet d'une montagne près de Souk-Ahras.
, Ent. Syst. " ii. p. 361 1793).
1 [[ worker ]]. Le Pouce Mt., Mauritius, November 2 nd, 1948 (Mamet).
Boma, [[soldier]], [[worker]], [[queen]]; Ngayu, [[soldier]], [[worker]]; Avakubi, [[soldier]], [[worker]]; Stanleyville, [[soldier]], [[worker]], [[queen]], [[male]]; Bolobo, [[soldier]], [[worker]]; Faradje, [[soldier]], [[worker]]; Zambi, [[soldier]], [[worker]], [[queen]]; Niapu, [[soldier]], [[worker]]; Garamba, [[soldier]], [[worker]]; Banana [[soldier]], [[worker]] (Lang and Chapin).
A well-known and widely distributed Ethiopian form, apparently more abundant in the Belgian Congo than the typical P. megacephala . The specimens from various colonies show considerable variation in color, some being dark brown, others pale and more yellowish or reddish, especially those from Stanleyville and Banana. Mr. Lang gives the native name of the species as "tuegeke" and his notes give the nesting sites as "under heaps of decomposed, moist grass," "in fallen stems of Hyphasne," "in mushroom-shaped termitaria in swamps," and "in the tops of termite mounds."
, Smith, Proc. Linn. Soc. Supp. v. 112. 5.
Mr. Wallace has sent a series of workers of this species collected from the nest. These contain, as it were, three modifications of the enormously large-headed individuals; all of these have heads similar in form, subquadrate, longitudinally striated anteriorly, and transversely so behind; these I should call varieties of the worker major; the worker minor has the head subovate in form, smooth, polished and shining; not striated behind, and very faintly so anteriorly. The links which would unite these two distinct forms of the working ants are wanting. I am therefore still of opinion that societies of ants generally possess two distinct sets of workers whose functions are totally different; this is known to be the case in slave-making communities, and also in the remarkable genus Eciton , of which only the workers are known.
Femelle (inedite). Types: une [[queen]] ailee et 5 [[queen]] desailees de la savane du Nimba. Cotypes: 2 [[queen]] ailees immatures de la crete du Mont To, a 1.600 m. Long.: 6,5 a 7,5 mm. Brunchocolat, luisantes sauf a la base du gastre. Thorax encore plus plat que chez megacephala Les 2 bandes du mesonotum en occupent plus de la moitie et s'etendent sur toute sa longueur (sur la moitie posterieure seulement chez megacephala et sa sbsp. pusilla ). Le second n oe ud du petiole est plus anguleux lateralement, entierement mat et convexe en-dessus (plus ou moins luisant et a 2 gibosites chez megacephala ).
Pheidole de tres petite taille (soldat: moins de 4 mm., [[worker]]: 2 mm. au plus),
Ces petites Fourmis, dont il y a une douzaine d'especes en Afrique, sont peu connues et rares dans les collections,, probablement parce qu'elles vivent surtout dans la paroi des termitieres ou dans les mousses des forets. Le Nimba en a donne 5 especes dont 2 inedites:
Pheidole megacephala és una espècie de formiga de la subfamília Myrmicinae, una de les cinc espècies de formigues invasores al costat de Wasmannia auropunctata, Anoplolepis gracilipes, Linepithema humile i Solenopsis invicta.
Pheidole megacephala is a species of ant in the family Formicidae. It is commonly known as the big-headed ant in the USA and the coastal brown ant in Australia. It is a very successful invasive species and is considered a danger to native ants in Australia[2] and other places. It is regarded as one of the world's worst invasive ant species.[3]
Pheidole megacephala was described from a specimen from the island of Mauritius by the entomologist Johan Christian Fabricius in 1793, although a 1775 record exists for Egypt, under the name Formica edax.[4] Regardless of its origin, big-headed ants have since spread to many tropical and subtropical parts of the world.[5]
There are two types of worker ants, the major or soldier ant and the minor worker. The common name of bigheaded ant derives from the soldier's disproportionately large head. This has large mandibles which may be used to crush seeds. The soldiers are about four millimetres in length, twice as long as the minor workers. The colour of both types varies from yellowish-brown or reddish-brown to nearly black.
