AUSTRALIAN SPECIES OF RHYTIDOPONERA MAYR 
61 
Habitat. — South Australia: Flinders Island (F. Wood Jones). 
In size and sculpture this species resembles R. punctata 
from Port Lincoln. It is, however, readily separated by the 
form of the thorax and node. 
Rhytidoponera levior Crawley 
(PI. V, figs. 38-39.) 
Rhytidoponera punctata Smith var. levior Crawley, Ann. Mag. Nat. 
Hist., 9, xvi, p. 581, 1925, ^ . 
Worker. — Length, 10 mm. 
Dark chocolate-brown, mandibles, antennae and legs red. 
Mandibles and scapes very finely and densely striate longitudinally. Head, 
thorax, node and gastcr very finely and densely punctate. In addition to 
the fine ground sculpture the head is sparsely covered with moderately large, 
very shallow punctures, deeper and more numerous on the clypeus, with no 
traces of rugae or striae. Thorax and node also with very shallow, small, 
scattered punctures, smaller and more sparse than on head. Legs with 
numerous small piligerous punctures. 
Hair yellow, very short and sparse throughout except on clypeus and apex 
of gaster. Pubescence not apparent. 
Head one-seventh longer than broad, slightly broader in front than behind, 
sides evenly convex, occipital border short, rounded into sides, strongly con- 
vex to eyes ; no traces of a crest at angles. Mandibles with numerous small 
sharp denticles. Clypeus broadly convex above, convex and bluntly pointed 
in front. Frontal carinae as long as broad in front. Frontal area broad and 
deep. Scapes extend beyond occipital border by fully one-third their length. 
First and third segments of funiculus equal length, second slightly longer, 
apical as long as the two preceding together. Eyes large and convex, pro- 
truding slightly, their centre slightly beyond the posterior third. Thorax fully 
twice as long as broad, sutures sharply defined. Pronotum one-third broader 
than long, rather flat above, sides almost parallel, feebly compressed at 
middle. Mesonotum one-fourth Imoader than long, posterior border strongly 
convex, anterior border convex and bluntly pointed. Epinotum merged into 
declivity. In profile the pro-mesonotal suture sharply impressed. Pronotum 
flat, abruptly rounded downward in front and behind. Mesonotum convex, 
raised abruptly above level of epinotum, the latter sloping downward, straight 
or feebly convex, to inferior third of declivity, then dropping more abruptly. 
Node barely one-third broader than long, straight or feelfly convex behind, 
sides and anterior face united almost hemispherical. In profile one-third 
higher than long, anterior face vertical, posterior face straight, inclined forward 
at top; dorsum straight, sloping downward behind, anterior edge sharp, 
posterior edge rounded, the ventral spine very short, slender and sharp. Post- 
petiole one-fourth broader than long, bell shaped. First segment of gaster one- 
fourth broader than long, strongly convex. The constriction between the two 
segments deep. Legs robust. 
Male. — Length, 9-5-10 mm. 
Brown. Mandibles, front of face to anterior ocellus, antennae and legs 
red. Wings hyaline, nervures brown. 
Mandibles very delicately striate longitudinally. Head, thorax, node and 
