APHjES'OGASTEB. MESSOR. 277 



triangular, striate at base, the masticatory margin dentate at apex 

 denticu a e above Thorax narrow, the pronotum convex, the pro-' 

 mesonotal suture distinct ; the mesonotum sloping obliquely back 

 its anterior margin raised, forming a thick transverse ridge which 

 m some specimens is emarginate in the middle; thorax in profile 

 emarginate at the meso-metanotal suture, which is deeply marked 

 metanotum rounded from side to side and a little convex longi- 

 tudinally ; the metanotal spines broad at base, short and acute 

 Legs long, the pilosity on them yellowish, more dense than on 

 the body and oblique. Pedicel with the nodes as in A. saqei 

 but proportionately a little longer; abdomen broadly oval. 



" $ . Eesembles the ; the spines "long. Head longitudinal Iv, 

 metanotum transversely striate, the stria? distinct between the 

 spines on the latter. Mesonotum broader than the head Thorax 

 short. Win gs a little darker than in the d 1 -" (Forel.) 



" d 1 . Mandibles very long, the masticatory margin with 5 or 6 

 teeth. Head elongate. Antennas and metanotum as in A. sagei 

 but the posterior portion of the latter cubical, without teeth 

 behind the impression, only two blunt tubercles. Nodes of the 

 pedicel more raised. Wings subhyaline, with the nervures pale and 

 having two cubital cells. Colour and sculpture of the 8 ." (Forel ) 



Length, g 4-5-5-5 ; $ 7 ; rf 4 mm. 



Hob. North-west Himalayas (Smythies $ Wood-Mason). 



Genus MESSOR. 



Formica, pt., Linn. Syst. Nat. 12th ed. i (1767), p. 962, tf. 

 Atta, pt., Illic/er, Mag.f. Ins. vi (1807), p. 194. 

 Myrmica, pt., Lucent, Ezplor. Sc. Alf/erie, Zool. iii (1846), o. 300. 

 Aphamogaster, pt., Roger, Verz. d. Fonnicid. (Berl. ent. Zeit.) 1863, 



p. 29. 

 Messor, Forel, Ann. Soc. Ent. Beige, xxxiv (1890), C. R. p. Ixviii. 



Type, M. barbarus, Linn., from South Europe 



Range. Both hemipheres. 



max. Head without the mandibles square, the occiput 

 transverse, slightly emarginate, as broad as the anterior margin ; 

 mandibles very massive, the outer margin strongly curved, the 

 masticatory margin dentate, the teeth often obsolete, the inner 

 margin very thick, concave above ; clypeus flat, onlv a little 

 convex in the middle, produced back between the bases of the 

 antennae, the anterior margin transverse or waved ; antennal and 

 clypeal hollows confluent ; antennal earinae short, wide apart, 

 parallel ; antenna? 12-jointed, filiform, with no distinct club ; 

 joints 1-10 of the flagellum subequnl, the apical joint slightly the 

 longest ; maxillary palpi 4- or 5-, labial 3-jointed ; eyes somewhat 

 small, plac-ed about the middle of the sides of the head; ocelli 

 absent. Thorax narrower than the head but massive, the pronotum 

 rounded in front ; the mesonotum raised anteriorly above the leve 

 of the pronotum, posteriorly steeply sloped, with a transverse 

 impression ; pro-mesonotal suture distinct ; meso-metanotal suture 



