الأسماء في صفحات التنقل
Holldobler and Wilson (1992) report the following observations of the single known collection of this species:
The type colony was found nesting in a round mass of dried, thatch-like vegetation about 1.5 meters up in the moderately dense foliage of a small tree, which was located at the edge of a second-growth forest bordering the open experimental fields of the la Selva station. When the nest was disturbed, more than a hundred major and minor workers of P. nasutoides rushed out and ran in erratic looping patterns to form a spreading wave away from the nest. The resemblance of the majors to Nasutitermes nasute soldiers under similar circumstances was remarkable. In particular, the mask of the Pheidole majors is roughly shaped like that of the nasute termites and contrasts with the light remainder of the body in the same way. The illusion was heightened when the ants were in motion, creating a Nasutitermes-like gestalt. Holldobler, who discovered the nest, in fact first thought that the ants were Nasutitermes and nearly passed them by. During the brief time the colony was observed live in the laboratory, the resemblance remained close. Otherwise, the colony seemed typical for a species of Pheidole. Adult males were present, but neither alate nor dealate queens were recovered.
We remain puzzled by our failure to locate other P. nasutoides nests despite prolonged effort in the La Selva area. It is possible that the species is simply very rare, existing in extremely sparse populations. Alternatively, it may be normally a dweller of the high canopy, a zone we did not explore. The nest found was at the edge of a disturbed forest patch, and might have fallen from a higher location.
In spite of additional intensive collecting of ants at La Selva by Longino and Project ALAS, this species has not been subsequently collected.
Costa Rica (La Selva).
Taxonomic history
See also: Wilson, 2003a: 468.Pheidole nasutoides is een mierensoort uit de onderfamilie van de Myrmicinae.[1][2] De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort is voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 1992 door Hölldobler & Wilson.
Bronnen, noten en/of referenties
