84 A REVISION OF THE GENUS PROMYRMECIA EMERY (FORMICIDAE) 
Family FORMICIDAE Latreille, 1810 
Subfamily Ponerinae Lepeletier, 1836 
Genus PROMYRMECIA Emery 
Myrmecia Fabricius Subgenus Promyrmecia Emery. Genera Insectorum, 
fasc., 118, pp. 18-19, 1911. 
Myrmecia Fabr. Subgenus Pristomyrmecia Emery. Genera Insectorum, 
fasc., 118, pp. 18, 21, 1911. 
Myrmecia Fabr. Subgenus Halmamyrmecia Wheeler. Biol. Bull., xlii, 4, 
p. 194, 1922. 
Myrmecia Fabr. Subgenus Pristomyrmecia Viehmeyer. Ent. Mitteil. Berl., 
Xxill, pp. 220-21, 1924. 
Myrmecia Fabr. Subgenus Promyrmecia Clark. Vict. Naturalist, xlii, pp. 
139-40, 1925; Wheeler, Colony-founding among Ants, pp. 54-55, 1933; 
Clark, Mem. Nat. Mus. Vict., viii, p. 9, 1934. 
Worker. Moderately large ants (4-16 mm.) with well-developed hind legs 
enabling them to make leaps of from one to four inches along the ground. Mandibles 
linear, calliper-like, usually shorter than head, furnished with both large and small 
teeth of various forms, Antennae slender, twelve segments, scapes short, rarely 
extending beyond occipital border; second segment of funiculus longer than first. 
Eyes large and globular, occupying the anterior fourth of the sides of head; ocelli 
large and prominent. Thorax usually twice as long as broad, mesonotum separated 
from the epinotum, by a deep and wide suture. Node large, usually as long as 
broad, stalk in front very short; ventral surface with a more or less developed 
spine in front. Postpetiole bell-shaped, strongly constricted behind, much narrower 
than the abdomen, Legs robust, femur of the posterior pair more or less incrassated 
toward the base. Claws large, bifurcated near middle. 
Female, Similar to the worker but larger, more robust and winged. In general 
the head broader; mandibles shorter, broader and with stronger teeth; node and 
postpetiole broader. Wings with two discoidal cells. 
Ergatoid females are common in the nests of most species. The development of 
the mesonotum and scutellum varies considerably in these females. 
Male. Smaller than the female, colour and sculpture similar. Head small, 
convex; mandibles short, triangular, with few, if any, teeth. Clypeus large and 
convex. Antennae with thirteen segments; scapes short, rarely more than twice 
as long as first segment of funiculus, second segment longest. Eyes large, occupying 
fully half the sides of head. Ocelli large. Mesonotum with distinct mayrian and 
parapsidal furrows. Nodes similar but smaller and more slender. Legs long and 
slender, claws bifurcate. Anterior wings with two discoidal cells. Cerci long. 
Genital armature; stipes arched, volsella and lacina laminate. 
Genotype Promyrmecia aberrans Forel 
The genus is divided into seven groups based on the size and 
shape of the mandibles and scapes of the workers. In many species 
the head of the female differs greatly from that of the worker. 
Text fig. 1 illustrates the differences in the chief species of each 
group. 
