THE LARVA OF PROA TTA 
(HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE) 
By George C. Wheeler and Jeanette Wheeler* 
Desert Research Institute 
University of Nevada System 
Reno, Nevada 
When Forel established (1912) the genus Proatta he placed it in 
the tribe Attini, but later (1917) he removed it to a new tribe Proat- 
tini. Wheeler (1922) kept it there, but Emery in the Genera 
Insectorum (1922) placed it alone in the subtribe Proattini of the 
tribe Attini. Weber (1958): “While it is true that Proatta butteli is 
strikingly like an attine, this is taken here to be an example of 
convergence in worker morphology and not necessarily an indica- 
tion of phylogenetic relationships. The spinosity is especially like 
that of Mycocepurus,... There is no evidence that Proatta is a 
fungus-grower and it is not considered here to be a member of the 
Attini.” 
For years we have yearned for larvae of Proatta in the hope that 
they might solve the problem. Hence we were very happy when Mr. 
M. W. Moffett generously sent us a supply — so happy, in fact, that 
we processed them immediately. 
Genus Proatta Forel 
Profile attoid, but only slightly curved. Somites indistinct. Body 
hairs sparse, generally distributed. Antennae minute; slightly above 
midlength of cranium. Head hairs sparse, generally distributed. 
Mouth parts small. Mandible amblyoponoid, feebly sclerotized. 
Proatta butteli Forel 
Figure 1 
Length (through spiracles) 2-2.6 mm. Profile attoid. Spiracles 
small, decreasing slightly posteriorly. Integument with rather long 
*Mailing address: 3358 NE 58th Avenue, Silver Springs, Florida 32688. 
Manuscript received by the editor October 2, 1985. 
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