A New Species of Probolomyrmex from Java 
7 
19 28 ] 
A NEW SPECIES OF PROBOLOMYRMEX FROM 
JAVA. 
By William Morton Wheeler, 
Bussey Institution, Harvard University. 
In a collection of Javanese ants kindly sent me by Dr. K. 
Dammerman I find four workers of an interesting undescribed 
species of the little known Ponerine genus Probolomyrmex, which 
Mayr in 1901 (Ann. k. naturhist. Hofmus. Wien 16, p. 2) based 
on the worker of a species, filiformis, taken by Dr. Hans Brauns at 
Port Elizabeth, Cape Colony. More recently, Mann (Psyche 30, 
1923 p. 16, fig. 2) has described and figured the dealated female 
of another species, boliviensis, from Rurrenabaque, Bolivia. 
Owing to the difference in caste, he was doubtful of the generic 
allocation of his specimen, but Emery’s figures of the type, in 
the “Genera Insectorum” (Ponerinse 1910, PL 2, figs. 10, 10a) 
show that the Bolivian species is a true Probolomyrmex. The 
finding of a third species in Indonesia now shows that the generic 
distribution in Africa and South America cannot be used as 
evidence of former geological connection between these con- 
tinents, but that Probolomyrmex, like Discothyrea, Centro- 
myrmex, etc., must be regarded as a genus of archaic, tropicopo- 
litan, relict species, and perhaps as the remains of a formerly 
cosmopolitan group. The rather pale color and complete absence 
of eyes in the worker and the very small eyes and ocelli in the 
female, show that the Javan form, as well as the other two species, 
are hypogseic in habit like all the other Proceratiini (Proceratium, 
Sysphincta, Discothyrea, Prodiscothyrea and Escherichia). 
Probolomyrmex dammermani sp. nov. 
Worker. Length 2-2. 5 mm. 
Head subelliptical, one and one-half times as long as broad, 
slightly narrower in front than behind, with evenly rounded, 
feebly convex sides and slightly concave posterior border; in 
profile rather convex dorsally, with straight gular surface, with- 
