390 
Psyche 
[December 
However, larvae of Neivamyrmex nigrescens (Dorylinae) do not 
show specializations for holding food. In studies based on the labora¬ 
tory culture methods of Topoff and Mirenda (1978a, b), workers 
placed prey near larvae, which then attached themselves to this food 
and appeared to suck out the body fluids (Mirenda, pers. comm.). 
Thus, larvae of N. nigrescens do not require a specialized ventral 
feeding region as food is never placed on them. Wheeler and Bailey 
(1920:270) do not describe how ant larvae in the Dorylinae are fed 
“pellets made of the flesh of insects”. 
The simplest arrangement of morphology for holding solid food is 
found in some Myrmicinae. The 2 species from Solenopsidini des¬ 
cribed above ( Monomorium pharaonis, Solenopsis molesta ) bear 
similar general patterns of vestiture on the anteroventral region, i.e. 
with anterior spinules pointing posteriorly and posterior spinules 
pointing anteriorly, and with hairs mostly simple. Furthermore, the 
position of the head and curvature of the thorax give them the ability 
to reach the anteroventral region. Similar morphology was described 
for S. invicta (Petralia and Vinson 1978, 1979). The anteroventral 
region is least specialized in M. pharaonis and it is not known 
whether this region is used for holding food. Larvae of S. invicta and 
S. molesta feed on solid food placed on them (Petralia and Vinson 
1978, Wheeler and Wheeler 1955), and in S. invicta the hairs and 
spinules of the anteroventral region are efficient for holding solid 
food while the larva feeds upon it (Petralia and Vinson 1978). The 
hairs surrounding the hairless medial area enclose the food particle to 
form a “food basket”, while the medial spinules are arranged to assist 
attachment of the food. S. molesta appears to have a somewhat 
similar “food basket”. 
A comparable means of holding food is found on larvae in the 
Attini. Trachymyrmex septentrionalis bears well developed hairs 
only on the ventral region, with the majority being in the anteroven¬ 
tral region. These hairs appear to be aranged in a similar pattern as in 
Solenopsis. Thus, this may also be a “food basket” since Wheeler and 
Wheeler (1974, 1976) state: “The ventral hairs of the attine larvae 
keep the fungal mass [food] firmly in place while the larva is feeding”. 
Atta texana is almost bare of hairs but possesses a ventral prothoracic 
boss with outward pointing spinules and minute hairs. G. C. Wheeler 
(1948) describes how adult workers place solid food on the mouth- 
parts of these larvae. We speculate that larvae may use this structure 
