154 
Psyche 
[September 
much larger ants collected on the same day and placed in 
the same vial. The type of the subsp. venustula, described 
below was taken by the late Mr. A. M. Lea “in rotting 
leaves,” that of spinosior sp. nov. by the same collector 
“among fallen leaves.” 
The workers of the four known forms of Mayriella may 
be separated by means of the following table. 
1. Epinotum armed with spines which are at least twice 
as long as the diameter of their bases; petiolar node 
truncate above in profile; anterior corners of post- 
petiole distinctly produced and subdentate 
spinosior sp. nov. 
Epinotum armed with teeth, which are not longer than 
the width of their bases; petiolar node with rounded 
summit ; anterior corners of postpetiole not pro- 
duced 2. 
2. Head, thorax and pedicel dark brown ; sculpture coarse . 
abstinens venustula subsp. nov. 
Head, thorax and pedicel paler, yellow-brown ; sculpture 
finer 3. 
3. Epinotal teeth blunt, shorter than the width of their 
bases; postpetiole above smooth and shining 
abstinens Forel (typical) 
Epinotal teeth acute, as long as the width of their bases ; 
sculpture coarser; postpetiole above finely punctate, 
subopaque abstinens hackeri subsp. nov. 
Mayriella abstinens Forel 
(Fig. 1 a-c) 
Worker. Length 1.4-1. 5 mm. 
Head subtrapezoidal, slightly longer than broad, nar- 
rower in front than behind, with rounded sides and pos- 
terior corners and broadly sinuate posterior border. Man- 
dibles rather flat, with straight external borders. Elevated 
median plate of clypeus subtrapezoidal, slightly longer than 
broad, broader in front than behind, its surface distinctly 
concave, its anterior border broadly emarginate between 
the teeth. Antennal scapes short, scarcely reaching to the 
posterior fourth of the head, thin at the base, swollen in 
the middle; first funicular joint keg-shaped, one and one- 
