70 Arthur M. Lea: 



pyj:;idiuiii than elsewhere. A small fascicle or pubescent membrane 

 within each subhumeral depression. 



Head, between antennae and mouth parts, about as long as wide, 

 very feebly concave ; with deep distinct punctures. Prafliorar, 

 moderately transverse, sides lightly incurved to middle ; median half 

 of apex strongly and obliquely raised, with summit bilobed, the lobes 

 strongly divided down middle, and separated from each side by a 

 narrow triangular groove, which is open in front and closed behind, 

 rather nearer the base than ajiex ; densely punctate and shagreened, 

 but about base with punctures only. Elytra subquadrate, each 

 shoulder deeply and obliquely sulcate, the sulcus opening out pos- 

 teriorly, so that each side of the base appears elevated, and each side 

 behind the sulcus still more elevated, with moderately dense and 

 clearly defined punctures along middle, becoming smaller and sparser 

 towards sides ; a very fine stria each side of suture. Under surface 

 with dense and usually clearly defined punctures, but becoming very 

 dense on prosternum ; middle of prosternum with a narrow deep 

 groove. Legs short and wide. Length If mm. 



Hah. — Tasmania: Latrobe, from a nest of P lie idol e Ta^nnanieiiai'i 

 (A. M. Lea). 



Tlie smallest of the genus. There were not many ants in tlie nests 

 whence the type was taken, and when in the nest it looked remarkably 

 like a head of one of the soldiers, amongst a small group of whom it 

 was noticed. It evidently l)elongs to the same section nf the genus as 

 ■sferiialis, but is considerably sujaller than that species, prothorax not 

 bisinuate at sides and elytral punctures not mixed with striae. 



'i'he median apicail half of the prothorax is strongly elevated in 

 two lobes, the lobes marked off behind by a deejj impression and 

 in front by a conspicuous impression, so that they appear as two 

 tubercles, straight and touching on their inner edges, and rounded 

 on their ujjper and outer edges. The punctures are so dense across 

 tlie middle of the prothorax that thcv cause its surface to apjiear 

 opaque. 



On account of the minute size of the tyi'O, I did not venture to 

 )>risc out the antennae, of w'hich only tlic large basal joint of each 

 (which is somewhat curvilinearly triangular in shape) and the tip of 

 tlic clul) is visible. I'he legs are comjiletely fitted into receptacles 

 on tlic under surfiice, and these also were not jtrised out ; they are 

 short and wide, the tarsi entirely lonrcalcd, the tibiae (as visible) 

 slightly wider than the femora, curved outwardly and apjtarently not 

 angular ; the tip of each of the hind femora just cuts into the elytral 

 maririn. 



