1965] 
Wheeler and Wheeler — Ant Larvae 
31 
Material Studied. — Three larvae from Glittering, Western 
Australia collected by D. C. Swan. These are the specimens referred 
to by W. M. Wheeler in 1932 (p. 56-57). We studied them first 
with a phase microscope; then they were dismounted, stained lightly, 
remounted and studied under both phase and light microscopes. 
In 1963 Rev. B. B. Lowery of St. Ignatius College (Sydney, 
Australia) generously sent us 40 larvae of this species, which he had 
collected at Cunningham’s Gap in southern Queensland. The two 
best specimens have been kept in alcohol. Many others were processed 
according to our standard technique (i960) and studied under both 
phase and light microscopes. 
Literature. W. M. Wheeler (1932, p. 56-57) compared the larva 
of L. swani with that of L. sardoa by quoting from a letter from G. 
C. Wheeler to whom he had sent the larvae for study. 
Genus Leptomesites Kutter 
As explained above under the genus Leptanilla we are unable to 
separate Leptomesites generically from Leptanilla. Therefore our 
subfamilial description will have to suffice for this genus. 
Kutter (1948, p. 287) has characterized the genus thus: “Korper 
sehr langgestreckt-zylindrisch, gegen das Ende keulenformig aufge- 
trieben. Labrum ohne gezahnte, laterale Lappchen. Mandibeln 
abwarts gerichtet, gezahnt. Auf der Ventralseite des Prothorax mit 
breitem, in der Mittelpartie mit chitinisiertem, quergerilltem, lappigem 
Anhang. Beiderseits dieses einzigartigen Anhanges je eine sehr lange, 
sichelformig ventralwarts gebogene Borste. (Ein Tympanalorgan, 
wie es von der Leptanilla-Larve gemeldet wird, konnte nicht mit 
Sicherheit nachgewiesen werden.)” 
Leptomesites escheri Kutter 
(Fig. 19-28) 
Length about 1.5 mm. Body elongate and slender, apparently 
constricted at the metathorax; anterior end slightly curved ventrally; 
abdomen clavate, with the posterior end narrowly rounded. Project- 
ing ventrally from the anterior portion of the prothorax is a curious 
flap-like structure furnished with 14 ridges on the posterior surface. 
Only one pair of spiracles present, on abdominal somite III (or IV?). 
Body hairs simple. Of two types: (1) minute (0.009-0.026 mm 
long), longest near the spiracle, numerous, uniformly distributed, 
without alveolus and articular membrane; (2) short to very long 
(0.042-0.096 mm), a few on each somite, the apical portion fine and 
flexible, with alveolus and articular membrane. Head naked; elongate; 
widest above the antennal level ; cranium subovoidal. Antennae small 
