MANN: ANTS OF THE FIJI ISLANDS. 411 



The color is dark reddish brown to black, with the gaster and appendages 

 lighter. 



Taviuni : Somo Somo. 



Several small colonies with pupae were found beneath stones after 

 rains. When disturbed the workers roll up and feign death, making no 

 attempt to sting when picked up. Type. — M. C. Z. 8,684. 



4. Wheeleripone aterrima, sp. nov. Fig. 2. 



Worker. Length 2.50-3 mtn. 



Head a fourth longer than broad, slighth- narrowed in front, sides moder- 

 ately convex, posterior corners rounded, occipital border very feebly concave 

 at middle. INIandibles elongate, their blades with small, widely separated 



Fig. 2. — WTieeleripone aterrima Mann. Worker. Lateral view of head, thorax, and 

 petiole. 



and blunt denticulae. Ch-peus rather flat at middle, rounded at anterior 

 border. Frontal area distinctlj- impressed, carinate at middle. Frontal 

 carinae moderately divergent, extending to a point about opposite the posterior 

 border of eye. Antennae slender; scapes surpassing occipital corners by more 

 than one fourth of their length; first funicular joint nearly as long as the 

 second and third together, joints 2-7 about as long as broad, 8-10 longer than 

 broad; terminal joint as long as the two preceding joints. Eyes convex, 

 situated at middle of sides of head. Thorax robust, pronotum one and two 

 thirds times as broad as long, with very broadly rounded humeri; in profile 

 rather flat. Promesonotal impression fine, but very distinct. Mesonotum 

 more than three times as broad as long, surface flattened. Mesoepinotal 

 impression rather broad at middle. Basal portion of epinotum feebly convex, 

 about as long as the declivity, from which it is separated in profile by a rounded 

 angle. Petiole broader than long with strongly rounded sides and straight 

 anterior and posterior borders; in profile higher than long and convex above. 



