MANN: ANTS OF THE FIJI ISLANDS. 431 



feeble. Epinotal spines triangular and acute, shorter than their distance apart 

 at base. Petiolar node subcuneiform, narrowly rounded above. Postpetiole 

 slight!}^ broader than petiole. 



Shining. Cheeks longitudinally striate; head regularly and sparsely 

 punctate; epinotum punctate as in soldier. The rest smooth. 



Pilositj- long, erect and rather sparselj- distributed on head, body, and 

 appendages. 



Brownish yellow. Head and gaster a little darker than the rest. 



Female. Length 4 mm. 



Head a httle broader than long; occipital border broadh- and very shallowly 

 concave. Epinotal spines triangular, not acute, their width at base greater 

 than their length. Petiole shorter than in soldier, and less excised above. 



Head longitudinalh- striate. Epinotal base and the posterior slope of 

 petiolar node punctate, the remainder smooth and shining. 



Pilosity and color as in soldier except that the mesothorax is dark like the 

 gaster. Wings hyaline with veins pale brownish yellow. 



Viti Leva: Xausori. Vanua Levu: Suene, Lasema, Wainunu. 

 Taviuni: Somo Somo. Lau: Munia, Tuvuca. Vanua Mbalavu: 

 Loma Loma. 



A common widespread species, nesting beneath stones. It belongs 

 to the flaven^ group and is characterized by the short epinotal spines, 

 the prominently produced sides of the pronotum, and the flat mesono- 

 tum. 



23. Pheidole vatu, sp. nov. Fig. 13b. 



Soldier. Length 2,75-3 mm. 



Head one fourth longer than broad, slightly narrowed in front, anterior 

 two thirds of sides straight, occipital angles moderately rounded, occipital 

 angles deeply and narrow!}' excised at middle, vertex strongly, transversely 

 impressed. Mandibles stout, their blades ver>^ indistinctly and obtusely 

 dentate at base and with two stout teeth apicallj', and sparse, minute teeth 

 between. Clj-peus flat, rather strongly concave at middle of anterior border. 

 Antennal scapes extending a little less than half the distance to occipital 

 corners; first funicular joint longer than the three following joints together, 

 joints 2-8 slighth' broader than long; terminal joint longer than the two pre- 

 ceding joints together. Eyes small and convex, situated in front of anterior 

 third of sides. Thorax a little more than half as broad as head. Promesono- 

 tum in profile strongly convex. Sides of pronotum produced and obtusely 

 angulate. Promesonotal impression distinct. Epinotum with subequal base 

 and dechvity, the spines slender, straight, divergent, a little shorter than their 

 distance apart at base. Petiolar node three times as broad as long, excised at 