The rear half of the head is smooth and glossy and the front half sculptured. The twelve-segmented antennae are curved and have club-like tips. The waist or petiole is two-segmented with the node immediately behind conspicuously swollen. There are a pair of short, upward-facing spines on the waist. The body has sparse, long hairs.[5]
Bigheaded ants nest in colonies underground. Colonies can have several queens [6] and supercolonies can be formed by budding, when a queen and workers leave the original nest and set up a new colony nearby without swarming.[7] In Florida, nuptial flights of winged ants take place during the winter and spring and afterwards, fertilized queens shed their wings and find a suitable site to found a new colony where they start laying eggs.[5] Each queen lays up to 290 eggs per month. The eggs hatch after two to four weeks and the legless white larvae, which are fed by the workers, pupate about a month later. The adult workers emerge ten to twenty days after that.[8]
The minor workers are much more numerous than the soldiers. Trails of ants lead up trunks, along branches and into the canopies of trees and debris-covered foraging tunnels with numerous entrances are created on the surface of the ground. These may be confused with similar tubes built by subterranean termites.
P. megacephala can also live indoors.[9]
The bigheaded ants feed on dead insects, small invertebrates and honeydew excreted by insects such as aphids, soft scale insects, mealybugs, whiteflies and planthoppers. These sap-sucking bugs thrive in the presence of bigheaded ants, being more abundant on plants patrolled by ants than on those not so patrolled.[10] Also, bigheaded ants are predators of the eggs of various species of moths such as the African sugarcane borer, common in sub-Saharan Africa.[11] Green scale, Coccus viridis, flourished when bigheaded ants protected their food source by removing predators such as lady beetle larvae and lepidopteran larvae.[12]
Foraging ants will alert others to new food sources. Honeydew is ingested but other foodstuffs are carried back to the nest by both major and minor workers who may transfer items of food between themselves. Anything too big to be moved may be dissected before being brought back to the nest.[5]
Bigheaded ants are a threat to biodiversity through the displacement of native invertebrate fauna and is a pest of agriculture through harvesting seeds and harbouring insects on crops. They are also known to chew on irrigation and telephone cabling as well as electrical wires.[3]
Pheidole megacephala is a species of ant in the family Formicidae. It is commonly known as the big-headed ant in the USA and the coastal brown ant in Australia. It is a very successful invasive species and is considered a danger to native ants in Australia and other places. It is regarded as one of the world's worst invasive ant species.
La hormiga leona (Pheidole megacephala) es una hormiga de la subfamilia Myrmicinae, una de las cinco especies de hormigas invasoras junto a Wasmannia auropunctata, Anoplolepis gracilipes, Linepithema humile y Solenopsis invicta. Está incluida en la lista 100 de las especies exóticas invasoras más dañinas del mundo[1] de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza.
Los soldados miden 120 mm de longitud, con la cabeza en forma de corazón y de gran tamaño, de color pardo ferruginoso claro; las obreras miden 2 mm de longitud, de color miel oscuro a rojizo amarillento, con la cintura de dos segmentos y un nodo peciolar que se hincha notablemente; las reinas, que son varias en cada hormiguero, presentan color castaño oscuro, con antenas de 12 segmentos; mientras, los machos son de color amarillo pálido, con antenas filiforme de 13 segmentos y los ocelos en una prominencia del vértice.[2]
Es una plaga de ciertos cultivos. En el caso de las plantaciones de café, cacao y frutales, la invasión de Pheidole megacephala, se relaciona directamente con la expansión agresiva de la plaga del hemíptero Coccus viridis, cuyas larvas se benefician de la eliminación de sus depredadores por la hormiga.[3]
Por otra parte, esta especie es utilizada para controlar algunas plagas que afectan la actividad agropecuaria. Por ejemplo, la difusión gestionada de esta hormiga es utilizada para controlar el tetuán de la batata (Cylas formicarius).[2] También se ha obtenido éxito con el uso de esta especie de hormiga para controlar la garrapata microplus Boophilus microplus que afecta la ganadería.[4]
La hormiga leona (Pheidole megacephala) es una hormiga de la subfamilia Myrmicinae, una de las cinco especies de hormigas invasoras junto a Wasmannia auropunctata, Anoplolepis gracilipes, Linepithema humile y Solenopsis invicta. Está incluida en la lista 100 de las especies exóticas invasoras más dañinas del mundo de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza.
