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PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



joints together. Eyes small and flat, situated at anterior sixth of sides 

 of head. Thorax long, slender, and nearly straight in profile. Pro- 

 notum longer than broad and widest behind middle, sides convex. 

 Mesonotum half as long as pronotum and broader than long. Base of 

 epinotum flat, more than twice as long as broad and m.iich longer than 

 the declivity, from which it is separated by an obtuse angle ; surface 

 of declivity flat, sides obtusely margined. Petiole from above sub- 

 campanulate, sides little convex, posterior border broadly concave ; in 

 profile higher than long, a little higher behind than in front, not nar- 

 rowed above, the broadly convex anterior surface rounding into the 

 similarly convex dorsum ; posterior surface shallowly concave, roundly 

 margined at sides. 



Body and appendages finely and very densely punctate and sub- 

 opaque, the head in addition with coarser, separate and distinct punc- 

 tures. Thorax with very sparse similar punctures. 

 Clypeus with four coarse hairs at anterior margin, 

 mandibles with sparse hairs, head, body and ap- 

 pendages with exceedingly fine pruinoso pubes- 

 cence. 



Black, antennae, mandibles and legs reddish 

 brown. 



Type locality. — Honduras: Choloma. 

 Cotypes.— Cat. No. 24438, U.S.N.M. 

 Described from tw^o workers found beneath a log. 

 This species differs from B. attefiuata Mayr in 

 its shorter and broader head, the clypeus more 

 projecting and narrowly rounded in front, the 

 more slender and arcuate mandibles with much 

 longer tips, the longer antennal scapes, smaller size and in having 

 on the head coarser, separated punctures in addition to the dense and 

 subtile punctation. 



Both of these species differ markedly in the structure of the head 

 from curvata Mayr, pergandei Forel, and jeckylli Mann and the latter 

 three form a distinct group, of subgeneric value, which may be sepa- 

 rated from typical Belonopelta as follows : 



1. Head in profile elongate and narrowed in front. Frontal lobes small, not 

 elevated, nearly parallel to front of head. Mand:bles with several strong 



teeth, graduating in size. Sculpture fine Belonopelta Mayr. 



Head in profile short and thick, subquadrate. Frontal lobes larger, elevated 

 and vertical to front of head. Mandibles coarser, with one very large and 

 one or more small teeth. Sculpture coarse Simopelta, new subgenus. 



Belonopelta (Simopelta), new subgenus. 



Genotype. — Belonopelta {Simopelta) jecl-ylli (Mann). 

 For characters see the above key. 



Fia. 4. — Belonopelta 

 (Belonopelta) de- 

 letrix, new spe- 

 CIES. Head ok 

 WORKER. 



