22 NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN ANTS 



mesonotum, but very clear and distinct. The upper edge of the node is very 

 strongly concave so as almost to form two prongs. 



Collected by J. J McAreavey. Mt. Ben Cairn, Vic. 



Type in the National Museum of Vic. 



19. Prolasius wheeleri, new species. 

 Worker : 



Length: 3 4-3 8mm. 



Very dark brown, gaster darker but legs and antenna? lighter. 



Shining, reticulate punctate throughout. 



Hair yellow, erect, scattered on clypeus, thorax and gaster. Pubescence grey- 

 ish, very fine, adpressed, abundant throughout. 



Head one quarter longer than broad, sides almost straight and parallel, occipital 

 border convex, corners broadly rounded. Mandibles triangular, furnished 

 with five teeth. Clypeus bluntly pointed in front, carinated, almost overhanging 

 the mandibles. Frontal area convex behind. Frontal carinse rather long, 

 diverging behind. Eyes large, convex, placed about the middle of the sides. 

 Ocelli large. Scapes extend beyond the occipital border by more than half 

 their length. First segment of the funiculus slightly longer than the second, 

 rest more than twice as long as broad, the apical segment almost as long as the 

 two preceding together. 



Thorax slightly more than twice as long as broadest part. Pronotum as 

 broad as long, sides strongly convex. Mesonotum longer than broad by a half, 

 sides almost straight. Epinotum as long as broad, sides feebly convex, broader 

 behind than in front. In profile the pronotum and mesonotum form an even 

 convexity with the pronotum slightly higher. The dorsum of the epinotum is 

 convex, higher behind, and higher than the mesonotum. Epinotal declivity 

 almost straight, or feebly concave, twice as long as the dorsum. Node thorn-like, 

 flattened on top, posterior face, in profile, straight, while the anterior face is 

 straight, with a slight inclination forward. Legs slender. 



Collected by W. M. "Wheeler. King's Park, Perth. 



Type in the National Museum of Vic. 



20. Prolasius reticulata, new species. (Plate I. figs. 14-15). 

 Worker : 



Length: 3 4-4 4mm. 



Dark reddish brown; legs, antennae and mandibles lighter, more yellowish. 



Microscopically reticulate throughout. 



Hair yellow, long, erect, confined to gaster and clypeus. Pubescence greyish, 

 very fine, adpressed, abundant throughout, but not hiding the sculpture. 



Head one fifth longer than broad, sides convex, occipital border feebly 

 convex, corners broadly rounded. Mandibles triangular, furnished with six 

 strong sharp teeth, the apical being the longest, Clypeus carinated, rounded 

 in front, Frontal area triangular. Frontal carinse short, parallel. In some 

 specimens there is a distinct frontal groove extending beyond the eyes, almost 

 to the ocelli. Scapes extend beyond the occiput by fully half their length. 

 First segment of funiculus one and a half times as long as second, rest two to 

 three times as long as broad, apical almost as long as the two preceding together. 



Thorax almost two and a half times as long as broad. Pronotum as long 

 as broad, sides strongly convex. Mesonotum twice as long as broad, slightly 

 broader behind than in front. Epinotum as long as broad, sides almost straight. 

 In profile the pronotum and mesonotum form an even rather flat convexity 

 with a deep depression at the suture. Epinotum convex, elevated behind and 



