1912] Wheeler— The Male of Eciton Vagans Olivier 307 



Eciton vagans Olivier. 



Male. Length 15-16 mm. 



Head transverse, nearly twice as broad as long, very nearly as broad as the 

 thorax; broadly arcuate behind, its anterior border broadly and arcuately excised 

 Eyes and ocelli rather small, the former less convex than in many species. Frontal 

 carinse very short, not carried up on the front or curving outward behind the an- 

 tennal insertions. Mandibles long, as long as the transverse diameter of the head, 

 flat, straight and with subparallel borders, except at the tip, which is curved and 

 pointed, with a single large, triangular tooth about 2-3 the distance from the base 

 to the tip. Antennae rather slender, first funicular joint not more than half as 

 long as the second. Thorax only moderately convex above, not ovei'arching and 

 concealing the head when the insect is seen from above. Mesonotum with distinct 

 parapsidal and median longitudinal furrows. Scutellum and metanotum very 

 convex, each longitudinally impressed in the middle. Epinotum abruptly sloping, 

 with a blunt transverse protuberance on each side. Petiole twice as broad as long, 

 much narrower in front than behind, deeply concave in the middle above, with 

 prominent anterior and posterior angles, the latter projecting considerably. Gaster 

 rather short and thick. Hypopygium terminating behind in two claw-like teeth. 

 Hind legs long, the tips of their femora surpassing the posterior border of the 

 second gastric segment. Claws of tarsi not dentate as in the worker. 



Mandibles, head, thorax, antennae and legs opaque, very finely and densely 

 punctate; mandibles, head and mesonotum also with more scattered, coarser, 

 piligerous punctures. Petiole and gaster shining, finely shagreened. 



Hairs fulvous; long only on the posterior surfaces of the fore coxse and femora, 

 on the mandibles, head and anterior border of the scutellum; short, subreclinate 

 and denser on the mesonotum, tip of gaster, posterior corners of petiole and ventral 

 surfaces of m'ddle coxae; absent on the pronotum and pleurae. Antennal scapes, 

 petiole and gaster with only very short and delicate pubescence which is not suffi- 

 ciently dense to conceal the surface. 



Mandibles, head, scapes, thorax, petiole and gaster dark chocolate brown; 

 funiculi, tarsi and tibiae light yellowish brown; femora darker. Wings rather deeply 

 infuscated, with resin-brown veins and stigma. 



This form agrees in many particulars with the description of 

 E. duhitatum Emery from Paraguay (Bull. Soc. Ent. Ital. XXVIII, 

 1896, p. 8). The shape of the mandibles is the same as is evident 

 from comparison with Emery's figure, but there are numerous 

 differences in sculpture, pilosity and coloration. Emery believed 

 that his duhitatum might be the male of E. vagans Oliv. or of E. 

 rogeri Dalla Torre, but in his latest contribution (Genera Insect. 

 Dorylinse, p. 20) he cites it only as the possible male of the latter 

 species. 



