352 Annals of the South African Museum. 



? . Antennae 12-jointed. Somewhat slender and having the facies 

 of the $ sex. The four known £ 9 of this genus differ- so greatly in 

 general features that I am unable to define the generic characters 

 for this sex. Mayr's definition for this sex applies only to 

 globulinodis. 



$ {globulinodis). Antennae 10-jointed, the 2nd joint of the 

 flagellum long, as in Tetramorium. For the rest, see description 

 below. 



/ 

 Key to the ty $ of Rhoptromyrmex. 



(4) 1. Second node of petiole much wider than long. 



(3) 2. Posterior margin of the head distinctly concave ; meso-epinotal suture 

 feeble ; smaller species, 3-3'3 mm. . . . transversinodis, Mayr. 

 (2) 3. Posterior margin of the head straight or nearly so ; meso-epinotal 

 suture well denned although shallow ; larger species, 3'4-3"9 mm. 



Steini, Forel. 

 (1) 4. Second node of petiole not much wider than long, subglobose. 



globulinodis, Mayr. 



E. globulinodis, Mayr. 

 Ann. K.K.N.H. Mus. Wien, vol. 16, pp. 18-22, £ , $ , S > 1901. 



£ . 3-3 - 3 mm. Pale reddish-brown, the mandibles, legs and 

 antennae brighter, more yellowish-red. Pubescence decumbent, very 

 scanty, a little longer and more abundant on the legs and antennae 

 than elsewhere. Pilose hairs absent. Smooth and very shining. 

 Head very sparsely and finely punctured, the anterior angles finely 

 and longitudinally striate ; the striae end at about the level of the 

 anterior margin of the eyes, and a few striae curve round the antennal 

 sockets. Just behind the clypeus, and bordering the basal portion of 

 the frontal carinae, there are also some short and fine striae. The rest 

 of the head, the pro-mesonotum, nodes and abdomen smooth. On the 

 head and pro-mesonotum a microscopic and very shallow rugulosity is 

 noticeable in some lights. Sides of the thorax, and the epinotum very 

 finely rugulose, duller than the rest. 



Head, excluding the mandibles, very little longer than wide, the 

 sides convex, the posterior margin fairly deeply concave, not much 

 narrower in front than behind, concave above, flat below. Eyes not 

 large, placed in the middle of the sides. Frontal carinae hardly 

 divergent, not extending back quite as far as the middle of the vertex. 

 Clvpeus rather flat, the anterior margin moderately convex, not 

 carinate. Frontal area shallow, indistinct. Mandibles smooth and 

 shining, the external margin convex, the masticatory margin den- 



