MANN: ANTS OF THE BRITISH SOLOMON ISLANDS. 345 



reticulately rugose and punctate between the rugae. Postpetiole more finely 

 sculptured. Gaster smooth. 



T'ilosity long and abundant, erect on head and body, suberect on appendages. 



Color brownish yellow with the tip of gaster infuscated. 



Malaita: Auki. 



Described from one worker. 



This species resembles mdleum Emery from New Guinea in general 

 structure and in the long and slender epinotal spines, but the latter 

 species has the petiole in profilie much more narrowed above, the post- 

 petiole distinctly broader than long and broader than the petiole; 

 in salomo the postpetiole is not broader than long and the sculpture of 

 the body is very different. 



72. Tetramorium melanogyna, sp. nov. 



Worker. Length 2.5 mm. 



Head longer than broad, about as broad in front as behind, with very feebly 

 convex sides and shallowly ^joncave occipital border. Mandibles with three 

 strong teeth on apical half and three weak ones lateral^. Clypeus evenly 

 convex, anterior border straight. Frontal carinae rather strong, little diver- 

 gent, extending nearly to occipital margins and bordering distinct, though 

 shallow scrobes. Antennal scapes extending about four fifths the distance to 

 occipital corners; first funicular joint as long as the three following joints 



Fig. 28. — Tetramorium melanogyna Mann. Worker. Lateral view of thorax and petiole. 



together, joints two to eight transverse; terminal joint a little longer than the 

 two preceding joints together. Eyes situated at middle of sides of head. 

 Thorax, seen from above, with subangulate humeri, constricted between meso- 

 and epinotum; in profile, with shallow mesoepinotal impression. Epinotal 

 spines nearly straight, longer than their distan.^e apart at base, directed upward 

 and backward; episternal spines thick basally, with the apical half narrow and 

 the tips acute. Petiole with a distinct peduncle, a little longer than the node; 

 the node in profile as high as long and highest at posterior margin, with sloping 



