AUSTRALIAN SPECIES OF RHYTIDOPONERA MAYR 
47 
Hair yellowish-red, long and erect, abundant throughout, shorter and sub- 
erect on antennae and legs. 
Head fully one-fourth longer than broad behind the eyes, occipital border 
strongly convex. IMandibles with numerous short sharp teeth. Frontal area 
not defined. Frontal carinae as long as broad in front, a distinct longitudinal 
ridge in middle. Scapes extend almost to middle of posterior ocellus. Second 
segment of funiculus fully four times longer than first, and almost one-fifth 
shorter than scape. Eyes occupying almost one-third of the sides. Ocelli 
large and convex. Thorax barely twice as long as broad. Pronotum project- 
ing slightly in front, strongly convex. Mesonotum one-seventh broader than 
long, broadly cone-shaped in front, a strong longitudinal groove on anterior 
third, mayrian furrows not indicated, parapsidal furrows feebly impressed; 
constriction betw'een mesonotum and scutellum broad, shallow, the elevations 
at each side broader than long. Scutellum one-third broader than long, very 
slightly concave in front, strongly convex behind and on sides, dorsum convex 
both ways. Metanotum five times broader than long, strongly convex trans- 
versely. Epinotum convex transversely with a deep and wide longitudinal 
groove on anterior half. In profile pronotum erect, short and convex, suture 
sharply impressed. Mesonotum erect, strongly convex, basal third of dorsum 
flat. Scutellum dome-shaped, twice as long as high. Metanotum airnost 
twice as high as long, bluntly pointed. Epinotum dropping downward behind, 
flat, declivity straight at an obtuse angle, rounded into dorsum. Node well 
defined. In profile node as long as stalk in front, rather low and dome- 
shaped, the ventral spine thorn-like, twdee as long as broad at base. Post- 
petiole fully one-third broader than long, cone-shaped, sides very feebly 
convex. First segment of gaster almost twice as broad as long, one-third 
broader behind than in front, sides feebly convex. Constriction between the 
two segments broad and shallow. Genitalia retracted. Legs long and slender. 
Habitat.— Victoria : Lake Hattah ( J. Dixon) ; Wyperfeld National Park 
(J. Clark); Pomonal (J. Hill). 
Numerous specimens, from all localities, have been exam- 
ined. Similar to R. mayri Em. in general appearance but 
readily separated by the shape of the head and node, as well 
as the sculpture. 
RJiytidoponera gregoryi sp. nov. 
(PI. IV, fig. 24.) 
Worker. — Length, 9 5 mm. 
Blackish-brow'n, funiculi brown. • i •. i- 
Mandibles, scapes and tibiae very delicately and densely striate longitudi- 
nally. Clypeus longitudinally punctate-rugose. Head very finely and_ densely 
reticulate, rather coarsely reticulate-rugose behind, the rugae diveigiiig out- 
ward to occipital angles from middle of frontal carinae, with large, shallow, 
scattered punctures between the rugae, some finer transverse striae on occipital 
border, antennal fovea densely striate transversely. Thorax and node very 
finely and densely striate, reticulate ; transverse on anterior half of pronotum, 
irregularly behind, with large shallow scattered punctures, almost none on 
middle of dorsum. Mesonotum transversely striate, the punctures smaller 
and more numerous than on pronotum. Epinotum longitudinally striate on 
anterior fourth, transversely striate behind, large punctures confined to 
