A Monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. 175 



prominent ; the anterior margin is shallowly concave in the middle 

 and narrowly inflected, the median area is aciculate and coarsely 

 punctured. The mandibles are broad, with 4 strong teeth, and 

 coarsely striate. The frontal carinae are much further apart than in 

 species of the other sub-genera, and slightly convex externally. The 

 scape is short, not extending beyond the level of the middle of the 

 eyes, the 3rd-10th» joints of the flagellum wider than long. A shining, 

 median, impressed line extends from the posterior margin of the 

 clypeus to about the middle of the vertex. 



Pronotum wider than long, the sides distinctly convex, the shoulders 

 obtuse but prominent. Mesonotum more closely and deeply punctured 

 than the pronotum, as long as wide, the anterior border semi-circular. 

 Epinotum convex lengthwise, nearly as long as the pro- and meso- 

 notum together, quite one-third longer than wide ; the dorsum merges 

 into the oblique declivity by a gradual curve. The 1st joint of the 

 petiole has a very short peduncle ; the node is convex above frrans- 

 versely and longitudinally, wider than long, considerably narrowed 

 behind; the ventral lamella at the extreme base is produced into a 

 short, sharp spine, pointing downwards, and just behind it lies 

 another, but rounded, projection. The 2nd node is widest in the 

 middle, about one-third wider than the 1st, convex above. Seen from 

 above, the lateral margins are very convex. The ventral surface is 

 produced anteriorly into a fairly sharp prominence. The sides of both 

 nodes slope steeply inwards. 



? . 155 mm. Colour as in the £ . Head, thorax, and nodes 

 shining, abdomen nitidulous. Pubescence greyish-black and very 

 fine, dense on the abdomen and 2nd node, much sparser elsewhere. 

 A few long, yellowish, pilose hairs on the clypeus, nodes, and abdomen. 

 Puncturation in the main like that of the £ , but stronger and much 

 more abundant on the nodes and abdomen, and scantier on the thorax. 

 Head a little longer than wide, very little narrower in front than 

 behind, almost parallel- sided, about as long as the pro- and mesonotum 

 taken together. Pronotum widely exposed above, not much lower 

 than the mesonotum, narrower in front than behind, convex trans- 

 versely, the shoulders rounded and not angular as in the £ . Scutellum 

 as long as wide, feebly convex transversely and longitudinally, not 

 quite half as long as the mesonotum. Dorsum of epinotum one and 

 a half times wider than long, slightly longer than the declivity. The 

 latter almost vertical, with the brow strongly rounded. Nodes similar 

 to those of the $ , but the ventral lamellae of both nodes are produced 

 into much larger and deeper teeth. Otherwise like the $ (described 

 from a deflated West African specimen). 



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