Ocodoma malabarica, Jerdon, T. C., 1851

Jerdon, T. C., 1851, A catalogue of the species of ants found in southern India., Madras Journal of Literature and Science 17, pp. 103-127 : 107-108

7. Ocodoma malabarica , N. S.

Worker 1 / 8 th of an inch long, head oval, eyes moderate, jaws rounded, triangular, pointed, and finely serrated; antennae long and slender; thorax doubly notched and with some small tubercles especially two in the usual situation of the thoracic spines; first abdominal pedicle small and conic, second large, rounded; head, thorax and legs, rufous, abdomen blackish; legs long.

Warrior 1 / 4 th of an inch long; head enormous, rugose, striated, deeply notched behind; eyes minute, advanced, lateral; jaws trian-gular bluntly toothed, and with an appendage at thin base; thorax Very rough, tubercled, with two minute rudimentary spines; first abdominal pedicle small, narrow, barely raised; second large, broad, raised, rounded; antennae short; antennae, legs, and abdominal pe-dicles rufous, the rest of the body blackish.

This species of Ant appears to form a link between the two Genera Atta and Ocodoma , as shown by the rudimentary state of the thoracic spines. I have found it chiefly about houses, it runs rapidly, lives both on insects and other animal matter, and on sugar, bread, & c. At first sight I mistook it for a small species of Formica , mentioned hereafter, Formica vagans .