554 Annals of the South African Museum. 



margin aixuate in the middle, feebly sinuate on each side ; the suture 

 between the clypeus and the frons very weak ; the clypeus and cheeks 

 are finely striolate and have some large punctures. Mandibles 

 strongly striate, 3 -dentate. The distance between the insertion of the 

 antennae is a little less than their distance from the sides of the 

 head. Antennae 9- jointed ; the scape does not reach the posterior 

 margin of the head ; the flagellum gradually incrassate towards its 

 apex, the last joint almost as long as the three preceding joints 

 taken together. The thorax is squat, the pronotum and mesonotum 

 together forming a globose mass, behind which the metanotum (at the 

 bottom of the depression separating the mesonotum from the epiuotum) 

 forms a transverse torus bearing the stigmatic orifices. The epiuotum 

 in profile forms a continuous curve, its declivity is concave in the 

 middle, very polished and shining. The scale is high and thin, 

 narrower towards the summit, which is excised. Length 3-3 - 5 mm." 



A. muralti is apparently a very rare species, as it has not been 

 recorded again since it was first discovered by Dr. Muralt. 



Tribe PLAGIOLEPIDINI, Forel. 



Including the genera Acantholejris, Mayr, and Plagiolejns, Mayr. 



Genus ACANTHOLEPIS, Mayr. 

 Europ. Formicid., p. 42, 1861. 



Characters. 



$ . Antennae 11- jointed, the scape long and usually extending 

 beyond the back of the head, the flagellum filiform, incrassate apically 

 but without a club. Antennae inserted close to the posterior margin 

 of the clypeus, that is at the anterior end of the frontal carinae and 

 at the sides of the frontal area. Frontal carinae short and fairly far 

 apart. Ocelli or traces of the same sometimes present. Mandibles 

 dentate, the masticatory margin oblique and usually long. Maxillary 

 palpi decidedly long. Median area of clypeus gibbose, carinate or 

 subcarinate in the middle. Pronotum long, the thorax always con- 

 siderably narrowed in its meso- and metanotal portion, widening again 

 at the epinotum. Both thoracic sutures well defined. Mesonotum 

 small, oval or subcircular or quadrate, divided by a transverse 

 impression or suture from a well-defined metanotum. This segment 

 bears two stigmata which occupy a dorsal position and are often 

 raised, so that this part of the thorax has a bituberculate appearance. 



