126 A REVISION OF THE GENUS PROMYRMECIA EMERY (FORMICIDAE) : 
reticulate-punctate. Thorax more shining than head. Pronotum longitudinally 
arched striate, the striae very widely, but irregularly, spaced. Mesonotum very 
densely and finely reticulate-punctate, with some obsolete longitudinal striae, more 
clearly defined at the sides. Dorsum and declivity of epinotum transversely striate, 
the striae very widely spaced. Node circularly striate-rugose, in the centre the 
striae obsolete and almost longitudinal. Postpetiole and gaster microscopically 
reticulate. 
Hair yellow, very long and inclined inwards on the top and underside of the 
mandibles, rather short and sparse on the head and thorax, with a few long fine 
and erect hairs sparsely scattered on thorax, more abundant on legs, longer and 
more abundant on apical segments of gaster, none on antennae, except a few very 
short at apex of scapes. Pubescence white, very short and adpressed, longer and 
more abundant on gaster, forming a feeble covering. 
Head one-fourth broader than long, sides and occipital border convex. Mandibles 
slightly longer than head, external border feebly convex, inner border furnished 
with numerous large, sharp, erect teeth on the apical three-fourths, on the basal 
fourth the teeth are small, almost obsolete. Frontal carinae as long as broad in 
front. Scapes extend beyond occipital border by almost one-sixth of their length; 
second segment of funiculus one-fourth longer than first, third very slightly shorter 
than first, apical one-fourth longer than preceding. Thorax slightly more than 
twice as long as broad. Pronotum twice as broad as long, strongly convex in all 
directions. Mesonotum very slightly broader than long, strongly convex, the sides 
margined, meso-epinotal constriction deep and wide. Epinotum about one-fourth 
longer than broad, bluntly rounded in front, dorsum flattened. In profile pronotum 
convex, raised abruptly, pronotum and mesonotum combined in an even curve, 
mesonotum dropping behind, meso-epinotal suture deep and wide, epinotum strongly 
and evenly convex from base to foot of declivity. Node as long as broad, posterior 
border and sides strongly convex, anterior border weakly convex; in profile as 
long as high, anterior and posterior faces vertical, parallel, rounded into the convex 
dorsum, ventral spine slender and sharp. Postpetiole one-fourth broader than 
long, sides strongly convex, reduced in front, very narrow, constriction between 
postpetiole and gaster sharply impressed. First segment of gaster broader than 
long, strongly convex. Legs long and robust. 
Female and male unknown. 
Habitat—Victoria: Kiata (Nov., 1940; I. H. Cole, J. Clark). 
Resembles P. cephalotes Clark in the shape of the head. 
Abundant on the desert country, it is known locally as the red 
bull-ant. The nest is inconspicuous and indicated only by a few 
very small holes scattered around the roots of small bushes; 
generally there is no mound. 
Promyrmecia varians Mayr 
Plate XV, figs. 67-68 
Myrmecia varians Mayr, Jour. Mus. Godeff., xii, p. 94, 1876, &. 
Myrmecia (Myrmecia) varians Emery, Gen. Insect., fasc. 118, p. 21, 1911, 
% 
M yrmecia rufonigra Crawley, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (9), vii, p. 87, 1921, 8. 
Worker. Length 11-12°5 mm. 
Head, thorax and gaster black, mandibles and basal half of scapes yellowish- 
