

m\\\: LOTS «»i THE Fill ISLANDS. 489 



such closely connecting forms thai one might consider them ;ill b 

 single species or divide them into many. The schmeltzii group i 

 distinct in the structure of the head, but the epinotum varies from a 

 strongly rounded contour in schmeltzii ( typical I and the variety kadi, to 

 a projecting, toothed structure more extreme even than in laminatus. 

 Camponotus {Myrmegonia) laminatus in habitus is well defined by 

 its more elongate form, and the dentate epinotum, and the excised 



Upper surface of tlie node, the latter, however, ;i variable character, 



and color, hut the variety l< numns approaches cristatus subsp. though 

 it is a much more 1 slender form. 



The Australian species, which have been placed in this subgenus, 

 have the epinotum of the worker compressed, hut not to such an extenl 

 as in the Fijian forms, but the head of the soldier is not. strongly 

 truncate in front, so that it would seem more proper to include them 

 in another subgenus, related to Myrmosaga and Myrmocamelus, 

 while Myrmegonia includes only the Fijian species and is closely 

 related to Colobopsis, both in the structure of the head in the soldier 

 and in the exclusive twig-dwelling habit. 



Tabic of Species {Workers) of Myrmegonia. 



1. Smaller species. Head concave behind, occipital corners narrowly 

 rounded, sides of occiput between eyes and corners narrow and roundly mar- 

 gined; petiole in profile subcuboidal, elevated in front, with a rather long, 

 sloping dorsal surface 2 



Large species. Head convex behind, occipital corners and sides behind eyes 

 broadly rounded. Petiole in profile cuneiform, narrow and margined above . . 6 



2. Mesoepinotum not toothed behind; the epinotal base broadly rounding 

 into the declivity 3 



Mesoepinotum impressed behind or with either a tooth or an obtuse angle 

 between base and declivity 4 



3. Femora bright brownish red schmeltzii Mayr 



Femora dark brown to black schmeltzii var, kadi Mann 



4. Epinotum evenly arched, not impressed in profile, projecting behind as 

 a long pointed tooth lauensis Mann 



Epinotum impressed in profile in front of angle between base and declivity, 

 and with a moderately developed blunt tooth or angle 5 



5. Epinotum feebly arcuate in profile, tooth shorter; pubescence very 

 -parse schmeltzii var. loloma Mann 



Epinotum more strongly arcuate in profile, tooth large and broadly triangu- 

 lar; pubescence white, erect, and rather dense on epinotum. 



schmeltzii subsp. trotteri Mann 



