18 TAPINOMA POLITA. PONERID^E. 



2. Tapinoma polita. 



Operaria. Rufo-testacea, laevis, tota nitidissima nuda ; anten- 

 nis filiformibus ; mandibulis, pedum articulis tarsisque pallide 

 testaceis. 



Tapinoma polita, Smith, Brit. Form. Trans. Ent. Soc. n. s. iii. 

 112. 2. 



Worker. Length 1% line. Rufo-testaceous, smooth and 

 shining ; head elongate, with a few scattered long hairs, and 

 slightly emarginate behind ; the scape as long as the head ; the 

 flagellum about the same length, the two apical joints slightly 

 thickened ; thorax narrowed behind, and slightly strangulated 

 between the meso- and metathorax, the latter emarginate 

 behind, with the lateral angles rounded ; the scale decumbent, 

 rounded above; abdomen ovate, sprinkled with a few long 

 hairs. 



The only specimen that I have seen of this insect is in the 

 collection of J. C. Dale, Esq., who took it in Wales. The T. 

 nitens of Mayr. is most like it ; but the scape of that insect is 

 distinctly shorter than the flagellum, and the scale is of a dif- 

 ferent form, being wider above. 



Fam. 2. Poneridse, Smith. 



The abdomen with a single scale or node ; the females and 

 workers furnished with a sting. 



Genus 1. PONERA. 



Formica, pt., Latr. Hist. Nat. Fourm. p. 195 (1802). 

 Ponera, Latr. Gen. Crust, et Ins. iv. 128 (1804). 



The maxillary palpi two-jointed, the labial palpi two-jointed ; 

 ocelli and eyes obsolete in the workers ; the mandibles dilated 

 and dentate on their inner margin. The scale of the petiole 

 thickened, nodiform ; the first segment of the abdomen more or 

 less constricted; females and workers furnished with a sting. 

 Anterior wings with one marginal, two complete submarginal, 

 and one discoidal cell. 



These characters are only applicable to the British, and one 

 or two known exotic species ; nearly all the latter have four- 

 jointed maxillary palpi, the workers having eyes, but not ocelli. 



