\ i 



\ 



V.' 



1919] Wheeler: The Genus Metapone 175 



We cannot deduce from this either that it is or is not a termi- 

 tophagous species, but that it is seems very probable. At any 

 rate, it inhabits dead branches Hke many termites and numerous 

 tropical ants {Leptogenys mucro7tata, Pseudomyrma kiinckeli, 

 etc.)" 



Although none of the specimens of Metapone, except those 

 of M. greeni, was accompanied by notes on their habits, I deem 

 it very probable that all of the species form small colonies and 

 live in the dead twigs and branches of trees near or actually 

 in the galleries of termites, presumably of the genus Calotermes 

 and prey on these insects or their young. That this is the 

 case is indicated by the cylindrical shape of the body and the 

 fact that the workers of some of the species (greeni, mjbbergi 

 and tillyardi) are colored much like the termitophagous ants 

 of the genera Aeromyrma and Paedalgiis, while the females of 

 others {sauteri and le<B), in having the head and thorax black 

 and the gaster red, strikingly resemble the females of the 

 termitophagous genera Carebara and Ephehoinyrmex. 



Returning to the question of the affinities of Metapone, 

 I may say that I am unable to accept Forel's original view 

 and that I find Emery's in part unacceptable. Forel's view is 

 precisely stated in the two following quotations. 



At page 448 he says : ' ' The general form of the three sexes 

 (of Metapone greeni} is cylindrical and altogether recalls the 

 facies of the species of Cylindromyrmex. The analogy with 

 C. meinerti Forel is very striking, notwithstanding the clypeus, 

 which is absolutely different, and the postpetiole. The clypeus 

 has a certain resemblance to that of Simopone in which it also 

 terminates behind with an arcuate suture, but much less trans- 

 verse and passing more posteriorly. In Simopone the frontal 

 carinae are also less separated. A certain distant resemblance 

 to the species of Sima and Pseudomyrma is probably due to the 

 convergence of an arboricolous life in cylindrical vegetable 

 cavities. The relationship with the Ponerine genus Cylindro- 

 myrmex {C. meinerti) is certainly real and not due solely to 

 the phenomena of convergence (mandibles, flat eyes placed 

 behind the scrobes, antennae, legs, petiole, sculpture, etc.)" 

 And at page 452 he says: "In my opinion they (the Meta- 

 ponini) should be placed directly between the Cylindro- 

 myrmicini and the Melissotarsini. " The Cylindromyrmicini 



