Pheidole purpurea

Pheidole purpurea
P. purpurea minor worker
photograph by John T. Longino and www.antweb.org
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Genus: Pheidole
Species: P. purpurea
Binomial name
Pheidole purpurea
J. T. Longino, 2009

Pheidole purpurea is a dimorphic species of ant found in Mexico and Central America.[1] The species shows considerable variance in physical characteristics based on location, though some variance exists even within small populations.[2] Some populations display a metallic, purple sheen.

Dimorphic subdvision

Like many species of the Pheidole genus, P. purpurea is dimorphic, with workers visibly differentiated by head size and shape into "minor" and "major" (or soldier) workers. The head of the major worker can be as much as twice as long and more than twice as wide as that of the minor.[2]

Minor and major workers of P. purpurea
The head view of a "minor" worker of P. purpurea, with a scale to distinguish size
Minor worker
photograph by John T. Longino and www.antweb.org 
The top view of a "minor" worker of P. purpurea, with a scale to distinguish size
Minor worker, top
photograph by John T. Longino and www.antweb.org 
The head view of a "ajor" worker of P. purpurea, with a scale to distinguish size
Major worker
photograph by John T. Longino and www.antweb.org 
The top view of a "major" worker of P. purpurea, with a scale to distinguish size
Major worker, top
photograph by John T. Longino and www.antweb.org 

References

  1. ↑ "Species: Pheidole purpurea". antweb.org. Retrieved 2010-03-16.
  2. 1 2 Longino, J. T., 2009, Additions to the taxonomy of New World Pheidole (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa (2181), pp. 1-90: 67-70
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