AUSTRALIAN SPECIES OF RHYTIDOPONERA MAYR 
45 
Rliytidoponera niticla sp, nov. 
(PL IV, fig. 21.) 
Worker. — Length, 11 mm. 
Mandibles, head, scapes, thorax and node dark chocolate-brown, edges of 
mandibles, funiculi, gaster and legs reddish brown. 
Mandibles, scapes, and tibiae very finely and densely striate longitudinally, 
with^ numerous very small piligerous punctures. Clypeus coarsely rugose 
longitudinally. Head coarsely rugose, the rugae longitudinal between frontal 
carinae, diverging outward and descending on cheeks encircling the antennal 
fovea, transverse on posterior fourth and occiput, a few very large, shallow, 
obsolete, punctures between the rugae. Pronotum transversely rugose behind. 
Dorsum of epinotum transversely rugose-striate, more coarsely rugose on 
declivity, sides of thorax more finely striate connecting with striae on dorsum. 
Node circularly rugose on top, transversely striate in front and behind. Post- 
petiole finely and densely striate, transversely arched, with very numerous 
small piligerous punctures. First segment of gaster with finer, more arched 
striae and similar punctures. Femora very finely reticulate with very 
numerous small piligerous punctures. 
Hair yellow, long, erect and abundant on apex of gaster, rather sparse on 
clypeus ; shorter but abundant on rest of body and legs, very short and sub- 
erect on antennae. Funiculi pubescent. 
Head one-fifth longer than broad, sides feebly convex, occipital border 
straight, angles rounded, very slightly projecting at the sides and in front, 
the projection appearing as a crest, broadly interrupted in the middle giving 
the border a somewhat concave appearance. Mandibles furnished with strong 
denticles in front, obsolete behind. Ctypeus strongly convex in front and 
above. Frontal area large and deep. Frontal carinae as long as broad in 
front, twice as broad in front as behind. Scapes extend beyond occipital 
border by almost half their length. Second segment of funiculus one-third 
longer than first and one-fourth longer than third, apical one-sixth shorter 
than the two preceding together. Eyes protruding, placed at posterior third 
of sides. Thorax twice as long as broad, pro-mesonotal suture sharply com- 
pressed. Pronotum one-fifth broader than long, sides straight, parallel, dorsum 
feebly convex transversely. Mesonotum fully one-fourth broader than long, 
feebly convex in front, strongly convex transversely above. Epinotum 
strongly convex transversely. In profile pro-mesonotal suture strongly 
impressed, a slight drop at meso-epinotal suture. Pronotum convex on basal 
fourth, straight and sloping downward in front. Mesonotum feebly convex. 
Epinotum slightly lower than mesonotum, straight sloping downward behind, 
rounded into declivity, the latter straight at an obtuse angle, as long as dorsum. 
Node barely one-third broader than long, posterior border feebly convex, 
front, sides and dorsum strongly convex. In profile top portion thick and 
low, one-fourth longer than high, anterior and posterior faces straight, parallel, 
dorsum feebly convex. The ventral spine long, slender and sharp, fully three 
times longer than broad at base. Pbstpetiole one-fourth broader than long, 
sides and front strongly convex. First segment of gaster fully one-fourth 
broader than long, strongly convex behind. The constriction between the 
segments broad and deep. Legs long and robust. 
Male. — Unknown. 
Habitat. — Nezo South Wales: Bourke (C. Barrett). 
A number of specimens examined show no variation. 
