492 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



The color, including that of the mandibles, is pale yellow, with the 

 upper surface of the head and gaster slightly infuscated. The epino- 

 tal spines are distinctly smaller. 



36. Pheidole megacephala (Fabricius). 



Formica megacephala Fabr., Ent. syst., 1793, 2, p. 361. 



According to Gundlach, this ant "exists in various localities in 

 Cuba, probably introduced with merchandise or plants." In his 

 note-book he cites Cardenas as a locality, and single soldier, worker, 

 female, and male specimens from this locality are preserved in his 

 collection (no. 133.) I found large colonies of this ant at Cogimar, 

 in the Botanical Garden of Havana, at the ingenio "Maria Victoria" 

 near Aguada de Pasajeros, and near Sarabanda, in the Cienaga de 

 Zapata. Mr. Patricio Cardin has sent me numerous specimens of all 

 four phases from Santiago de las Vegas and from San Juan y Martinez 

 in the Province of Pinar del Rio. The colonies nest under stones or 

 logs or in obscure crater nests at the bases of trees, and each contains 

 a number of dealated queens. The workers forage in files on the 

 trees and bushes and are very fond of attending coccids. 



37. Pheidole [punctatissima Mayr subsp. jamaicensis Wheeler 



var. barbouri, var. nov. 



Soldier. Length 2.5 mm. 



Differing from the typical jamaicensis in its smaller size and in 

 color. The head and thorax are reddish brown, the posterior portion 

 of the former and the upper surface of the latter often slightly in- 

 fuscated, the legs brownish yellow, with the femora usually infuscated 

 in the middle, the gaster dark brown or blackish with the bases of the 

 segments reddish. The posterior corners of the head are opaque 

 and densely punctate. 



Worker. Length 1.5 mm. 



Closely resembling the worker of jamaicensis in color and sculpture 

 and even in having the antennal clubs infuscated. 



Described from numerous specimens taken from several large 

 colonies nesting under the bark of old logs in rather damp soil on the 

 banks of the Rio de Hanabana, in the Cienaga de Zapata. 



