THE LARVA OF APOMYRMA 
(HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE) 
By George C. Wheeler and Jeanette Wheeler 1 
Recently Dr. W. L. Brown sent us for study the larvae of a new 
genus of ponerine ants from Ivory Coast collected by J. Levieux. 
The adults of the genus are described in the previous article in this 
issue. Our descriptions of the larva follow: 
Genus Apomyrma Brown, Gotwald & Levieux 
Body elongate, terete, moderately slender and with the thorax 
slightly curved ventrally. Body hairs numerous, short, simple and 
generally distributed except on the intersegmental membranes. No 
spinules on the integument. Cranium transversely subelliptical in 
anterior view. Antennae with 2 minute sensilla each. Labrum nar- 
row, elongate-parabolic, with the base dilated ; with a few spinules 
on the posterior surface. Mandibles elongate and very slender; basal 
34 abruptly dilated laterally; remainder slightly curved medially 
and posteriorly; apical tooth small; 2 small acute medial teeth; 
anterior surface smooth. Maxillary palps peg-like. Labial palps low 
rounded elevations. Maxillae, labium and hypopharynx without 
spinules. 
The larva of Apomyrma resembles most closely those of Priono- 
pelta (Wheeler and Wheeler 1952: 120, 141 ; 1964: 447, 460) 
in the tribe Amblyoponini, but differ as follows: — 
CHARACTER 
anus 
head size 
cranium shape 
antennae 
labrum 
mandible base 
mandible blade 
Apomyrma 
terminal 
small ( body length : 
head length=i5) 
transversely sub- 
elliptical 
2 sensilla 
narrow and elongate- 
parabolic 
abruptly dilated 
laterally 
slightly curved 
medially 
Prinopelta 
subterminal 
large (body length: 
head length=8) 
subcircular 
3 sensilla 
broad, transversely 
subrectangular 
and feebly bilobed 
dilated basally 
straight 
Tesert Research Institute, University of Nevada System, Reno, Nevada. 
Manuscript received, by the editor October 22, 1970. 
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