68 
Psyche 
[March 
Venom components were embedded in toto, sectioned at 7 /jl and 
stained with Delafields hematoxylin and eosin y and Mallory’s triple 
stain. Longitudinal sections were valuable in examining the cellular 
differences between the venom components. 
MTT ( 3- (4,5-dimethyl-thiazolyl-2) -2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bro- 
mide, a tetrazolium salt with a high redox potential, was employed 
as an easily reduced electron acceptor, as outlined by Blum and Her- 
mann (1969). This colorless compound is converted to a purplish- 
black formazan when reduced. Since the formazan formed by MTT 
chelates with certain metals to form non-crystalline deposits, cobalt 
ions were added to the reaction mixture, resulting in the formation of 
a metallic cobalt-formazan complex. 
Results and Discussion 
Venom is forced from the large reservoir through an acidpore 
(Acpr, Fig. 1 A) in formicine ants. A sting is wanting (Hermann 
and Blum, 1968). Most of the sac is entirely surrounded by rela- 
tively sparse circular muscle, which assists in the evacuation of venom. 
Abundant muscles surrounding the base of the sac are chiefly respon- 
sible for the rapid movement of venom out of the sac (Mus, Fig. 
2 A). 
The venom reservoir (PS, Fig. 1 B) is large, covered by a simple 
squamous epithelium (RW) and lined internally by a well defined 
intima. There are no cells incorporated in the reservoir that have a 
glandular function. 
The convoluted gland is an extremely long tube, averaging 376 cm 
(15 in.) in length. It attaches to the venom reservoir near the latter 
structure’s apex (#1, Fig. 1, C; Jnct, Fig. 1 C) and is tightly coiled 
outward so that the filaments appear to extend from the base of the 
gland. 
Two filaments branch from the single tube (#2, Fig. 1 C) and 
meander through fatty tissue in the hemocoel. Upon a general exam- 
ination of the reservoir it appears that the filaments extend from the 
base of the venom reservoir (Fig. 1, B). The junction between 
convoluted gland and venom reservoir is hidden beneath the con- 
voluted gland. After dissection the branches of the filaments come 
together at the base of the convoluted gland (#2, Fig. 1, C) but 
the basal region of the duct that forms the convoluted gland attaches 
to the reservoir near the latter structure’s apex (#1, Fig. 1, C). 
Cellularly, the filaments are very well developed glands themselves 
(FF, Fig. 2 C), the cells being large and supporting large nuclei. 
