1906.] Wheeler, The Ants of Japan. 



J' J 



between the eye and the posterior comer of the head. Funiculus exceeding 

 the length of the scape by the length of the terminal joint; the three terminal 

 joints forming a distinct club; first funicular joint as long as joints 2-5 together; 

 joints 2-8 broader than long; 9th joint half as long as the loth, loth less than half 

 as long as the terminal joint. Prothorax broad in front but distinctly narrower 

 than the head, sides of meso- and epinotum compressed. Dorsal surface of 

 thorax flattened, with a very faint mesoepinotal depression. Epinotum as 

 high as the mesonotum, with long slanting basal, and much shorter, concave 

 declivous surface and bearing two small teeth widely separated at their bases. 

 Petiole from above i J times as long as broad, subrectangular, with sides slightly 

 convex, in profile triangular, with a pointed node, the anterior and posterior 

 declivities of which are subequal, the former slightly concave, the latter nearly 

 straight. The petiole is compressed below and carinate and terminating in a 

 large blunt tooth anteriorly. Postpetiole from above about as long as broad, 

 slightly broader behind than in front, in profile hemispherical above, flattened 

 and toothless below. Gaster long and narrow without basal angles, somewhat 

 flattened dorsoventrally. Legs rather short, femora and tibiae distinctly 

 thickened. 



Mandibles, clypeus, and frontal area shining, the first with scattered punc- 

 tures. Head subopaque, covered with longitudinal rows of large umbilicate, 

 piligerous punctures or foveolae, except in the middle where there is a narrow, 

 smooth, shining streak running from the frontal area nearly to the occiput. 

 Thorax and petiole subopaque, pronotum longitudinally rugose and umbilicately 

 punctate; epinotum densely punctate or granular; upper surface of petiole 

 and postpetiole similar to that of the pronotum, the middle of the latter smooth 

 and shining. Gaster and legs shining, with scattered, coarse, piligerous punctures. 



Whole body, including legs and antennae, covered with pale yellow, 

 suberect or reclinate hairs. 



Reddish brown; a large elongate spot on the front; the epinotum, upper 

 surface of postpetiole, sides and posterior dorsal surface of gaster blackened. 

 Mandibles, clypeus, antennas and legs brownish yellow. 



Female. Length 3 mm. 



Resembling the worker. Mesonotum and scutellum each with a large 

 elongate shining area in the middle, the former also with a shining spot over 

 each parapsis. Postpetiole less shining above in the middle than in the worker. 

 Gaster with large and more numerous piligerous pixnctures. Wings gray, 

 densely pilose, with brown stigma and veins. 



Described from several workers and two females taken by Mr. 

 Hans Sauter at Negishi near Yokohama (Feb. 25, 1905) and numer- 

 ous workers taken at Yamanaka and Kanagawa. The specimens 

 taken in Kanagawa are marked as taken on a heath. 



This species of Vollenhovia differs from its Indian and Malayan 

 congeners in its peculiar sculpture and in having a distinctly armed 

 epinotum. In size and general appearance it approaches V. snbtilis 

 Emery from Papua, but this species has a shining, unarmed epinotum 

 and smoother petiole and postpetiole. 



