304 I'OBMicijJii;. 



thick; abdotnen loii<;;pr than in tlio $, somewhat iiarrowor, with 

 the base of the 1st segment not gibbous. 



Kctf to the Species. 



rt. Antenna) lonp-, the s^cape extending bevond [p. 304. 



the top of tlio head '. . . . T. melanocephalum, 



b. Antennic sliort, the scape not extending beyond 



the top of the head T. indiciim, p. 304. 



345. Tapinonia melanocephahim, Fahr. (Formica), Ent. Syd. ii 



{17!»o), J). ;;-j:; ; Ford, Jonr. Bomb. :\. //. Soi: ix (1895), p. 472, ? . 

 Formica nana, Jcrd. Madr. Jour. L. S. xvii ( I8-">1), p. \'2o, ^. 

 ]\Jyrmica pelliicida. >imith, Cut. vi (1858), p. J:^4, ^. 



5 . Head, sometimes the thorax also, fuscous, dark brownish 

 red or black ; thorax and abdomen, or abdomen alone, pale brownish 

 or yellowish white. Head, thorax and abdomen somewhat 

 smooth, with a few ecatter^d erect hairs ; pubescence in fresh or 

 living specimens \ery sparse, whitish in colour, but distinctly seen 

 when viewed in certain lights. Head longer than broad, oval, 

 not emargiiiate, rounded posteriorly ; mandibles triangular, broad, 

 with the inastiiatory margin equal to the outer margin and armed 

 witti numerous minute teeth ; dypeus evenly but lightly convex, 

 broader than high, its anterior margin transverse or slightly 

 arched ; antenna; ssomewhat thick, the scape long, the joints of the 

 flage'luu) loDger than broad ; eyes coniparatively large, placed 

 rather forward. Thorax \iewed from the side not emarginate, the 

 pro-meso-and meso-inetanotal sutures, however, distinct, the thorax 

 slightly constricted at the latter suture; the basal portion of the 

 metanotum very short, passing into the much longer obliquely- 

 sloping portion by an obtuse angle ; legs moderately stout. Pedicel 

 tihort ; abdomen ehmyate, oval. 



Lewjth. ^ 1*5 to barely 2 mm. 



liah. Throughout our limits and spread through the tropics of 

 both hemispheres. I have seen specimens imported into the Kew 

 Gardens with plants. 



34G. Tapinoma indicum, Ford, Jour. Boinb. N. H. Soe. ix (1895), 

 p. 472, V. 



^ . Kesenibles T. me/anocejiJialum, Fahr. : differs in being sub- 

 opaque, not shilling, of a reddish or brownish yellow all over; the 

 mandibles, antennae and legs pale yellow ; pilosity apparently 

 entirely wanting : pubescence thin, silky white, visible only in 

 certain Iglits. Head broader posteriorly and shorter than in 

 7'. wildvorephaluvi. Mandibles and dypeus similar, the posterior 

 margin of the latter, however, clearly defined ; auteinia? shorter, 

 joints 3-8 of tl e flagiUum not longer than broad. Thorax pro- 

 portionately much broader in front, and posteriorly laterally 

 compressed ; seen in profile not emarginate, but the sutures as 



