18 NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN ANTS 



is broken by the deep suture. The epinotum is very feebly convex raised 

 slightly behind. The epinotal declivity is straight and about a quarter longer 

 than the dorsum. Node transversely convex, three times as wide as long. In 

 profile rather rectangular with anterior face convex, the posterior face straight 

 and the dorsum rather flattened. Legs rather robust. 



Male : 



Length: 3 7mm. 



More uniformly dark brown, with the head slightly darker. Mandibles yellow. 

 Smooth and shining. 



Hair and pubescence more yellowish. Hair long on top of head and thorax. 



Head slightly broader than long, sides strongly convex, occipital border straight, 

 angles very sharp. Mandibles very small, edentate. Clypeus almost straight 

 in front, with anterior border edentate. Frontal carina? not clearly impressed. 

 Scapes extend beyond the occipital border by almost half their length, their 

 bases exposed. Funiculus twelve segmented. First segment broader than any 

 of the others, and as long as the two following together, apical segment as long 

 as the preceding two. 



Thorax has short pronotum which from above is twice as broad as long. Mesono- 

 tum almost circular. Scutellum longer than broad, sides almost straight, broader 

 in front than behind. Metanotum about three times as broad as long. Epinotum 

 as long as broad, sides convex. In profile the pronotum is raised behind. 

 Mesonotum high, strongly convex from apex to base. Scutellum convex, slightly 

 higher than the mesonotum; epinotum feebly convex, declivity oblique, longer 

 than the dorsum into which it is rounded. Node from above is twice as broad 

 as long, convex transversely. In profile it is rather rectangular with the faces 

 slightly convex, about one and three quarters as high as long. 



Collected by D. J. Mahony. Deal Island, Vic. 



Type in the National Museum of Vic. 



10. Prolasius hemiflavus, Clark. 



Clark, Mem. Nat. Mus. Vict, 8, p. 68, PI. 4, figs. 28-29, 1934. 5> 2 



Worker : 



Length: 2 7-3 2mm. 



Head, thorax, node, antennae and legs ochraceous; gaster brownish, apex of 

 gaster yellowish. 



Smooth and shining; head, thorax, antenna? and legs very finely and densely 

 punctate. 



Clypeus strongly convex, not carinate, anterior border rounded. Scapes extend 

 beyond the occipital border by almost a third of their length. First segment of 

 funiculus larger than the three following together. Epinotal declivity twice as 

 long as the dorsum. 



Beech Forest, Vic. 



11. Prolasius hemiflavus var. wilsoni, new variety. (Plate I, figs. 16-17). 

 Worker : 



Length: 3mm. 



Dull yellow with the gaster very much darker— a dull brown in some specimens. 

 Hair yellow, long, erect, confined to the gaster. Pubescence yellow, very fine 

 adpressed, abundant throughout, but more noticeable on the darker gaster 

 Shining; microscopically punctate throughout. 



