310 



bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



basally, rather broadly covering the antennal insertions; behind no stronger 

 than the other carinae on front. Antennae short and slender, their scapes 

 extending less than half the distance to occipital corners; club slender, shorter 



than remainder of funiculus; joints two to eight 

 distinctly longer than broad. Eyes small (about 

 thirty facets), convex, situated at anterior fourth 

 of sides. Pronotum rounded, sides produced 

 posteriorly into short blunt cones, which have 

 the borders distinctly margined. Promesonotal 

 suture feebly impressed. Mesonotum submar- 

 gined at sides, flat above; behind descending 

 abruptly to the deeply impressed mesoepinotal 

 suture. Epinotum concave on basal and decli- 

 vous surfaces, armed with stout, erect spines 

 which are about as long as distant at base. 

 Petiole a little more than twice as long as broad, 

 flattened above, margined at sides; node from 

 above four times as broad as long, submargined 

 behind and somewhat impressed at middle. 

 Postpetiole twice as long as broad, rounded in 

 front and behind, submargined above; sides produced into coarse blunt 

 spines, each about half as long as the width of petiolar node. 



Moderately shining. Mandibles delicately striolate and coarsely, regularly 

 punctate. Clypeus smooth, except for two striae laterally. Front and cheeks 

 longitudinally striate, the striae dense oij cheeks and more widely separated 

 on front, with the intervening spaces delicately rugulose. Vertex and occiput 

 reticulately striate and rugulose, the striae strongest on occiput. Thorax 

 and base of epinotum sparsely, delicately, and irregularly striated transversely, 

 Node of petiole and postpetiole rugulose. First gastric segment densely 

 striolate throughout. 

 Legs shining. 



Fine silky erect hairs present on head, body, and appendages, shorter and 

 finer on head. 



Ferruginous; gaster lighter. 

 legs pale. 



Fig. 15. — Pheidole mendanai 

 Mann. Soldier. Front view 

 of head. 



Mandibles and anterior border of head darker. 



Worker. Length 2.25 mm. 



Head a little longer than broad, as broad in front as behind, sides slightly 

 convex, posterior border broadly and shallowly concave. Mandibles elongate, 

 with five fine and two larger, triangular teeth. Clypeus flattened anteriorly 

 and carinate at middle of anterior two thirds; anterior border nearly straight. 

 Antennal scapes surpassing occipital corners of head by a little less than a 

 third of their length; funicular joints longer than broad; club slender, shorter 

 than remainder of funiculus. Eyes convex, situated a little in front of middle 



