Pheidole flavens, Roger, v. vincentensis, Forel, A., 1893

Forel, A., 1893, Formicides de l'Antille St. Vincent. Récoltées par Mons. H. H. Smith., Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1893, pp. 333-418 : 411-414

7. Pheidole flavens, Roger, v. vincentensis , n. v.

[[ worker ]] [[ soldier ]] [[ queen ]] [[ male ]]. (No. 36 a a 86 i).

[[ soldier ]]. Le quart posterieur de la tete lisse et luisant. Couleur variant du rouge jaunatre au roux brunatre, avec l'abdomen et les pattes plus clairs, d'un jaune plus ou moins brunatre. Pilosite de la tete et du thorax plus abondante, et, surtout celle du thorax, plus longue que chez le type. Epines du metanotum parfois presque aussi longues que la face basale, ou comme ses 2 / 3, Le pronotum et le mesonotum forment une convexite tres courte et tres forte; ce dernier est presque verticalement tronque derriere. L. 2 a 2, 2 mill.

[[ worker ]]. Memes differences que le [[ soldier ]]. Couleur souvent d'un brun a peine roussatre; tete et thorax tres mats, densement reticules, ponctues, sauf l'epistome (a part les rides). L. 1, 5 mill. Ne connaissant pas le type, je ne puis juger exactement des differences, D'apres Roger, le [[ soldier ]] et l'ouvriere n'ont que des dents au metanotum d'apres Mayr ce sont des epines. A cet egard, nos exemplaires correspondraient a ceux de Mayr.

[[ queen ]]. Correspond a la description de Roger, mais le metanotum a des epines bien plus longues que larges. Thorax petit, abdomen grand. Tete faiblement elargie derriere. Second n oe ud du pedicule sans conules lateraux. Metanotum ride en travers. L. 3,5 a 8, 7 mill.

[[ male ]] (inedit). L. 3 a 3, 2 mill. Mandibules triangulaires, bidentees et avec un angle posterieur. Face declive du metanotum assez nettement distincte de la face basale, aussi longue qu'elle et assez abrupte. Tete densement striee-ridee, mate, tres finement reticulee- ponctuee entre les stries. Metanotum densement reticule et mat; le reste lisse et luisant. Pilosite des pattes assez dressee et assez longue. Entierement jaune, sauf le vertex et l'occiput qui sont bruns. Tache marginale d'un brun fonce; nervures assez pales; ailes assez faiblement teintees d'un jaune brunatre.

Espece evidemment tres repandue a St. Vincent.

(36). A common species, generally second growth; open places or forest. Forms large communities (of several thousand sometimes), the workers major constituting from one-fourth to one-third of the whole. The formicarium is found in rotten wood, under sod, or sometimes under stones or sticks. It consists generally of several smoothly-worked passages, which may be eight to twelve inches long,. and forming an irregular network; at the junctions of the passages are small chambers, and of these there may be twenty in a single nest. The ants also make arched galleries on the outside of the log containing the formicarium, or, if it is under sod, in cavities that are too large for their purposes; these galleries resemble those made by termites, and it is possible that the ants simply utilise the old • termite-galleries. Each community, however large, seems to have but one. gravid female, and, as she keeps to an inner chamber, it is often difficult to find her. The workers major also keep to the inner passages and chambers. They, as well as the female, are very sluggish; the workers minor much less so. I have not found the workers on foliage. Apparently the species is nocturnal; it ranges to 3000 ft.

N. B. - Closely allied to No. 35, and I cannot discriminate the workers minor with my lens; but great care has been taken to keep specimens from the same nest together.

(36 a). Islet fronting Chate & ubelais Bay (leeward), Oct. 31 st. Rocky ground overlooking sea; in thickets. Formicarium in a rotten stump.

(36 b). Southern end of the island; thickets near sea at the Villa Estate. Oct. 14 th. A large colony (several thousand) in rubbish under stones and blocks of coral.

(36 c). Near Palmyra Estate (leeward), 1000 ft. Nov. 3 rd. The workers are from two formicaria in neighbouring, logs; open field near a stream. The communities were both large. I copy from my field-note: - " Under the log are passages and considerable chambers (1 1 / 2 x 2 in.), walled in with a rather tough material formed of wood-fibre. Small holes 1 / 16 in.) lead perpendicularly into the log, sometimes two or three inches, to many chambers, each about one inch long; in these are the larvae and workers major. Only one female was found after long search. Perhaps the ants utilise the borings of beetles for their passages into the wood. The logs were only partly decayed, and rather hard. " (36 d). Fitz-Hugh Valley (leeward), 500 ft.; near a stream; shady place. A large formicarium under sod on a rock.

(36 e). Soufriere Volcano, 2500 ft.; open land near the crater. June, Formicarium under moss. Not noted. -

(36 f). Wallilobo Valley (leeward), 500 ft. Nov. 8 th. Second growth, under sod on a rock. A large community, with passages extending for nearly two feet among the roots of the sod.

(36 g). Near Fort Charlotte, Kingstown, 500 ft. Oct. 24 th. Shady place, loamy soil. Formicarium under a stone (imperfectly observed).

(36 h). Wallilobo Valley (leeward), 500 ft. Nov. 8 th. Second growth. A large formicarium under sod on a rock.

(36 i). Fitz-Hugh Valley (leeward), 500 ft, Nov. 4 th. A large community, at roots of sod on a rock near stream; open place.

(36 j). Wallilobo Valley (leeward), 500 ft. Nov. 8 th. Forest near stream. A small colony (apparently) under sod on a rock.

(36 k). Fitz-Hugh Valley, 500 ft. Nov. 4 th. Shady place. Formicarium in rotten wood. It was large, with many passages and chambers; outside of the log these communicated with galleries formed of wood-fibre, possibly old termite-galleries. The female was found, after long search, in an inner chamber, unattended by workers. Males (immature) were abundant in the outer passages.

(36 l). Fitz-Hugh Valley (leeward), 500 ft. Nov. 4 th. Under vines and weeds on a rock. Long passages and artificial galleries. A large community. Numerous males.

(36 m). Leeward, near Chateaubelais, 500 ft. April. Flying at twilight. A female referred to this species.

(36 n). Female referred to this species. Not noted.

(36 o). Mountain forest, 3000 ft. March. Under decaying leaves.

(36 p). Petit Bordelle Valley, 1500 ft. Nov. 13 th. Open place near stream; under sod on a rock. A large colony.

(36 q). Petit Bordelle Valley, 1600 ft. Nov. 13 th. Clearing. A small colony (apparently) in rotten wood.

(36 r). Near Brighton Estate; southern end of island. Nov. 17 th. Open place, 500 ft.; under sod on a rock.

(36 s). Leeward; Cumberland and Wallibou Valleys; edge of forest, 700 - 1000 ft. Dec. 1 st - 10 th. From several nests under sod on rocks.

(36 t). Windward, near Grand Sable; thicket adjoining the seashore. Nest under sod on a rock. Few males and one female were seen.