Pheidole fiorii inhabits mature wet forest understory. It makes hemispherical carton nests under individual leaves of palms, aroids, and other large-leaved plants. The nests are on the order of 10cm across, and usually at head height or lower. Colonies appear to be monogynous and with a single nest (not polydomous). Small epiphyte seedlings may occasionally sprout from the surface of the nest (figure), but they never develop to large size. Pheidole fiorii is part of a set of ant species that build nests under individual live leaves, the others being Apterostigma collare, Paratrechina caeciliae, Tapinoma inrectum, Wasmannia JTL-001, and Dendromyrmex spp. (Black 1987).
Images of nests: click here.
Observations at La Selva and Penas Blancas suggest large changes in abundance of fiorii. There are times when fiorii appears to be very abundant in the forest (the nests are relatively conspicuous), and other times when they seem to be almost totally absent. It is unknown whether changes reflect regular patterns of movement associated with seasonality, or long-term declines in abundance.
Guatemala to Panama. Costa Rica: Atlantic slope from sea level to 1100m; one record from 700m on Osa Peninsula.
Taxonomic history
Forel, 1899e PDF: 70 (q.); Forel, 1908c PDF: 52 (w.m.).[Also described as new by Emery, 1894l PDF: 56.].See also: Wilson, 2003a: 291.[[ worker ]] [[ male ]] [[ soldier ]]. Santa Clara, Costa Rica, sous des feuilles de palmier (Biolley). Le [[ male ]] a a peine deux petites dents au metanotum.
Pheidole fiorii is een mierensoort uit de onderfamilie van de Myrmicinae.[1][2] De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort is voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 1890 door Emery.
Bronnen, noten en/of referenties
