82 
AUSTRALIAN FORMICIDAE 
Hair yellow, short and erect, abundant throughout not shorter on antennae 
and legs. No pubescence. 
Head one-seventh longer than broad, broader in front than behind, sides 
convex, occipital border convex with a slight depression in the middle, angles 
sharp, projecting slightly laterally, a small sharp crest extends from angle to 
angle in front. Mandibles very finely denticulate. Clypeus convex above and 
in front. Frontal area large. Frontal carinae as long as broad in front. 
Scapes extend beyond occipital border by fully one-third their length; first 
and third segments of funiculus equal in len^h, one-seventh shorter than 
second, apical as long as the two preceding combined. Eyes globular placed 
behind the middle of the sides. Thorax twice as long as broad, pro-mesonotal 
suture sharply impressed, meso-epinotal suture feebly indicated. Pronotum 
twice as broad as long, convex in all directions, sides slightly compressed. 
Mesonotum one-fifth broader than long, broadest in front, convex. Epinotum 
as long as broad, convex laterally; in profile pronotum raised gradually 
convex to basal fourth then abruptly convex to base, a deep indention in 
middle of sides. Mesonotum evenly convex, as long as dorsum of epinotum 
but higher. Epinotum straight, curved into the short declivity behind. Node 
barely twice as broad as long, oval, dorsum convex transversely; in profile 
twice as high as long, anterior and posterior faces parallel, dorsum convex, 
the ventral spine long, slender and sharp. Postpetiole barely one-third broader 
than long, strongly convex in front, constriction deep and wide. First segment 
of gaster slightly broader than long, broadest in front, convex. Legs long 
and robust. 
Male. Unknown. 
Habitat. — North Queensland: Julia Creek (T. Greaves). 
Near R. socrus Forel, from which it is distinguished by the 
colour, shape and sculpture of thorax and node. 
Rhytidoponera rufithorax sp. nov. 
Plate XIII, Fig. 12. 
Worker. Length 7 -5-8 5 mm. 
Mandibles, head, thorax and node red, gaster black, scapes and legs brown, 
funiculi and tarsi yellowish brown. 
Mandibles and scapes very finely and densely striate longitudinally. Head 
coarsely punctate-rugose, the rugae fine, punctures broad and shallow, shining 
at the bottom, spaces between finely reticulate. Thorax very finely and 
densely reticulate, with widely spaced, large, shallow punctures shining at the 
bottom. Epinotal declivity more transversely rugose. Node more finely 
punctate-rugose. Postpetiole very finely densely striate transversely arched. 
First segment of gaster more finely striate transversely. Legs very finely 
striate transversely, the striae in some examples obsolete. 
Hair yellow, short and erect, sparse throughout, more abundant but 
shorter and finer on antennae and legs. Pubescence whitish, confined to 
funiculi. 
Head fully one-fifth longer than broad, sides feebly convex, occipital 
border convex, with a short concave depression in the middle, angles rounded, 
a sharp crest limits the border and angles. Mandibles edentate, cutting edge 
sharp. Clypeus convex in all directions. Frontal area large, triangular. 
Frontal carinae as long as broad in front. Scapes extend beyond occipital 
border by more than one-third of their length; first four segments of 
