mann: ants of the fiji islands. 405 



In New Caledonia, on the other hand, occur Myrmecia, Amblyo- 

 pone, Rhytidoponera, Prionogenys, Orectognathus, and Leptomyr- 

 mex, genera typical of Australia, none of which occur in Fiji. In 

 addition, Vollenhovia,^ Oligomyrmex, Lordomyrma, Meranoplus, 

 Xiphomyrmex, and Polyrhachis,^ Indomalayan genera, are found there 

 and are lacking in Fiji. 



Of the seventy-eight species listed, eight species {Monomorium 

 pharao7iis, M. fioricola, Tetramorium simillimum, T. guineense, Tapi- 

 noma mclanocephalum, Plagiolepis longipes, Prenolepis longicornis, 

 and P. biirbonica) are tropical "tramp" species recently introduced; 

 twelve species {Ponera hiroi, Anochetus graeffei, Pheidole umbonata, 

 P. occanica, Cardiocondyla nuda, Solenopsis cleptes, Rogeria stigmatica, 

 Tetramorium tonganuni, T. pacificum, Strumigenys godcffroyi, Irido- 

 myrviex anceps, and Technomyrmex albipes) occur also in other parts 

 of the Melanesian region; three species (Euponera stigma, Odonto- 

 machus haematoda, and Camponotus maculatus) are ancient species 

 of almost world-wide distribution. 



The remaining fifty-five species constitute a peculiar ant fauna; 

 the 71%, not counting subspecies and varieties, which would con- 

 siderably increase the proportion, indicates a very high degree of 

 endemism. 



The chief peculiarity of the ant fauna is the unusual development of 

 the genera Cerapachys, Lobopelta, Pheidole, Rogeria (subgenus Iro- 

 gera), Strumigenys, and Camponotus (subgenus Myrmegonia). 

 The occurrence of so many species of Lobopelta, with its ergatoid 

 females, is especially interesting. The absence of any of the varieties 

 of L. falcigera, a widely distributed species which occurs in Hawaii 

 should also be noted. Equally interesting, and more important 

 from the distributional standpoint is the absence of any species of 

 Dolichoderus. 



In general, Fiji and probably also the New Hebrides, belongs with 

 New Caledonia in the Melanesian subregion, characterized as far as 

 genera are concerned, chiefly by negative resemblances but with groups 

 of peculiar species, many of archaeic, though not primitive types. 

 The presence in Fiji of such relict forms as the frogs, Iguana, boas, 

 Phyllium, and the luminous elaterid Photophorus confirms the results 

 of a study of the ant fauna. Fiji may be considered as the western 

 limits of this region, and the absence of all definite affinities with 

 regions other than the ancient Tropicopolitan, indicate a longer iso- 

 lation than that of New Caledonia. 



I Probably recenUy introduced. 



