1984] 
Carpenter & Ross — Polistinae 
247 
number of queens it is probably best not to attach great importance 
to the result. In a previous study of this species (Richards and 
Richards, 1951) no external indication of caste was found, and our 
findings are in line with this. 
The Larva of Brachygastra scutellaris 
As noted previously, Reid’s (1942) description was actually of the 
species myersi. A series of larvae from a second colony of B. seutel- 
laris was present in material from the British Museum (Natural 
History) examined by the senior author; the label data are: Brazil: 
MT, base Camp, dry forest/22. IX. 68. N. 152. OWR”. The following 
description is based upon both colonies. All measurements are of 
late-instar individuals. 
Length 5. 7-7. 8 mm; maximum width 2. 2-3. 5 mm. Head and body 
pale. Dorsal lobes (paired ridges) present on first 4 abdominal seg- 
ments. Pleural lobes strongly developed; no division into annulets. 
Integument essentially smooth. All spiracular openings subequal in 
size, more or less circular. Anus with ventral lips forming a bilobed 
slit. 
Head width 1.6- 1.8 mm; height (exclusive of labrum) 0.6- 0.8 
mm. Head capsule very soft. Setae scattered over surface, varying in 
number (fig. 3). Ecdysial line and parietal bands weakly indicated, 
the latter smooth. Anterior tentorial pits below antennal orbits. 
Clypeus of the usual polistine form; frontoclypeal sulcus effaced 
dorsally. Labrum approximately as wide as interantennal distance, 
sinuate; surface roughened ventrally, with 8-10 or more papillae. 
Mandible as in fig. 5; 2 or 3 setae on external surface. Maxilla as in 
fig. 4; bases further apart than mandibular bases. Labium setate; 
salivary opening a raised transverse slit behind palpi. 
In addition to scutellaris, specimens of B. augusti, bi/ineo/ata, 
moebiana and lecheguana from the collection of the British 
Museum have been examined. The more transverse shape of the 
head in fig. 3 than the species figured in Reid (1942) and Dias Filho 
(1975) is perhaps a preservational artifact, related to the softness of 
the head capsule. However, it was present, with some variation, in 
all specimens seen. The genus is also uniform in the setae of the head 
capsule and the mandible with a weak ventral tooth, both diagnostic 
characters in Richards (1978). Presence of setae on the mandibles is 
