A Monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. 37 



abdominal segment produced ventrally at its junction with the petiole 



into a blunt, compressed tooth Paltothyreus, Mayr. 



(6). 7. Clypeus otherwise formed. 



(9). 8. Eyes situated behind the middle of the head; claws with a minute sharp 



tooth close to the base. Head narrow, excluding mandibles, at least one 



and a third times as long as wide across the eyes Opthalmopone, Forel. 



(8). 9. Eyes situated at about the middle or a little in front of the middle of the 



head. 



(11). 10. Claws with a single blunt tooth a little distance from the base. 



Megaponera, Mayr. 

 (10). 11. Claws simple. 

 (13). 12. Meso-metanotal suture obsolete in the 5 , medium-sized species, 



10-14 mm. Pachycondyla, Smith. 



(12). 13. Meso-metanotal suture more or less distinct, small species, mostly less 



than 10 mm Euponera, Forel. 



(3). 14. Middle and posterior tibiae with only one well-developed calcar, which is 

 also pectinate ; the other is rudimentary or absent. 

 (16). 15. Sculpture fine ; at least the abdomen is pubescent, outer calcar absent ; 



small species, less than 10 mm Ponera, Latr. 



(15). 16. Abdomen not pubescent ; whole body very shining, evenly and largely 

 punctured ; medium-sized or very large species . . Plectroctena, Smith. 



Key to the $ $ . 



(2). 1. Middle tibiae with two very small calcaria, posterior tibiae with one 



large pectinate calcar Centromyrmex, Mayr. 



(1). 2. Tibiae not so formed. 

 (14). 3. Middle and posterior tibiae with two calcaria, the inner pectinate. 

 (7). 4. Scape not considerably shorter than the 2nd joint of the flagellum. 

 (6). 5. Scape a little longer than the 2nd joint of the flagellum ; frontal carinae 



rudimentary Megaponera, Mayr. 



(5). 6. Scape a little shorter than the 2nd joint of the flagellum; frontal carinae 



distinct Opthalmopone, Forel. 



(4). 7. Scape considerably shorter than the 2nd joint of the flagellum. 



(9). 8. Pygidium prolonged into a curved spine; clypeus truncate or feebly 



produced Pachycondyla, Smith, Euponera, Forel (pars). 



(8). 9. Pygidium blunt or pointed, but not produced into a spine. 

 (13). 10. Ventral lamella of petiole not furnished with an acute spine pointing 



backwards. 

 (12). 11. First abdominal ventral segment produced at its extreme base into a 

 sharp tooth pointing backwards ; large species, 15 mm. at least. 



Paltothyreus, Mayr. 

 (11). 12. First abdominal ventral segment simple, small species. 



Euponera, Forel (pars). 

 (10). 13. Ventral lamella of petiole produced posteriorly into an acute spine 



pointing backwards . . Strehlognathus, Mayr. 



(3). 14. Middle and posterior tibiae with a single calcar. 

 (16). 15. Pygidium pointed or produced into a spine ; scutellum depressed or 

 moderately convex ; integument finely punctured, small species. 



Ponera, Latreille. 



(15). 16. Pygidium obtuse ; scutellum prominent ; integument coarsely punctured, 



large species Plectroctena, Smith. 