La Pheidole megacephala, la fourmi à grosse tête, est une espèce invasive qui est parvenue à se répandre sur toute la surface de la Terre. Dans les zones envahies, elle est une menace pour les invertébrés et la végétation locale. Elle pose aussi problème lorsqu'elle entre dans les habitations. Elle est très prolifique : une reine peut pondre dans les 1 500 œufs par jour. Une étude réalisée en 2012[1] montre que son introduction à Hawaï est responsable de la disparition du lézard Emoia impar, mais aussi de nombreuses autres espèces de vertébrés endémiques de l'île[2].
La fourmi à grosse tête pheidole megacephala fait partie des 100 pires espèces envahissantes selon UICN.
Selon AntWeb (22 mars 2012)[3], cette espèce comprend les sous-espèces suivantes :
La Pheidole megacephala, la fourmi à grosse tête, est une espèce invasive qui est parvenue à se répandre sur toute la surface de la Terre. Dans les zones envahies, elle est une menace pour les invertébrés et la végétation locale. Elle pose aussi problème lorsqu'elle entre dans les habitations. Elle est très prolifique : une reine peut pondre dans les 1 500 œufs par jour. Une étude réalisée en 2012 montre que son introduction à Hawaï est responsable de la disparition du lézard Emoia impar, mais aussi de nombreuses autres espèces de vertébrés endémiques de l'île.
La fourmi à grosse tête pheidole megacephala fait partie des 100 pires espèces envahissantes selon UICN.
Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius, 1793) è una formica della sottofamiglia Myrmicinae.[1]
Descritta per la prima volta nel 1793 dall'entomologo Johan Christian Fabricius nell'isola di Mauritius, P. megacephala è stata introdotta e si è naturalizzata in numerosi paesi di Nord America, Sud America, Europa, Africa, Asia e Oceania. Gli specialisti della IUCN hanno inserito la specie nella lista delle 100 tra le specie invasive più dannose al mondo.[2]
Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius, 1793) è una formica della sottofamiglia Myrmicinae.
De glimmende dikkop (Pheidole megacephala) is een mierensoort uit de onderfamilie van de Myrmicinae.[1][2] De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort is voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 1793 door Fabricius.
Bronnen, noten en/of referenties
No Brasil, em algumas cidades, ocorre da seguinte maneira: Rio de Janeiro/RJ em grandes quantidades dominando vários quarteirões e excluindo as outras formigas; Teresópolis/RJ ocorre em alguns quarteirões talvez limitada pelo clima mais frio; Volta Redonda/RJ domina alguns quarteirões mas enfrenta a concorrência forte de Solenopsis geminata, Solenopsis richteri, Solenopsis invicta e Nylanderia fulva; Conservatória/RJ limitada em uma super colónia no centro do distrito deslocando todas as outras formigas da área; Tocantins/MG limitada a poucas áreas devido à presença abundante e o domínio de Solenopsis saevissima; Astolfo Dutra/MG ocorre em grandes quantidades em todo centro da cidade e beirando o rio principal excluindo todas as formigas onde constituiu super colônias; Valença/RJ presente em grandes quantidades em alguns locais mas com potencial destrutivo limitado pela presença, principalmente, de Solenopsis invicta, Wasmania auropunctata, Pheidole cornicula e Nylanderia fulva, Camponotus Crassus, Rufipes, Atriceps e Sericeiventris, Dinoponera e Odontomachus.
Pheidole megacephala prefere ambientes próximos a habitações humanas, com atividade comercial, pavimentada e bastante fonte de alimentação, com sombra conforme observações. É uma das espécies invasoras de formigas no Brasil mais perigosa. Não houve observações sobre esta espécie em floresta natural e foi percebido que jardins com grande área verde com pouca pavimentação, esta espécie tem dificuldade para penetrar talvez por causa de um número maior de espécies de formigas nativas. A guerra pela supremacia de áreas com o géneros Solenopsis é constante pois essas espécies parecem manter um antagonismo. Outra observação interessante foi que percebi um genero de Neivamyrmex, tamanho pequeno, predando um ninho de Pheidole megacephala em Volta Redonda/RJ numa área altamente comercial. Essa espécie parece ser um dos poucos predadores para essa invasora terrível. As chuvas prejudicam essa espécie e da uma vantagem as espécies nativas que podem se recuperar mais rápido..[2].
