498 



ANTS. 



pilifcra, containing- males and females of the Epipheidole. In these 

 colonies the coloradensis queens were absent, as in the case of the 

 ceres and Sympheidple. It is probable, therefore, that they are elimi- 

 nated by their own workers after the intrusion of the parasite. 



5. Itpa'cits pcrt/andd ( Fig. 278) . This species is known only from the 

 types, a number of small black males and females taken by Pergande in 

 a nest of Monomorium minimum near Washington, D. C., and described 

 by Kmery (i 893-^4 ). According to Pergande's statement, the nest 

 contained the winged sexes of the host in addition to those of the para- 

 site, but as he also found that when both species were put in the same vial 

 the Epcccus queens attacked and killed some of the Monomorium males, 

 I am inclined to believe that there is some confusion in his observations, 

 lie may have mixed two Monomorium colonies that were nesting very 



close together, one of which 

 may have been pure and have 

 contained the winged sexes, 

 whereas the other consisted of 

 male and female Epccciis and 

 Monomorium workers. During 

 the past eight years I have 

 examined hundreds of M. mini- 

 mum nests, but have never suc- 

 ceeded in finding Epoccus. This 



FIG. 278. Epcecus pergandci. (Emery.) . . . 



a, Male; b, dealated female. ls not surprising, however, as 



all the workerless parasites are 

 rare and very local in their distribution. 



6. Anergates atratiiltis (Fig. 279). This extraordinary ant, like the 

 preceding, is far from common, though it is widely distributed in conti- 

 nental Europe. For this reason it is better known than any of the other 

 workerless parasites. Its host is Tctramorinm ccspitum. Studies on 

 its habits have been published by Schenck ( 1852), von Hagens ( 1867), 

 Forel (1874), Adlerz (1886), Wasmann (1891/1) and Janet (1897?). 

 Both male and female are peculiarly modified. The former is 2.7-3 

 mm. long, of a pale, sordid yellow color, wingless and pupa-like, with 

 the gaster strongly curved downward at the tip. Although its legs 

 are rather well developed, it moves very slowly and with a dawdling 

 gait. The fore legs are furnished with strigils which are pecfiniform 

 in specimens from certain localities (Switzerland), but in those from 

 other localities (Sweden, Holland, France) the teeth are lacking and 

 the strigils may be vestigial or absent. Janet has shown that the man- 

 dibular glands are well developed, though the mandibles are very small 

 and feeble. The black, winged female is of the same size as the male 



