mann: ants of the fiji islands. 441 



structure of the mesonotum. The structure of the epinotal spines 

 in the worker recalls that in P. cervicornis Emery from New Guinea, 

 though in that species they are more definitely l:)ifurcate, the pro- 

 thorax also bears similar spines and the mesothorax, instead of being 

 lamellate, is bispinose. P. rooseveiti may be considered as belonging 

 to a subgenus (Electropheidole) characterized by the lamellate devel- 

 opment of the mesothorax in the soldier and worker and by the 

 elongate, bifurcate epinotal spines and the distinctly margined head 

 of the worker. 



29 Pheidole (Electropheidole) colaensis, sp. nov. 



Soldier. Length 4.75 mm. 



Head longer than broad, sides feebly convex, occipital angles rather narrowly 

 rounded, border narrowly and deeph^ concave at middle, vertex moderately 

 impressed transversely. Mandibles short and thick, edentate. Clj-peus 

 bluntly carinate at middle of basal half, anterior border concave at middle. 

 Antennal scapes extending more than half the distance to occipital borders and 

 contained in narrow, though distinct scrobes; first funicular joint longer than 

 the second and third joints together, joints 2-8 longer than broad; club 

 slender, the terminal joint much shorter than the other two together. Eyes 

 small, moderately convex, situated at sides of anterior third of head; median 

 ocellus well developed. Promesothorax robust, gibbous at middle of sides, 

 humeri obtusely angulate. Mesothorax margined at sides and produced 

 behind as a thick plate which is concave at middle. Epinotum with subequal 

 base and declivity; spines coarse, longer than base and obliquely truncate at 

 tips. Petiole long and slender, the node narrowly rounded above in profile, 

 and concave at middle of dorsal border. Postpetiole more than twice as broad 

 as petiole, broadest a little in front of middle and angulately produced at sides. 

 Legs rather slender. 



Shining. Mandibles coarsety and regularly punctate and very minutely 

 and sparsely striolate. Sides and front of head \\ ith moderately coarse and 

 regular striae; upper ])ortion of vertex, sides behind eyes, and the occipital 

 region punctate similarl}' to mandibles and strongly shining. Thorax (except 

 the impressed portion of mesonotum) irregularly striate transversely. Gaster 

 with rather broad and shallow punctures. 



Fine, erect, and long pilosity moderately abundant throughout. 



Dark reddish brown to black; gaster darkest. 



Worker. Length 2.5 mm. 



Head a little longer than broad, sides moderately convex, posterior corners 

 broadly rounded, border convex except at middle where it is narrowly concave, 

 sides and posterior border of occiput with a rounded, not very prominent 