No Brasil, em algumas cidades, ocorre da seguinte maneira: Rio de Janeiro/RJ em grandes quantidades dominando vários quarteirões e excluindo as outras formigas; Teresópolis/RJ ocorre em alguns quarteirões talvez limitada pelo clima mais frio; Volta Redonda/RJ domina alguns quarteirões mas enfrenta a concorrência forte de Solenopsis geminata, Solenopsis richteri, Solenopsis invicta e Nylanderia fulva; Conservatória/RJ limitada em uma super colónia no centro do distrito deslocando todas as outras formigas da área; Tocantins/MG limitada a poucas áreas devido à presença abundante e o domínio de Solenopsis saevissima; Astolfo Dutra/MG ocorre em grandes quantidades em todo centro da cidade e beirando o rio principal excluindo todas as formigas onde constituiu super colônias; Valença/RJ presente em grandes quantidades em alguns locais mas com potencial destrutivo limitado pela presença, principalmente, de Solenopsis invicta, Wasmania auropunctata, Pheidole cornicula e Nylanderia fulva, Camponotus Crassus, Rufipes, Atriceps e Sericeiventris, Dinoponera e Odontomachus.
As outras espécies parecem ser deslocadas, ou mesmo eliminadas, por agressão direta. Algumas espécies pequeninas, ou com atividade no horário de sol intenso, parecem sobreviver como por exemplo Brachymyrmex, Solenopsis globularia, Linephitema, Cephalotes, Pseudomyrmex, Tetramorium similium e Hypoponera.Pheidole megacephala prefere ambientes próximos a habitações humanas, com atividade comercial, pavimentada e bastante fonte de alimentação, com sombra conforme observações. É uma das espécies invasoras de formigas no Brasil mais perigosa. Não houve observações sobre esta espécie em floresta natural e foi percebido que jardins com grande área verde com pouca pavimentação, esta espécie tem dificuldade para penetrar talvez por causa de um número maior de espécies de formigas nativas. A guerra pela supremacia de áreas com o géneros Solenopsis é constante pois essas espécies parecem manter um antagonismo. Outra observação interessante foi que percebi um genero de Neivamyrmex, tamanho pequeno, predando um ninho de Pheidole megacephala em Volta Redonda/RJ numa área altamente comercial. Essa espécie parece ser um dos poucos predadores para essa invasora terrível. As chuvas prejudicam essa espécie e da uma vantagem as espécies nativas que podem se recuperar mais rápido...
Kiến đầu to (Danh pháp khoa học: Pheidole megacephala) là một loài kiến trong họ Formicidae có nguồn gốc từ châu Phi. Loài này được mô tả lần đầu bởi Johan Christian Fabricius vào năm 1793.
Đây là một loài sống lang thang, lan tràn trên toàn cầu qua con đường thương mại của con người, chúng thường bò trên cây cỏ và được chuyển đi khắp nơi thông qua những kiện hàng gởi đến các vùng khác trên thế giới. Loài kiến đầu to này có thể cắn người, nhưng cắn không đau và không gây hại. Đây là một loài kiến ăn thịt hung dữ đã tiêu diệt nhiều loài sinh vật bản địa bản địa như kiến, bọ cánh cứng, bướm đêm, nhện và các loài côn trùng đã chết
Trong xã hội của chúng phân chia thành hai loại chính là kiến lính và kiến thợ. Cái tên kiến đầu bự bắt nguồn do cái đầu có kích thước to lớn so với cơ thể của kiến lính cùng với cặp hàm như gọng kìm. Trong một đàn có thể có nhiều kiến chúa. Những con kiến làm ổ trong đất, vì chúng đang được coi là một thứ dịch làm hại nông nghiệp và là một trong những loài côn trùng xâm lấn nhất trên thế giới. Không những chúng có thể kéo vào nhà ở với số lượng lớn để tìm thức ăn và nước, mà chúng còn thay thế những loài kiến khác và ăn những thứ côn trùng có ích.
