402 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



antennal scapes are short and broad. There was only a small number 

 of workers together and all but three escaped. 



2. Paraponera clavata (Fabricius). 



Found commonly at Para, Manaos, and along the Rio Madeira 

 at Abuna, Porto Velho, and Camps 39 and 41. ^ 9. 



Next to Dinoponcra grandis Guerin, this is the largest of the Brazil- 

 ian ants. It is much more widely distributed than D. grandis, occur- 

 ring from Central America to Paraguay. In habit it is diurnal. The 

 colonies are composed of a small number of individuals, which nest 

 in the ground, generally among the roots of trees or shrubs. 



3. Platythyrea angusta Forel. 



A series of workers from Porto Velho, Abuna; and Madeira-Mamore 

 Camp 39 agrees well with the description, but have the anterior femora 

 much swollen at the base. Dr. Forel recently showed me the type, 

 which also has enlarged femora. This species, originally described 

 from Trinidad, is more slender than the other South American forms, 

 and the petiole is twice as long as broad. These characters, and the 

 structure of the femora distinguish it from the others. 



^O"^ 



4. Platythyrea incerta Emery. 



A single worker from Madeira-Mamore Camp 41 agrees closely 

 with Emery's description. It differs from P. punctata in being much 

 larger (length 8 mm.) and in having the head shorter and the punc- 

 tuation considerably coarser. 



5. Platythyrea meincrti Forel. 



Plate 1, figs. 2, 3; Plate 7, fig. 53. 



A colony of this species was found at Para in one part of a termite 

 nest, a favorite nesting place of the genus, which is probably largely 

 termitophagous in habit. This species is characterized by the strongly 

 bisinuate petiolar node and the large eyes, which are as long as their 

 distance from the anterior border of the head. A full-grown larva is 

 shown Plate 7, fig. 53. 



