1962] 
Wilson — Erebomyrma 
63 
Spelaeomyrmex, on its status as a troglobite, and on the ecological 
singularity of cave ants in general. 
Taxonomy 
Erebomyrma Wheeler 
Erebomyrma Wheeler, 1903, Biol. Bull, 4:137-148, minor worker, 
queen, male. Type species (monobasic) : Erebomyrma longi Wheel- 
er. 
Spelaeomyrmex Wheeler, 1922, Amer. Mus. Novitates, 45: 9, minor 
workers. Type species (monobasic) : Spelaeomyrmex uric hi Wheel- 
er. NEW SYNONYMY. 
Following is a list of the known species of Erebomyrma , with atten- 
dant bibliography: 
eidmanni Menozzi, in H. Eidmann, 193^ Arb. phys. Angew. ent. 
Berlin-Dahlem, 3:47-48, fig. V ( 1-4), wqrker, soldier, queen. Type 
locality: Mendes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 
longi Wheeler, 1903, Biol. Bull., 4:137-148, figs, 1-5, minor worker, 
queen, male. Type locality: Denton, Texas. 
moral Menozzi, 1931, Bull. Lab. Zool. Gen. Agr., Portici, 25:271- 
272, fig. 7, worker. Original localities: Apaican, Vulcano; and 
San Jose (Costa Rica). Borgmeier, 1949, Rev. Brasil. Biol., 9:207- 
208, figs. 8-9, “ergatogyne” (= soldier), second record from San 
Jose, Costa Rica. 
never manni Mann, 1926, Psyche, 53:103-104, worker. Type locality: 
Hamburg Farm, Reventazon, Santa Clara, Costa Rica. 
peruviana Emery, 1905, Bull. Soc. Ent. Ital., 37:139 , nota, queen. 
Type locality: Marcapata, Peru. 
urichi (Wheeler), 1922, Amer. Mus. Novitates, 45:9-11, fig. iA-B, 
minor worker. Type locality: “Guacharo Cave,” Trinidad. 
(Spelaeomyrmex urichi). Other records: Cuba, Yucatan, Surinam. 
The minor-worker characters cited by Wheeler as most strongly 
separating urichi from longi, and hence Spelaeomyrmex from Ere- 
bomyrma, are: larger head size; angulate (vs. round) humeri; pro- 
portionately larger first gastric segment; and minor features in the 
shape of the petiole, postpetiole, and legs. These differences probably 
signify a specific distinction between urichi and longi, but they are not 
great enough to justify a generic break, even by liberal standards. The 
synonymy is supported by the fact that the newly-discovered queen 
and male of urichi are closely similar to these castes in longi. One 
possible difference of generic magnitude, unknown to Wheeler, still 
remains: eidmanni, moral, nevermanni, and urichi are now known to 
