PONEKA. 89 



. Head without the mandibles broadly oval, broader pos- 

 teriorly than in front, the sides convex; mandibles triangular, 

 with a broad dentate masticatory margin; clypeus narrow, pro- 

 duced posteriorly into an angle between the antennal carinae, its 

 anterior margin transverse ; antennal carinae short, laminate 

 anteriorly, covering the base of the antennae ; antennae 12- jointed, 

 flagellum clavate, the 1st joint of the latter very much longer and 

 thicker than the 2nd joint ; eyes minute or wanting, ocelli wanting. 

 Thorax narrower than the head, convex above, the pro-meso- 

 and meso-metanotal sutures distinct above, but the latter not 

 emarginate, nor the metanotum depressed below the level of the 

 pro- and mesonotum, nor compressed, but truncate posteriorly ; 

 legs moderately long and stout. Pedicel one-jointed ; node some- 

 what thick, flat, or slightly convex in front, rounded above, 

 vertically truncate posteriorly ; abdomen comparatively massive, 

 and as long as the thorax. 



Fig. 46. Ponera coarctata, $ 



3 . Very similar to the ; eyes larger ; ocelli present ; pronotum 

 forming part of the dorsum of the thorax ; mesonotum of moderate 

 size, rounded, convex ; metanotum short, posteriorly truncate ; 

 legs, node of the pedicel, and abdomen similar to those of the $ . 



I have followed Prof. Emery in restricting the genus Ponera to 

 the smaller species resembling the type, P. coarctata, in the shape 

 of the thorax. 



Key to the Species. 



A. $ entirely blind P. ceylonensis, p. 90. 



B. possessing more or less minute eyes. 



a. Dark castaneous brown ; thorax above dis- 



tinctly rounded and convex, not flat or 



depressed P. truncata, p. 90. 



b. Light testaceous yellow ; thorax above 



distinctly flat and'depressed. 

 a'. Flagellum of antennae much thickened 



towards apex ; penultimate joints twice 



as broad as long P. yleadowi, p. 91. 



b'. Flagellum of antennae not so much 



thickened towards apex ; penultimate 



joints longer or as long as broad P. cotifinis, p. 91. 



