AUSTRALIAN SPECIES OF RHYTIDOPONERA MAYR 
53 
Rliytidoponera yorkensis Forel. 
(PL IV, fig. 30.) 
RhyUdoponcra cristata Mayr r. yorkensis Forel, Arkiv. f. Zool., 9, 16, 
p. 12, 1915, 
Worker. — Length, 9-9 5 mm. 
Brownish-red, inner edges of mandibles and legs lighter red. 
Mandibles and scapes very finely and densely striate longitudinally. Head 
very finely and densely striate-reticulate, with some stronger longitudinal 
striae between frontal carinae diverging outward behind, with numerous 
scattered shallow punctures, reticulate at bottom, the punctures larger and 
coarser on clypeus. Thorax and node very finely and densely reticulate, with 
some large, very shallow scattered punctures. Both segments of gaster very 
densely and delicately striate transversely. Legs very finely reticulate-striate, 
transverse on femora, longitudinal on tibiae. 
Hair yellow, long and erect on front of clypeus and apical segments of 
gaster, none on body, very short and suberect on mandibles, at apex of scapes, 
on funiculi and legs. Funiculi pubescent. 
Head almost one-fifth longer than broad, sides feebly convex, almost 
straight, occipital border convex, strongly indented at the middle, angles 
rounded, with indications of a slight crest in front. Mandibles with numerous 
very small sharp teeth. Clypeus strongly convex above and in front. 
Frontal area large and deep with a large deep puncture at each side near base. 
Frontal carinae longer than broad in front, one-third broader in front than 
behind, the lobes somewhat raised. Scapes extend beyond occipital border by 
fully one-third their length. Second and third segments of funiculus equal 
length, slightly longer than first, apical as long as the two preceding together. 
Eyes placed at the posterior third of sides. Thorax twice as long as broad, 
pro-mesonotal suture sharply impressed. Pronotum as long as broad, sides 
parallel, dorsum convex. Mesonotum and epinotum strongly convex trans- 
versely, mesonotum bluntly pointed in front. In profile pronotum sloping 
downward in front, convex but rather flattened in the middle. Mesonotum 
feebly convex. Epinotum slightly lower than mesonotum, dorsum short, 
rounded into declivity, the latter straight, longer than dorsum. Node barely 
twice as broad as long, strongly convex in front, feebly convex behind, 
dorsum convex both ways. In profile almost twice as high as long, longer 
at base than above, anterior face concave sloping down and forward, posterior 
straight inclined slightly forward above, rounded into dorsum, the latter 
flat, as long as posterior face, anterior edge sharp, the ventral spine short and 
blunt. Postpetiole one-seventh broader than long, cone-shaped, sides convex. 
First segment of gaster almost one-fourth broader than long, strongly convex 
behind, the constriction between the two segments narrow and deep. Legs 
long and robust. 
Male. — Unknown. 
Habitat. — Northern Queensland: Cooktown, Endeavour River (C. 
Olive). 
Redescribed from three examples. The differences are too 
great for this form to be regarded as a subspecies of R. cris- 
tata. There is a slight resemblance in the shape of the head. 
