AUSTRALIAN SPECIES OF RHYTIDOPONERA MAYR 
63 
Hair yellow, very sparse, confined to a few on front of clypeus and apex 
of gaster with some shorter on funiculus and underside of femora and tibiae. 
Pubescence very fine and adpressed, not abundant. 
Head one-sixth longer than broad, sides straight and parallel to eyes, 
strongly convex behind the eyes, occipital border short and straight. Mandibles 
edentate, on some examples the cutting edge feebly denticulate. Clypeus 
strongly pointed in, front. Frontal area deep in front, very shallow behind. 
Frontal carinae as long as broad in front, the lobes narrow and slightly 
raised. Scapes extend beyond occipital border by almost half their length. 
Second and third segments of funiculus equal in length, first one-sixth shorter, 
apical slightly shorter than the two preceding together. Eyes large and 
convex, slightly protruding, placed at posterior third of sides. Thorax twice 
as long as broad, pro-mesonotal suture strongly impressed. Pronotum as 
long as broad, sides straight on basal half, convex in front, dorsum convex 
transversely. Mesonotum and epinotum convex transversely. In profile 
convex longitudinally, with distinct depressions at the sutures. Pronotum 
higher than mesonotum, weakly convex on top, strongly convex and dropping 
in front. Mesonotum flatly convex. Epinotum strongly convex from base 
to foot of declivity. Node barely twice as broad as long, oval, dorsum convex 
all ways. In profile twice as high as long, top part cubic, inclined forward, 
parallel, anterior face convex above, concave below, posterior face feebly 
convex, dorsum flat, sloping downward behind, edges sharply rounded; the 
ventral spine four times as long as broad at base, very slender and sharp. 
Postpetiole almost one-third broader than long, strongly convex. First 
segment of gaster one-third broader than long, strongly convex behind. The 
constriction between the segments strong and deep. Legs long, rather slender. 
Male. — Length, 8 5-9 mm. 
Chocolate-brown. Mandibles, antennae and legs reddish. Wings hyaline 
with a yellowish tinge, nervures brown. 
Mandibles finely striate longitudinally. Head finely and densely reticulate- 
punctate irregularly, more coarsely punctate between the ocelli. Thorax 
densely and irregularly reticulate with some large, shallow, very scattered 
punctures, base of epinotum striate-reticulate longitudinally. Node, gaster 
and legs very densely and delicately reticulate, with numerous small piligerous 
punctures. 
Hair yellow, short, erect and rather sparse throughout, except on clypeus 
and apex of gaster. 
Head very slightly longer than broad behind eyes, strongly convex behind 
eyes. Mandibles with numerous sharp denticles. Clypeus broadly convex 
in front and above. Frontal area small, feebly defined. Frontal carinae as 
long as broad in front, broader behind than in front. Scapes extend to 
anterior margin of posterior ocellus. Second segment of funiculus four times 
longer than first, apical one-third longer than the preceding. Eyes large and 
convex, occupying half the sides. Ocelli large and convex. Thorax twice as 
long as broad. Pronotum appears as a very narrow margin on front and 
sides of mesonotum, strongly convex. Mesonotum as long as broad, broadly 
cone-shaped in front, posterior edge straight, dorsum convex all ways, mayrian 
furrows feebly indicated. Parapsidal furrows sharply but not deeply 
impressed. Scutellum one-third broader than long, anterior edge feebly con- 
vex, sides and posterior border strongly convex, a broad shallow longitudinal 
groove on top, constriction between pronotum and mesonotum deep and 
wide with a raised circular disc at each side. Metanotum erect, four times 
broader than long, strongly convex all ways. Epinotum strongly convex 
