Anterior view of head, adult worker. The posterior margin of the head generally convex and narrow before arching towards the eyes. Used in Antkey to separate Pheidole punctatissima from Pheidole bilimeki and Pheidole anastasii.
Anterior view of head, adult worker. The posterolateral lobes with a distinct punctate ground sculpture, giving the head a dull appearance, and also lacking rugae. Used in Antkey to separate the major workers of Pheidole anastasii, Pheidole bilimeki and Pheidole punctatissima from those of all other Pheidole species.
Lateral view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. The hairs on the mesosoma are stout and stiff, arranged in pairs. Used in Antkey to separate Pheidole anastasii, Pheidole bilimeki and Pheidole punctatissima from Pheidole flavens and Pheidole moerens.
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. Posterolateral lobes with longitudinal carinae only occasionally being intersected by much shorter transverse carinae to form a patches of rugoreticulation. This character, combined with the presence of antennal scrobes, is used to separate the major worker of Pheidole fervens and Pheidole teneriffana from that of Pheidole obscurithorax (which has a much denser network of rugoreticulum).
Anterior view of head, adult worker. The head is subquadrate, weakly longer than wide, and with a more flat posterior margin. Used in Antkey to separate the minor worker of Pheidole teneriffana from that of Pheidole fervens and Pheidole obscurithorax
Anterior view of head, adult worker. The posterior margin of the head flat. Used in Antkey to separate the minor worker of Pheidole teneriffana from Pheidole obscurithorax (strongly convex) and Pheidole fervens (weakly convex).
Anterior view of head, adult worker. The head length is approximately equal to the head with. Used in Antkey to separate the major worker of Pheidole teneriffana from that of Pheidole fervens.
Anterior view of antennal scrobe, 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 waist, adult worker. The postpetiole of the major and minor worker is not distinctly larger in volume than the petiole. Used in Antkey to separate Pheidole fervens, Pheidole obscurithorax and Pheidole teneriffana from Pheidole megacephala.
Lateral view of thorax / mesosoma, adult worker. The promesonotal profile is composed of two, not one, distinct convexities. Used in Antkey to separate Pheidole fervens and Pheidole teneriffana from Pheidole flavens and Pheidole moerens.
Close-up view of head, adult worker. The posterior margin of the head is distinctly convex. Used in Antkey to separate Plagiolepis alluaudi and Plagiolepis pygmaea from Plagiolepis exigua.
Anterior view of antenna, adult worker. Antennal scapes exceed posterior head margin by a distance greater than half eye length. Separates Plagiolepis alluaudi and Plagiolepis pygmae from Plagiolepis exigua.
Close-up view of antennal scape, adult worker. Antennal scapes short, not exceeding the posterior head margin by a distance greater than half the eye length. Photo by Michele Esposito, Antweb.org, modified.
Anterior view of antennal scape, adult worker. Antennal scapes do not exceed posterior head margin by a distance greater than half eye length. Separates Plagiolepis exigua from Plagiolepis alluaudi and Plagiolepis pygmae.
Anterior view of head, adult worker. The posterior margin of the head weakly concave to flat, but never strongly convex. Used in Antkey to separate Plagiolepis exigua from Plagiolepis alluaudi and Plagiolepis pygmaea.
Anterior view of antennal scape, adult worker. Antennal scapes long, exceeding the posterior head margin by a distance greater than half the eye length. Photo by April Nobile, Antweb.org, modified.
Anterior view of antennal scape, adult worker. Antennal scapes exceed posterior head margin by a distance greater than half eye length. Separates Plagiolepis alluaudi and Plagiolepis pygmae from Plagiolepis exigua.
Authors: Sarnat and Suarez
Migrated to idtools.org August 2025
Antkey archived on Scratchpad
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