Anterior view of antennal scrobe, adult worker. Antennal scrobe present. Used to distinguish the major worker of Pheidole fervens, Pheidole flavens, Pheidole moerens and Pheidole teneriffana from that of Pheidole obscurithorax. The last species lacks any depression capable of receiving any portion of the antennae.
Lateral view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. The hairs on the mesosoma are fine and flexuous, not arranged in pairs. Used in Antkey to separate Pheidole flavens and Pheidole moerens from Pheidole anastasii, Pheidole bilimeki and Pheidole punctatissima.
Lateral view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. The promesonotum is composed of one, not two, distinct convexities. Used in Antkey to separate Pheidole flavens and Pheidole moerens from Pheidole fervens and Pheidole teneriffana.
Minor workers of the big-headed ant tend aphids for honeydew. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com
Adults inside the brood nest of a big-headed ant colony. Photo by ©Alexander L. Wild, alexanderwild.com
Anterior view of head, adult worker. The head of the soldier is somewhat heart-shaped with the evenly rounded posterolateral lobes bulging laterally and the head attenuating anteriorly. Used in Antkey to separate majors of Pheidole megacephala from other majors of other Pheidole.
Anterior view of antennal scrobe, adult worker. Antennal scrobe very weak, not capable of accommodating entire scape.
Anterior view of head, adult worker. The posterior third of cephalic dorsum smooth and shining with at most a few short interrupted carinae. Used in Antkey to separate major workers of Pheidole megacephala from those of other Pheidole species.
Lateral view of waist, adult worker. The postpetiole of the major and minor worker is distinctly larger in volume than the petiole. Used in Antkey to separate Pheidole megacephala from other species of Pheidole.
Close-up view of frontal carina, adult worker. Frontal lobes relatively close together so that the posteromedian portion of the clypeus, where it projects between the frontal lobes, is at most only slightly broader than one of the lobes.
Close-up view of antennal scrobe, adult worker. Antennal scrobe weakly to moderately impressed, but some depression capable of receiving antennal scapes clearly visible.
Close-up view of head, adult worker. Cephalic carinae terminating well before posterior head margin.
Anterior view of head, adult worker. The posterolateral lobes distinctly rugose and the lack of a punctate ground sculpture gives the head a shiny appearance. Used in Antkey to separate the major workers of Pheidole fervens, Pheidole flavens, Pheidole moerens, Pheidole obscurior and Pheidole teneriffana from those of all other Pheidole species.
Anterior view of head, adult worker. This character state was used by Wilson (2003) to distinguish Pheidole moerens from Pheidole flavens. However, the character is ambiguous and variable, and may have been based upon examination of a limited amount of material.
Anterior view of head, adult worker. Used to distinguish the major worker of Pheidole fervens, Pheidole flavens, Pheidole moerens and Pheidole teneriffana from that of Pheidole obscurithorax. The last species lacks any depression capable of receiving any portion of the antennae.
Lateral view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. Hairs on mesosoma fine and flexuous, not arranged in pairs.
Lateral view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. The promesonotum is composed of one, not two, distinct convexities. Used in Antkey to separate Pheidole flavens and Pheidole moerens from Pheidole fervens and Pheidole teneriffana.
Authors: Sarnat and Suarez
Migrated to idtools.org August 2025
Antkey archived on Scratchpad
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