Pheidole ingenita Santschi - new status

Type location Ivory Coast (Pheidole prelli For. stirps 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 the type major worker collated from http://www.antweb.org/specimen.do?name=casent0913396

Oxford University Museum specimens

Pheidole ingenita B Taylor det.	Ghana S Sky Stephens 06G0083	2006	In personal collection of S Sky Stephens minor	1
Pheidole ingenita B Taylor det.	Cameroun A Fotso Kuate Pheidole sp12	8.v.2007 Awae II 03°54'30" N 11°25'58" E	Tuna bait in fallow	1
Pheidole ingenita B Taylor det.	Cameroun A Fotso Kuate Pheidole spA	17.xii.2005 Boga 03°54'30" N 11°25'58" E	pitfall in mixed crop major worker	1
Pheidole ingenita B Taylor det.	Cameroun A Fotso Kuate Pheidole spD	27.vii.2007 Matomb 03°54'30" N 11°25'58" E	Tuna bait in forest major & minor	2
Pheidole ingenita B Taylor det.	Cameroun A Fotso Kuate Pheidole spB	19.vii.2007 Awae II 03°54'30" N 11°25'58" E	Pitfall in forest	2
Pheidole ingenita B Taylor det.	Cameroun A Fotso Kuate Pheidole sp1	9.v.2007 Awae II 03°54'30" N 11°25'58" E	Tuna bait in fallow	1
Pheidole ingenita B Taylor det.	Central African Republic P Annoyer IG	14.x.2008 Dzanga-Sangha 03°03'58.3" N 16°08'59.6" E	528 m; Camp 1; Journée; Au camp	1
Pheidole ingenita B Taylor det. Queen	Central African Republic P Annoyer MI	19.xi.2010 Dzanga-Sangha 2°28'45.9"N 16°13'15.0"E	396 m; nuit, à vue, au camp de transit 2 (près lac 1)	1

The photomontage is of a major from Cameroun; Matomb; collector A Fotso Kuate (fk pheidole spD).

The photomontage is of a major from Cameroun; Matomb; collector A Fotso Kuate (fk pheidole spA).

The photomontage is of a minor from Cameroun; Matomb; collector A Fotso Kuate (fk pheidole spD).

TL ca 2.8 mm, HL 0.72, HW 0.67, SL 0.75, PW 0.42; CI 94, SI 108; very deep red-brown;

The photomontage is of a minor from Cameroun; Matomb; collector A Fotso Kuate (fk pheidole spB).

The photomontage is of a minor worker from Cameroun; Awae II; collector A Fotso Kuate (fk pheidole sp1).

The photomontage is of a minor worker from Ghana, collector Sky Stephens, 2006 (06G0083).

The photomontage is of a queen from the Central African Republic, Dzanga-Sangha NP; collector Philippe Annoyer (CAR MI).

This specimen of the previously unrecorded queen, has the overall sculpturation, colour and hypostomal teeh arrangement as the major worker shown above.