A Monograph of the Formicidae of South Africa. 267 



M. Laevior, Eorel. 

 Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg., vol. 54, p. 445, $ , 1910. 



" £ . 3'9-4 f 2 mm. Mandibles striate, quadridentate. Head trape- 

 zoidal, narrowed in front, at least as wide behind as long, the posterior 

 margin fairly strongly convex. Eyes placed in the posterior thu-d of 

 the head. Clypeus entire, tricarinate, otherwise hardly striate. The 

 scape extends beyond the occipital margin by about one-fifth or one- 

 quarter of its length. The last joint of the antenna is not much 

 thicker than the two preceding. Dorsum of thorax equally convex 

 from front to back ; meso-epinotal suture narrow and not deep. The 

 pronotum has lateral teeth below, pointed, and longer than wide ; 

 above, it is one and a half times wider than long, slightly narrowed 

 behind and depressed, Avithout lateral margins or ridges. Mesonotum 

 transversely trapezoid, but with the lateral margins feebly raised 

 behind, and ear- shaped ; these form the only prominences on the 

 dorsum of the thorax. Dorsum of the epinotum two and a half times 

 longer than wide, continuing the convexity of the upper surface of the 

 thorax, and margined by two even and parallel ridges, but nowhere 

 raised. Spines horizontal, only slightly divergent, slightly longer 

 than the space between them. Declivity of epinotum margined, 

 shorter than the dorsum. First node a little wider than long, wider 

 behind than in front, rounded above, nearly vertically truncate in 

 front and behind, a little shorter than its peduncle. Second node 

 hardly wider than the 1st ; wider behind, where it is as wide as long. 



<; Shining. Cheeks longitudinally striate as far as the margins of the 

 eyes, without reticulations. There are some feeble longitudinal striae 

 on the sides of the irons, and some transverse striae on the pronotum : 

 all the rest of the head and body smooth, without striae or reticula- 

 tions even on the vertex, occiput, mesonotum, epinotum and nodes, 

 which distinguishes this species from all the others (except nigerrima) . 

 Erect pilosity fairly fine, long, pointed, yellowish, sparse all over, 

 slightly oblique on the limbs, on which the hairs rise from raised 

 points. Pubescence almost nil. More or less reddish brown ; legs 

 brownish yellow." 



Natal. (Haviland.) 



M. Striata, Stitz. (Plate VII, figs. 90a, b, c.) 

 Wissen. Ergeb. Z. Afr. Exped., 3, pp. 382-5, 1911. 



^ . 6'5-8 - 2 mm. Reddish brown ; the front of the head, the 

 antennae, legs and peduncle of the 1st joint of the petiole lighter. 