Chúng hoành hành ở Úc và trở thành một loài xâm lấn ghê gớm. Loài xâm lấn này đã được tìm thấy tại Costa Mesa thuộc California của Hoa Kỳ đã tìm thấy những đàn kiến thuộc một chủng loài hung dữ trong sân trước của một căn nhà. Đây là lần đầu tiên loài kiến này xuất hiện trong môi trường tự nhiên tại California.Loài côn trùng này sống lang thang, di chuyển khắp nơi trên thế giới thông qua các con đường thương mại của con người nhưng sinh sống chủ yếu ở vùng Florida của Mỹ. Chúng có kích thước từ 0,063 – 0,12 cm, màu nâu nhạt hoặc màu đỏ sẫm. Kiến đầu to có thể hình thành siêu khuẩn và được coi như là một thứ dịch hại nông nghiệp và ảnh hưởng đến sức khỏe con người. Sinh sống chủ yếu gần các gò cát hoặc trong các vết nứt của vỉa hè.
Kiến lính làm việc như những người lính và bảo vệ tổ. Chúng cũng sử dụng cái hàm lớn của mình để làm nứt các hạt giống cũng như các thức ăn khác cho các thành viên trong tổ. Những kiến thợ có kích thước bằng một nửa kích thước của kiến lính. Kiến thợ kiếm thức ăn cho tổ, thường là cho kiến chưa trưởng thành và xây dựng tổ. Số lượng kiến thợ thường nhiều hơn rất nhiều lần kiến thợ chính. Loài kiến này dù không gây hại đến các cấu trúc xây dựng, nhưng lại được biết là vật mang trong mình loài sán dây. Ngoài trời, những con kiến ăn côn trùng và mật ngọt. Khi chúng tìm kiếm thức ăn trong nhà, chúng thích các loại thực phẩm có hàm lượng protein cao. Chúng dễ dàng tạo ra những con đường mòn giữa tổ và các nguồn thức ăn. Vì thế đôi khi có thể lần theo những con đường này và tìm thấy tổ của chúng.
Theo các nhà khoa học, các siêu chiến binh kiến thường rất hiếm được sinh ra trong tự nhiên. Đôi khi, chúng chỉ xuất hiện trong các sa mạc ở Mỹ và Mexico, nơi chúng cần phát triển để bảo vệ lãnh thổ của mình khỏi sự xâm lược của những loài kiến khác.
Siêu chiến binh kiến không chỉ có kích thước khổng lồ mà còn đặc biệt khỏe mạnhÝ tưởng tạo ra siêu kiến thuộc về các nhà khoa học Đại học McGill, Canada. Họ đã kết hợp ấu trùng kiến thợ và nội tiết tố đặc biệt được chiết xuất từ gene của kiến cổ đại sống trên Trái Đất từ 35 tới 60 triệu năm trước để tạo ra các siêu chiến binh kiến.
Kiến đầu to (Danh pháp khoa học: Pheidole megacephala) là một loài kiến trong họ Formicidae có nguồn gốc từ châu Phi. Loài này được mô tả lần đầu bởi Johan Christian Fabricius vào năm 1793.
Pheidole megacephala (лат.) (англ. Big-headed ant) — инвазивный вид мелких тропических муравьёв. Один из ста наиболее опасных инвазивных видов в мире («World’s worst»)[1].
Афротропика (предположительная родина). Интродуцированы во многие регионы мира, включая Северную Америку, Южную Америку, южную и юго-восточную Азию, Европу (Испания, Италия), Австралию и Океанию (Новая Зеландия). Представляет опасность для аборигенных видов муравьёв и других беспозвоночных в Австралии[2] и других регионах[3][4]. Включён в сотню наиболее опасных инвайдеров в мире («World’s worst»)[5].
Длина тела рабочих и солдат 2—4 мм, матки до 7 мм. Окраска тела коричневая (грудка и конечности светлее). Усики 12-члениковые с 3-члениковой булавой. Рабочие диморфичны, выделяется каста большеголовых солдат и мелких рабочих. Промеры крупных рабочих (солдат): длина головы 1,28—1,45 мм; ширина головы 1,25—1,45 мм; длина скапуса усика 0,71—0,76 мм; отношение длины скапуса к длине головы (SI) — 52—57; длина жгутика усика 0,94—0,98 мм. Промеры мелких рабочих: длина блестящей головы 0,62—0,72 мм; ширина головы 0,55—0,65 мм; длина скапуса усика 0,67—0,73 мм; отношение длины скапуса к длине головы 111—121; длина жгутика усика 0,68—0,77 мм[3][5][6]. Всеядные муравьи, питается такими сладкими жидкостями, как медвяная падь, мертвыми насекомыми и почвенными беспозвоночными. Фуражиры быстро мобилизируют своих соплеменников на обнаруженные крупные источники корма. У поверхности почвы строят кормовые туннели с многочисленными входами. Обнаруженные жертвы из числа членистоногих расчленяются рабочими и доставляются в гнездо[1]. Время развития яиц (по данным Hoffman 2006) длится от 13 до 32 дней. Личинки развиваются от 23 до 29 суток. Стадия куколки длится от 10 до 20 и более дней. Мелкие рабочие живут до 78 суток при температуре 21 °C, и 38 дней при температуре 27 °C. Муравьиные матки откладывают до 292 яиц в месяц[1][5].
