Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla) glabrinotum

Clark, J., 1930, New Formicidae, with notes on some little-known species., Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 43, pp. 2-25 : 13-14

Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla) glabrinotum , n. sp. (Text-fig. 1, Nos. 11, 11a.)

Worker.-Length, 10-10.5 mm.

Black. Legs brown. Mandibles and epinotum with a brownish tinge.

Subnitid. Mandibles and pronotum shining, almost smooth. Head coarsely rugose behind the eyes, finely and densely punctate in front of the eyes. Epinotum smooth above, finely and densely punctate. Sides of the mesonotum and epinotum coarsely and irregularly rugose. Gaster, legs and antennae microscopically punctate.

Hair greyish, erect, long and pointed, abundant throughout, shorter and suberect on the antennae and legs. Pubescence greyish, very fine and adpressed, abundant throughout, slightly longer on the gaster, but not hiding the sculpture. Head one-third longer than broad, the sides convex, the occipital produced as a bluntly rounded point. Frontal carinae erect, diverging behind. Clypeus convex, with a distinct median carina, produced in front. Eyes large and globular, placed almost at the posterior third. Scapes extending beyond the occipital border by almost one-half their length; first segment of the funiculus oneiourth longer than the second. Mandibles armed with five to six strong sharp teeth. Thorax fully twice as long as broad. Pronotum as long as broad, convex laterally, furnished with a long, slender, sharp spine at each side in front, directed outward and curved forward; in profile the dorsum strongly convex longitudinally, the spines directed downward and forward. Mesonotum longer than broad, convex above. Epinotum as long as broad, furnished with two long, slender spines, meeting at their base, directed outward, and backward, fully twice as long as those on the pronotum; in profile suberect, curved backward, the dorsum of the epinotum and mesonotum forming a straight line, much lower than the pronotum. The declivity at an obtuse angle, as long as the dorsum. Node longer than broad, the sides strongly •convex, furnished with two long, sharp, slender spines, directed outward and backward, slightly longer than their distance apart at the base; in profile one-fourth higher than long, higher behind than in front, the anterior and posterior faces straight, parallel, the dorsum convex, the spines directed slightly upward. Gaster longer than broad. Legs long and slender.

Habitat.-North Queensland: Cape York (W. B. Barnard).

This species is near P. barnardi Clark , but is readily distinguished by its smaller size and more slender form, more shining appearance, and highly polished pronotum. The sculpture is much coarser than in P. barnardi . The shape of the head and node at once separate this species from P. clotho Forel .

Polyrhachis (Myrmhopla) barnardi Clark . Journ. Roy. Soc. W. Aust., xv, p. 39, pl. i, figs. 37-38. 1923.

Female.-Length, 14-5-15 mm. Not previously described.

Resembles the worker, but is much larger and more robust. The colour, sculpture and pilosity are identical. The spines of the pronotum, epinotum and node are shorter and thicker. On the mesonotum there is a sharp longitudinal carina in the middle of the anterior half, effaced behind. A strong carina on each side takes the place of parapsidal furrows. The posterior border finely, but sharply, margined, with a sharp tooth-like corner at the junction with the lateral carina. Wings hyaline, with a smoky tinge.

Habitat.-North Queensland: Cape York (W. B. Barnard).

Since the worker was described I have received further.examples of this species from Mr. Barnard, including the female, also examples of P. clotho Forel . The latter is very distinct from P. barnardi having a differently shaped head and node. The formation of the thorax is somewhat similar. In P. clotho the head is almost as broad as long, and broadly rounded behind. The spines of the epinotum are more widely separated and raised at a very slight angle. The node is higher in front than behind, more like that of P. trapezoidea Mayr . The pilosity is similar to that of P. glabrinotum , described above.