AUSTRALIAN SPECIES OF RHYTIDOPONERA MAYR 
49 
Node circularly striate above, transversely striate in front. Postpetiole densely 
striate, transversely arched in front, longitudinally arched behind. First seg- 
ment of gaster very finely and densely striate, transversely arched in front, 
obsolete and almost smooth behind. Legs reticulate-striate, coxae more 
coarsely reticulate. 
Hair yellow, short and erect on mandibles, front of clypeus and posterior 
margins of segments of gaster. Very short and sparse on scapes, slightly 
longer and suberect on legs. 
Head fully one-sixth longer than broad, broader in front than behind, sides 
feebly convex, occipital border concave in middle, angles rounded, slightly 
projecting in front and slightly at sides. No crest. Mandibles with numerous 
small sharp teeth. Clypeus strongly convex above and in front, with a very 
short straight edge in middle of front. Frontal area large and triangular, 
shallow. Frontal carinae as long as broad in front. Scapes extend beyond 
occipital border by fully one-third their length. Second segment of funiculus 
almost one-third longer than first, third slightly longer than first, apical 
shorter than the two preceding together. Eyes placed just in front of posterior 
third of sides. Thorax barely twice as long as broad, pro-mesonotal suture 
strongly, meso-epinotal suture weakly impressed. Pronotum one-fifth broader 
than long, sides almost straight, parallel, feebly convex transversely. Meso- 
notum almost one-third broader than long, strongly convex above, behind and 
on sides, weakly convex in front. Epinotum strongly convex transversely. 
In profile convex longitudinally with a distinct break at the sutures. Pronotum 
flatly convex and dropping in front. Mesonotum evenly convex, higher than 
epinotum, the latter feebly convex, sloping downward behind, declivity face 
at an obtuse angle, half as long as dorsum. Node barely twice as broad as 
long, oval. In profile high and thick, anterior and posterior faces straight, 
parallel, dorsum barely as long as posterior face, straight, the edges slightly 
rounded, the ventral spine three times as long as broad at base, slender and 
sharp. Postpetiole one-fourth broader than long, strongly convex in front. 
First segment of gaster one-fourth broader than long, strongly convex behind. 
Legs long and robust. 
Male. — Unknown. 
Habitat. — Queensland: Longreach (C. Barrett). 
Eight examples examined show no variation in sculpture 
or colour. This sj)ecies comes nearest to R. cristata Mayr but 
is readily separated by the shape of the head and node, in 
addition to the colour. 
Rhytidoponera cristata Mayr. 
(PI. IV, figs. 26-27.) 
Ectatomma cristatum Mayr, Jour. Mus. Godeffroy, xii, p. 91, 1876,^ . 
Rhytidoponera (Rhytidoponera) cristata Emery, Gen. Ins., fasc. 118, 
p. 38, 1911,1^. 
Worker. — Length, 12 mm. 
Chocolate-brown. Mandibles, antennae and legs lighter, more reddish. 
Mandibles and scapes very finely and densely striate longitudinally, with 
very fine scattered punctures. Clypeus punctate-rugose, the rugae longi- 
tudinal. Head very finely and densely reticulate, with large shallow punctures 
