A Monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. 24)7 



flagellum as long as wide (a trifle wider than long in punctaticeps). In 

 the largest £ $ the median ocellus is present, but it is very small. 

 The thorax is a little stouter and wider across the meso-epinotal 

 suture. The 1st node of the petiole is a little thinner above. The 

 pilosity is less regular and less abundant than in punctaticeps. In the 

 smaller ^ ^ the head is less strongly punctured than in the type of 

 the species. 



" <$ . 4-5 mm. Black, hardly brownish. Legs, mandibles and 

 scapes yellowish brown; flagellum, excepting the 1st joint, pale 

 yellow. Wings hyaline. Pilosity as in punctaticeps. Shining, head 

 dull, finely rugose, striate above. The thorax is finely striate (in 

 punctaticeps the thorax is more punctured). Clypeus truncate in 

 front. Mandibles 3 dentate. Otherwise like the type of the species." 

 Natal. (Traegaordh.) Durban. (Marley and Cooper.) 

 The specimens collected by Messrs. Marley and Cooper are un- 

 doubtedly to be referred to this form, on account of the shape of the 

 head and the presence of the ocelli in the large $ £ . Nevertheless, 

 the other differences mentioned by Santschi as distinguishing this 

 form from the type of the species appear to me to be relative to the 

 greater size, and not sufficient to justify sub-specific rank. The $ of 

 punctaticeps has the thorax distinctly striate, and does not differ in 

 that particular from the variety. 



Var. Diversipilosa, Mayr. 

 Ann. K.K.N.H. Mus. Wien, vol. 16, p. 15, $ , 1901. 



" ^ . 2-3 mm. With more abundant and longer pilosity than in 

 the type of the species, the hairs of medium length being intermixed 

 with longer ones, especially on the tibiae. In the larger $ £ the 

 2nd- 7th joints of the flagellum are not wider than long, as in the 

 type of the species and the var. caffra, the 6th and 7th being even 

 slightly longer than wide." 



Port Elizabeth. (Dr. Brauns.) 



In view of the slight differences which may be found in the different 

 nests of a species, it is exceedingly doubtful whether a variety should 

 be considered valid, when founded on such slender distinctions as 

 those enumerated in this case by Mayr. 



S. semilaevis, Mayr. 



Loc. cit, £' . 



" ty: l'l— 1*3 mm. Eeddish yellow, the abdomen slightly browned. 

 The upper surface of the head with fairly short hairs ; the clypeus with 



