NachdnicJc verboten. 



lieber setzungsrecht vorbehalten. 



A Study of Some Ergatogynic Ants. 



By 

 Margaret Holliday. 



Contributions from tlie Ziuilogical Laboratory of the University of 



Texas. 



"With 16 flg. in the text. 



Murpholugically coiisidered. the sexual phases of ants, as is well 

 known. are male, queen and worker: tlie idea is prevalent that a 

 con-esponding- pliysioloo-ical distinction exists; tlie male having the 

 function of produciug spermatozoa, the queen that of producing eggs, 

 the worker that of carrying on all the other functions necessary 

 to the life of the colony. Naturally morphological characteristics 

 were first recognized and have been more Avidely used in Classification 

 than those of a physiological nature. One of the most universally 

 true and therefore most widely used. morphological characteristics 

 is the strukture of tlie thorax. This is especially true with regard 

 to the Separation of the ([ueeii and worker. since the wurkei- usuallj' 

 shows a reduction or simplification in this region of the bod}'. 

 Howevt-r. with an increase in the knowledge of the various species. 

 the iiiipurtance of the thoracic structure as a distinguishing charac- 

 teristic has become lessened and indeed Aulekz does not give it as 

 oiie of the characteristics which serve as factors for Classification, 

 although he himself uses it. In his My rmecologiska Studier 

 in summarizing- the knowledge concerning ants he says: „We know 



Zool. Jahrb. B.l. XIX. Abth. f. Syst. 19 