Для борьбы с этим инвазивным видом во Флориде (США) используются инсектициды, разнообразные отравляющие приманки, включающие фипронил, бифентрин, перметрин и другие вещества. Среди них такие продукты, как Transport (27 % бифентрин, 23 % ацетамиприд), Arena (50 % клотианидин), Siesta (0,063 % метафлумезон), MaxForce (0,0005 % фипронил), Extinguish Plus (0,365 % гидраметилон, 0,250 % S-метопрен)[1].
Вид был впервые описан в 1793 году датским энтомологом Иоганном Фабрицием под первоначальным названием Formica megacephala Fabricius, 1793 по материалам с острова Маврикий[7]. В 1863 году немецкий энтомолог и поэт Юлиус Рогер включил его в состав рода Pheidole[8][9]. В настоящее время вид включён в состав видовой группы megacephala group. Таксон обладает множеством синонимов, обзор которых приведён в работах Фишера и др. (2013)[9], Болтона (1995)[8] и других мирмекологов[10].
По данным Antweb.org[11]:
По статье Фишера и др. (2013)[9] и каталогу Болтона 1995 г[8]:
Голова малого рабочего Pheidole megacephala
Малый рабочий Pheidole megacephala сверху
Солдат сверху
Матка Pheidole megacephala сбоку
Матка Pheidole megacephala сверху
Голова матки Pheidole megacephala
Крылатый самец Pheidole megacephala сбоку
Крылатый самец Pheidole megacephala сверху
Голова самца Pheidole megacephala
Pheidole megacephala (лат.) (англ. Big-headed ant) — инвазивный вид мелких тропических муравьёв. Один из ста наиболее опасных инвазивных видов в мире («World’s worst»).
褐大頭蟻（學名：Pheidole megacephala），又稱熱帶大頭家蟻，是蟻科大頭蟻屬下的一種螞蟻，是澳大利亞最強勢的入侵物種之一，當地稱之為coastal brown ant（沿岸褐蟻），對本土螞蟻的生存構成了巨大威脅。[2] 是世界百大外來入侵種之一。[1]
最早由是約翰·克里斯蒂安·法布里丘斯在1793年描述於毛里求斯的，但之前18年同樣的物種就已經發現於埃及了。此外，褐大頭蟻遍佈全球各地。[3]
只有兵蟻才有不成比例的大型上顎以用來嚼碎種子，其身體長度為4毫米（0.16英寸），是較小的工蟻的兩倍。顏色則不一，從黃褐色到紅褐色及進黑色不等。頭的前半部有紋路，後半部光滑。腰身和頭部之間的區分十分明顯，同時腰部有一對較短的上突棘刺。通體有稀疏的毛。[3]
褐大頭蟻的巢穴在地下，室內室外都有發現。一般有數個蟻后。[4] 因為原來的蟻后可能離開巢穴另立新家，所以會發展成多個巢穴連接在一起現象。[5] 每隻蟻后每月一次可以產290枚卵。2到4星期後孵化成白色的幼蟲，由工蟻餵養，一個月後結蛹。20天後孵化。[6]
褐大頭蟻以昆蟲屍體、小型無脊椎動物和蚜蟲、蚧殼蟲、水蠟蟲、粉虱和飛虱排泄出的蜜露為食。因此有褐大頭蟻巡視的樹木上後者就會很繁盛。[7] 其巢穴不止一個入口，除去地面之外，也會在樹幹上築巢。因為巢穴類型和白蟻相似而可能會被混淆。此外，只有蜜露是當下提取，其他食物都會被工蟻搬回蟻穴共同分享。[3]
