456 Annals of the South African Museum. 



all the preceding species in having the dorsal face much wider than 

 long (half as wide again as long), and in the sides, which are angular 

 in the middle. The 2nd segment is a little more than twice as 

 wide as long; the lateral spines, which vary in their degree of acuteness, 

 are narrow and longer than their basal width. 



The 1/ of nexa differs from the species- and race as follows : " Head 

 longer than in the type of the species and also longer than in the race 

 messalina, . . . The occiput has large piligerous punctures which 

 do not occur in messalina, and are very feeble and scanty in the type 

 of the species. The colour is also darker." 



^ . l'8-2 - 5 mm. Dai^k brown, the antennae, mandibles, tarsi and 

 articulations of the legs of a dirty ochreous colour. The thorax is 

 usually lighter than the head and abdomen, sometimes yellowish- 

 brown. Sides of mesonotum, mesopleura and all the epinotum 

 evenly reticulate and slightly shining, the rest of the body smooth and 

 shining. There are a few striae between the ej^es and frontal carinae. 



Fig. 27. — P. spinulosa, Forel, race messalina, Var. nexa, Forel. 



The latter parallel, extending back as far as the middle of the head. 

 Posterior lateral angles of the pronotum fairly large. Dorsum of 

 epinotum longer than wide, the basal half convex lengthwise, the 

 spines small and acute. The 1st segment of the petiole longer than 

 deep ; 2nd segment a little longer than wide, feebly angulated at the 

 middle of the sides. 



9 . 9 mm. (hitherto undescribed). Black, the antennae, tarsi and 

 joints of the brownish tibiae and femora brownish-yellow. Head 

 rather feebly and longitudinally striato-rugose, the occipital angles 

 shallowly punctured. The metanotum is unusually prominent, over- 

 hanging the base of the epinotum. The dorsal part of the latter is 

 very steep and much more deeply excavated than in the % ; the 

 epinotal teeth are shoi't, triangular, and directed outwards and 

 backwards, not vertical as in the 1/ . The petiole is similar to that of 

 the 1/ , but the dorsal edge of the 1st node is more deeply emarginate, 

 and the lateral spines of the 2nd node more obtuse and shorter. 

 Deflated. 



Bulawayo, Plumtree, S. Rhodesia. Generally nesting under stones. 

 A rather sluggish species and not common. (S.A.M., R.M., G-.A. colls.) 



