230 



ANTS. 



seems to be proved In the observations of Tepper (1882) who came 

 upon a swarm of thoe ants early in April. 'This was rather a for- 

 midable affair, owing to many hundreds of the large creatures (the 

 female- above an inch in length while alive) flitting about one's head, 

 all armed with a sting about a quarter of an inch in length, while the 

 shrubs near the nest were covered with scores of pairs and single ones." 

 The majority of Ponerine genera, in their structural characters at 

 least, stand in rather marked contrast to Mynnecia in exhibiting certain 

 ill-generative or highly specialized traits in combination with a rather 



low organization. The Cerapachysii. 

 Proceratii and Amblyoponii are all 

 very timid, lead a hypogseic life and 

 have greatly reduced eyes, at least in 

 the worker caste. On the other hand, 

 genera like Odontomachus (Fig. 3/H. 

 Mystrium ( Figs. 3.^ and 129), Emcr- 

 yclla, Leptogenys (Fig. 30 ), Harpeg- 

 nathus (Figs. 3.0 and 138), Thau- 

 matomyrme.r (Fig. 3/ ) and their 

 allies, have a very highly specialized 

 development of the head and man- 

 dibles. They are undoubtedly very 

 old forms, some of which have man- 

 aged to survive as conservative relicts 

 in remote and protected corners of the 

 tropics, whereas others, like Odonto- 

 machus and Anochctus, are widely 

 distributed and have not altogether 

 lost the ability to produce local races and varieties. 



With the exception of Mynnecia and certain species of Lobop cita- 

 to be considered presently, all Ponerinae form small colonies, often of a 

 few dozen individuals. This indicates either a low degree of fertility 

 in the females or shortness of life on the part of the individual workers, 

 or both. It also accounts for the rare or local occurrence of these 

 insects. 



As a rule the females are but little larger, the males but little smaller 

 than the workers. The similarity of stature of the workers and females 

 indicates a low degree of fertility on the part of the latter. These 

 phases also differ very little in other characters such as color, pilosity 

 and sculpture. The possession of wings, the consequent modification 

 of the thorax, the larger eyes, ocelli and slight differences in the shape 

 of the petiole, usually constitute the only peculiarities of the female. 



FIG. 129. \Yorker of Mystrium 

 camillcc of Burma. (Bingham.) a, 

 worker ; b, mandible from ventral 

 side. 



