64 THE ARGENTINE ANT AND OTHER EXOTIC ANTS 
Scutellum as long as broad in front, somewhat cone-shaped, widest at base, 
overhanging the metanotum and epinotum. Metanotum narrow, ridge-like. 
Epinotum short, convex, rounded into declivity. Node scale-like, sharp 
above, strongly convex transversely. Gaster fully twice as long as broad. 
Legs long and slender. 
Male. Length 3-4 mm. (Fig. 3). 
Sculpture and pilosity as in the worker. Colour darker, the antennae 
and legs paler, more yellowish. Wings hyaline with a yellowish tinge, 
veins brown. 
Head as broad as long, posterior angles rounded. Mandibles short, 
strongly curved, apex sharply pointed. Clypeus short, convex, broadly 
produced and convex in front. Antennal fovea deep. Antennae slender. 
Scapes one-third shorter than second segment of funiculus, first segment 
globular, longer than broad and broader than the other segments. Eyes 
large, flatly convex, occupying all of front half of sides. Ocelli large and 
prominent, the posterior pair forming strong angles on occipital border. 
Thorax large and robust, about one-third longer than broad. Mesonotum 
large and globular, one-fifth broader than long, overhanging the pronotum 
and head in front, parapsidal furrows deeply impressed. Scutellum large, 
hemispherical, shaped similar to that of the female, but higher. Epinotum 
broader than long, convex laterally; in profile mesonotum strongly arched 
from apex to base, overhanging pronotum and head. Scutellum twice as 
long as high, slightly overhanging behind, hiding metanotum. Epinotum 
level with mesonotum, straight in front, strongly convex and overhanging 
declivity behind, declivity concave. Node thicker than in female; in profile 
shorter and more bluntly pointed. Gaster shorter than thorax, slender, 
twice as long as broad. Genital valves external, small and rounded. Legs 
long and slender. 
Locality. — Victoria: Widely distributed around Melbourne. 
Apparently established first at Balwyn, about ten years 
ago, it is found now as far east as Dandenong (20 miles), and 
at Caulfield and St. Kilda. South-west it is found through 
Footscray to Williamstown (12 miles) ; northward it is found 
in Essendon and Brunswick. 
This species cannot be confounded with any of the eighty 
native forms of the genus found in Australia. 
In size and colour it is nearest to Iridomyrmex darwinianus 
Forel and its variety fida Forel. The anatomical structure, 
however, is different. In general appearance it is somewhat 
similar to Tapinoma minuta Mayr. 
In his paper on this species, Newell gives a description of 
the ant written by the late Dr. W. M. Wlieeler. The description 
of the female is misleading as Wheeler states that the ” thorax 
is nearly three times as long as broad,” also that “the scutel- 
lum projects above the mesonotum and epinotum.” Actually 
the thorax is little more than twice as long as broad and the 
scutellum overhangs the metanotum and epinotum. In front 
it is level with the dorsum of the mesonotum. Newell’s figure 
