Pheidole ingenita Santschi - new status

Major - Minor - Type location Ivory Coast (Pheidole prelli For. st. ingenita n. st., Santschi, 1928f: 204, major ) from Grand Bassam, collected by H. Mottaz .

Santschi's (1928f) description of ingenita is at .

I have separated this as a distinct species from Pheidole prelli, as the major of ingenita has shorter frontal carinae, narrower sharper propodeal spines and a post-petiole with sharp lateral apices, surmounted by a prominent curved hair. There also is a geographical separation of ingenita as a West African species, whereas prelli is from southern Africa.

The photomontage is of major specimens collected in Cameroun - at 30 km east of Poli (ca °29' N 13°29' E), in the soudano-guinean savannah (McKey Wolbachia project) - Cameroon 126b, 15 June 2001. Other images can be seen in the folder at -

Major (one specimen). TL 4.25 mm; overall stocky, with head much bigger than alitrunk or gaster, very dark red-brown, darkest on head, gaster and dorsal alitrunk; with shiny but matt appearance, due to dense sculpturation of a very fine nature. Head shape like that of Pheidole dea but antennae very small and narrow, with even shorter scapes. Mandibles smooth and with sparse short pilosity. Clypeus with median carina, flanked by smooth area before three longitudinal fine rugae. Laterally with fine rugo-reticulum, frontal area with wavy longitudinal fine rugae, frontal carinae only distinct for a short distance then no more marked than overall rugae. Pronotum in dorsal view with pronounced trapezoidal shape and fine transverse rugae anteriorly. Mesonotum, propodeum, pedicel and base of gaster spiculate. Viewed from above mesonotum and propodeum much broader ventrally. In profile, propodeum slopes at 45° down from metanotal groove until spines, moderately long and upturned, then declivity steeper. Petiole quite narrow, in profile with narrow crest; postpetiole in dorsal view trapezoidal, wider than long. Head with few erect hairs other than very short frontal border to clypeus and short fine hairs on occipital border

Minor (one specimen). Overall stocky; very dark, densely spiculate all over, fading away on apex of gaster; spiculation overlaid by longitudinal striation. Head in profile relatively flattened, pronounced posterior border. In full face view, without mandibles near square, with slightly convex sides and rounded corners to occipitum. Clypeus with straight anterior border, medial carina and lateral rugae; two distinct long forward directed hairs, one each side on median. Face with longitudinal rugae overlayed on overall spiculation; rugae fading away on vertex. Mandibles large, striated and with elongated apices. Scapes not exceeding vertex by more than about one-third their length, relatively thick, broadest apically. Funiculus segments beadlike, 2-8 about equal in size and as long as broad; club with segments 9 and 10 equal and 11 barely longer. Eyes quite large, convex and situated just forward of mid-line of face. Mesonotum and propodeum with lateral carinae forming a raised border running on to the spines. Spines triangular about as long as propodeal declivity slightly upturned. Petiole with divided apex. Postpetiole somewhat cuboid, lower than petiole and quite small for genus. Erect hairs quite abundant but fine and light coloured, especially abundant on antennae and tarsi giving both a bristly appearance. Other images can be seen in the folder at -

Second major collected from Ghana by Sky Stephens.