Pheidole prelli Forel

Major - Minor - Type location Kenya (Pheidole Prelli n. sp., Forel, 1911d: 362, all forms); subspecies redbankensis (Pheidole prelli For. r. redbankensis n.st., Forel, 1913a: 128, major & minor) from Zimbabwe; unavailable name politocciput (Pheidole prelli For. stirps redbankensis For. var. politocciput, n. var., Santschi, 1916b: 503, major & minor) from Zimbabwe; all forms described (see Bolton, 1995) .

Forel's (1911d) description is at and . Forel's (1913a) description of redbankensis is at . Santschi's (1916b) description of politocciput is at . Arnold (1920a: 434) gave an illustrated translation of redbankensis, this is at and . Arnold (1920a: 436) gave a translation of politocciput, this is at .

Forel's description (1911d) was -
MAJOR - TL 3.7-4.2 mm; mandibles smooth, with sparse fine puncturation giving rise to hairs. Clypeus without carinae, anterior border broadly and medially scalloped. Head rectangular a third longer than wide, distinctly attenuated behind the eyes (the occiput narrower than the rest). Eyes slightly forward of the anterior quarter. Occipital impression strong, with the occipital lobes convex; postclypeal notch distinct. Frontal carinae as long as the scapes, slightly divergent, convex on the outside, forming the edge of a narrow, superficial scrobe; area between carinae and first rugae of cheeks superficially and finely reticulo-punctate. From the open extremity of the scrobe to the eye the head has a shallow depression. The scape is strongly curved in the basal half, and hardly exceeds the median line of the head; funiculus with median segments slightly longer than wide. Pronotum with obtuse upper tubercles. Anterior of mesonotum with a strong obtuse transverse ridge, behind which is a deep groove with a vertical anterior face; the groove being followed by a very high transverse roll. Dorsum of propodeum is square, with a small anterior and lateral border; spines strong and longer than 75% the basal separation. Petiole node a thick scale, with smooth summit. Postpetiole hexagonal, wider than long, sides conical, almost three times as wide as the petiole node.
Head subopaque, longitudinally rugose, with fine irregular reticulation between the rugae. Whole of occiput and posterior vertex almost matt, densely and as finely laterally striate. On sides of head rugae contorted, becoming reticulate where the transverse striae of the vertex cross the rugae. Thorax and pedicel subopaque, finely reticulate; the former overall irregularly rugose across. Base of gaster feebly reticulate, rest shiny.
Whole body with sparse yellowish hairs, none on the tibiae; 2-3 hairs on the scapes. Close pubescence on the tibiae and scapes, otherwise very sparse. Overall rust-red; gaster yellower, more brown in posterior half; mandibles and scapes brown rust; lower legs and funiculi yellowish.

MINOR - TL 2.5 mm; mandibles striated and pubescent; anterior border entirely denticulate. Head an eighth longer than wide, slightly narrowed posteriorly, rectangular with a somewhat distinct posterior border, convex. Clypeus without carinae. Frontal carinae parallel, reaching about the midpoint but not forming a distinct scrobe; even so, between the carinae and the first rugae of the genae the antennal socket is distinctly raised in a transverse arc, prolonged slightly forward. Eyes convex slightly forward of the midpoint. Scape surpassing the occiput by about one-third its length. Thorax as in the soldier but more elongated, with less pronounced structures; propodeal dorsum one-third longer than wide; spines twice as long as the basal separation; declivity short. Postpetiole as long as wide; rest as soldier.
Head quite shiny, finely and irregularly reticulate, with oblique rugae between the eyes and the frontal carinae, arcing into the anterior sockets. Thorax densely reticulo-punctate and almost matte, except on the pronotum, where the dorsum is near smooth. Petiole node reticulate; rest shiny. Pilosity and pubescence as in the soldier. Overall yellow-rust; head, antennae and vague bands on the gaster brownish.

QUEEN also described, TL 6.2 mm; mostly as the major, head square, slightly enlarged behind.

MALE TL 4 mm; mandibles striated and with three teeth; scape enlarged apically about three times longer than wide; head trapezoidal, narrowed behind; thorax twice as big as head; mesonotum higher than pronotum.

Collected at Mombasa (now Kenya) by Heinrich Prell. Nest about 10 cm deep in walls of a termite hill.

The photomontage of the paratype worker is collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0104602
Collection Information - from Mombasa

The photomontage is of a specimen from Sudan, collected by J Mathews, by pyrethrum fogging of Acacia senegal; Khordonia, Damazine Plantation, Blue Nile - 11°51' N 34°15' E; semi-natural forest, 30.vi.2001; JM 226, 1 minor worker.

Other images can be seen in the folder at - .

The type location for Pheidole prelli Forel is Kenya; and this is generally darker than the type description of overall yellow-rust *
Khordonia 1 tree (1)

The photomontage is of a minor from Gabon, Gabon 75, 16.vii.2006; Pointe Denis; savannah; 24 h PF at edge of a small clump of trees (L Voliat & L V Guieu; from Yves Braet. Other images can be seen in the folders at - ,

The photomontage is of a minor specimen from Congo, Iboubikro, 25.i.2008, collectors Yves Braet & Eric Zassi, tree savannah 24 h pitfall trap in the folder at - .