AUSTRALIAN SPECIES OF RHYTIDOPONERA MAYR 
87 
Redescribed from a co-type and a large number of speci- 
mens from the type nest. 
Rhytidoponera convexa Mayr subsp. violacea Forel. 
(PI. VI, fig. 65-66.) 
Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera) convexiim Mayr subsp. violaceum Forel, 
Fauna Sudwest Austrl., i, p. 269, 1907, 5 $ . 
Rhytidoponera (Rhytidoponera) convexa Mayr subsp. violacea Emery, 
Gen. Ins., fasc. 118, p. 38, 1911, ^ S . 
Ectatomma (Rhytidoponera) convexum Mayr var. gemma Forel, Fauna 
Sudwest Austrl., i, p. 269, 1907, S . 
Worker. — Length, 6- 5-8 mm. 
Head and gaster brownish-black, thorax almost black. Mandibles, funiculi 
and legs chocolate-brown. Head, thorax and gaster with a metallic violet- 
green sheen. 
Mandibles, scapes and tibiae very finely and densely striate longitudinally. 
Clypeus and space between frontal carinae coarsely punctate-rugose, the rugae 
longitudinal. Head coarsely and irregularly punctate-rugose, punctures shin- 
ing at bottom. Anterior third of pronotum transversely striate-rugose, with 
large, shallow, scattered punctures; posterior two-thirds coarsely and 
irregularly punctate-rugose, the punctures shallow and shining, less numerous 
than on head. Mesonotum punctate-rugose with a few transverse striae 
behind. Epinotum transversely striate, coarser behind than in front, with 
large, shallow, scattered punctures. Node circularly striate on top, transversely 
striate in front. Postpetiole and gaster transversely arched striate, slightly 
coarser on postpetiole than on following segment, with very small, scattered, 
piligerous punctures. Eemora finely and densely reticulate. Coxae finely 
rugose. 
Hair yellow, erect, long and abundant on head, thorax, node and gaster, 
shorter and suberect on antennae and legs. 
Head one-fifth longer than broad, sides almost parallel, strongly convex 
behind the eyes, occipital border feebly convex, angles broadly rounded, a 
sharp transverse crest, not very prominent, extends round occipital angles. 
Mandibles rather strongly denticulate. Clypeus convex above, rather sharply 
convex in front. Frontal area large and shallow. Frontal carinae as long 
as broad in front. Scapes extend beyond occipital border by one-third their 
length. First and third segments of funiculus equal in length, slightly shorter 
than second, apical as long as the two preceding together. Eyes placed at 
posterior third of sides. Thorax twice as long as broad, pro-mesonotal suture 
sharply impressed, meso-epinotal suture indicated. Pronotum one-fourth 
broader than long, sides and dorsum feebly convex. Mesonotum one-third 
broader than long, strongly convex in all directions, bluntly pointed in front. 
Epinotum strongly convex transversely. In profile evenly convex longitudi- 
nally with a distinct impression at the sutures. Node rather thin, fully twice 
as broad as long, convex in all directions. In profile high and slender, anterior 
and posterior faces straight and parallel, doisum short, feebly convex, the 
ventral spine short and slender, sharp-pointed. Postpetiole one-third broader 
than long strongly convex in front. Eirst segment of gaster barely one-third 
broader than long, strongly convex behind. The constriction between the 
segments rather wide but not deep. Legs long and robust. 
