AUSTRALIAN SPECIES OF RHYTIDOPONERA MAYR 
27 
Head, thorax and node reddish-brown, legs brown, gaster brownish or 
black. Some examples are almost entirely brownish. 
Mandibles and scapes very finely and densely striate, with numerous fine 
shallow punctures. Head, thorax and node densely covered with large deep 
irregular punctures giving a somewhat thimble-like appearance, there are some 
transverse rugae on anterior margin of pronotum, the groove on dorsum of 
node is very finely and densely striate. Postpetiole finely and densely longi- 
tudinally arched striate, with numerous fine, shallow punctures. First seg- 
ment of gaster more finely striate transversely and more finely punctate. Legs 
very finely striate. 
Some long erect yellowish hairs on anterior of clypeus and posterior of 
gaster, very short and scattered on head and body, shorter, finer and more 
numerous on antennae and legs. 
Head one-fifth broader than long, much broader in front than behind, sides 
convex, occipital border concave, the angles sharp, projecting upward, out- 
ward and slightly forward. Mandibles furnished with numerous denticles. 
Clypeus broadly produced and convex in front. Frontal carinae as long as 
broad in front, twice as broad in front as behind. Eyes placed behind the 
middle of sides. Scapes extend beyond occipital border by barely one-half 
their length. Second segment of funiculi almost twice as long as first, third 
to tenth gradually decreasing in length, apical pointed not as long as the two 
preceding together. Thorax fully twice as long as broad. Pronotum one- 
third broader than long, the lateral borders straight, parallel, sides concave, 
giving a pinched-like appearance; pro-mesonotal suture sharply defined. 
Mesonotum broader than long, broader in front than behind, convex in all 
directions. Epinotum short, convex, rounded into declivity. In profile the 
dorsum of epinotum flattened at middle, mesonotum and epinotum convex, 
the epinotal declivity not apparent. Node triangular on top, the corners 
rounded, almost one-third broader than long, with a deep, wide longitudinal 
impression which is widest behind; in profile one-third longer than high, 
anterior face vertical, anterior-superior border sharp, dorsum and posterior 
borders united, convex, without traces of a boundary ; the ventral surface in 
front with a long, very slender, almost bristly-like spine. Postpetiole cone- 
shaped, much broader than long, a deep and moderately wide constriction 
between the first and second segments, the latter much broader than long, 
strongly convex behind. Legs robust. 
Male . — (after Forel) : 
“S (noch nicht beschrieben) 11 mm. Langestreckt, Kopf etwas 
langer als breit, hinten und vorn verschmalert. Ozellen sehr gross. 
Thorax nicht breiter als der Kopf. Postpetiolus vorn allseitig stark 
verschmalert. Petiolus mit sichtbarem Knoten. Skulptur ahnlich wie 
beim ^ , aber Hinterleib und Postpetiolus glatt und glanzend. Rot mit 
schwarzem Hinterleib (Postpetiolus rotlich). Die Flugel fehlen.” 
Habitat. — Queensland'. Cooktown (type locality), ^ ; Laura (E. 
Mjoberg), ^ 3 ; Daintree River (C. Barrett), ^ ; Chillagoe (T. Campbell), 
g . Northern Territory : MacArthur River (G. F. Hill), ^ . 
Rhytidoponera aurata Eoger. 
(PI. Ill, figs. 5-6.) 
Ponera (Ectatomma) aurata Roger, Berl. Ent. Zeitr., v, p. 169, 1861, 5 . 
Ectatomma aurata Mayr, Jour. Mus. Godeffroy, xii, p. 91, 1876, ? . 
