PONERA CONTRACTA. 



19 



1. Ponera contracta. 



Foemina. — Fusca; mandibulis, clypeo, antennis pedibusque pal- 

 lide rufis ; oculis subovalibus, hirtulis ; ocelbs distinctis ; capite 

 magno; alis byalinis; abdomine elongato, apice pallide tes- 

 taceo. 



Operaria. — Fusco-brunnea, subnitida, pube cinerascente ; an- 

 tennis, clypeo, mandibulis, pedibus et abdominis apice rufo- 

 pallidis ; alis byalinis. 



Mas. — Niger, nitidus; pedibus fuscis; mandibulis, tibiis tarsisque 

 rufeseentibus ; antennis elongatis, scapo minimo, reliquis arti- 

 culis cylindricis ; oculis valde prominulis, ocellis sat magnis ; 

 squama petioli crassa, segmento ultimo processu spiniformi 

 deorsum flexo ; alis byalinis. 



Formica contracta, Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourm. p. 195. t. 7. f. 40 $ . 



Fabr. Syst. Piez. p. 410. 58. 

 Ponera contracta, Latr. Gen. Crust, et Ins. iv. 128. 



St. Farg. Hym. i. 195. 8. 



Steph. III. Brit. Ent. Supp. p. 15. t. 42. f. 2. 



Foerst. Hym. Stud. Form. p. 45. 



Schenck, Nass. Ameis. 72. 



Smith, Brit. Form. p. 113. 



Mayr. Form. Austr. p. 116. 1. 



Nyland. Form. Fr. et d' Alger.]). 75. 1. 



Female. Length If line. — Shining rufo-fuscous, elongate and 

 subcylindric ; the antennae, clypeus and mandibles rufo-testa- 

 ceous; the eyes ovate, placed anteriorly at the sides of the 

 head ; the antennae approximating at their base ; the ocelli in 

 a triangle on the vertex, which is emarginate behind ; a longi- 

 tudinal impressed line runs from the anterior stemma to the 

 insertion of the antennae, the latter clavate. Thorax oblong- 

 ovate, the metathorax obliquely truncate ; the scutellum, post- 

 scutellum and legs rufo-testaceous. Abdomen : the scale of 

 the petiole incrassate, vertical, its superior margin rounded, as 

 high as the first segment ; a constriction between the first and 

 second segments ; the apex of the abdomen pale rufo-testa- 

 ceous ; wings hyaline. 



Worker. — Very like the female, and only differs in being smaller, 



in having the thorax gradually narrowed behind, and in having 



the eyes and ocelli obsolete. 

 Male. — Shining black, with the legs fuscous ; the mandibles 



and tarsi pale testaceous ; the scape of the antennae very short ; 



the eyes large and prominent ; the scale of the petiole and the 



abdomen formed as in the worker. 



