AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES

Published by

Number 349           T}Ie Amewmcax Museum or NatuRaL History         April 29, 1929

New York City

59.57, 96 (9)

THREE NEW GENERA OF ANTS FROM THE DUTCH EAST

INDIES'

By William Morton Whe:eler

Amauromymezx, new genus

WoRkeR.—Monomorphic, slender. Head moderately large; eyes very small,
situated at the sides and slightly in front of its middle; ocelli absent. Mandibles sub-
triangular, dentate. Clypeus short and broad, extending back between the frontal
carinae, its anterior border without teeth or carinae. Frontal carinae well-developed
but short, slightly closer together than their distance from the lateral borders of the
head. Frontal groove absent; frontal area rather large but indistinct. Antennae
slender, 11-jointed, funiculus with club consisting of two nearly equal joints; first
funicular joint more than twice as long as broad, joints 2-8 small, subequal. Thorax
slender; pro- and epinotum each with a pair of spines; promesonotal and meso-
epinotal sutures obsolete; mesoepinotal constriction distinct. Petiole slender, with
well-developed node, its lower surface unarmed; postpetiole evenly convex above.
Gaster small; the first segment forming nearly three-fourths of its surface. Sting
vestigial. Legs long, femora thickened apically; spurs of the posterior tibias delicate,
scarcely thicker than the hairs, non-pectinate. Claws simple. Integument thick, sculp-
tured, sparsely hairy.

Genotype.—Amauromyrmex speculifrons, new species.

Amauromyrmex speculifrons, new species
Figure 1

WoRkeR.—Length, 2.5-3.5 mm.

Head slightly longer than broad, as broad in front as behind, with evenly convex
lateral borders and concave posterior border; occipital border marginate; vertex and
gula in profile flattened, especially behind. Eyes consisting of less than a dozen un-
equal facets. Clypeus somewhat flattened in the middle, the anterior border with a
small, indistinct median emargination. Mandibles with convex external borders,
6-toothed, the two apical teeth and the basal tooth large, the three remaining teeth
very small, separated by a diastema from the second tooth and diminishing in size
towards the base. Antenna- slender; scapes straight, slightly enlarged towards their
tips, which extend somewhat beyond the posterior corners of the head; first funicular
joint about three times as long as broad; joints 2-8 distinctly longer than broad;
club somewhat shorter than the remainder of the funiculus, its two joints rather
slender, the basal naxrower than the apical and about three-fourths as long. Thorax

N^LContribution from the Entomological Laboratory of the Bussey Institution, Harvard University,
NO. 309..

AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES

[No. 349

slender, decidedly narrower than the head, broadest through the pronotam; the meso-
and epinotum narrow; pronotum slightly longer than broad, evenly elliptical from
above, its dorsal surface depressed and moderately flattenled, very feebly convex in
profile; the pair of spines rather blunt, somewhat longer than broad at their bases,
flattened and projecting outward and slightly forward and upward. From the base
of each spine backward, the sides of the pronotum are distinctly marginate. The
mesonotum seen from above is rectangular and parallel-sided, longer than broad; it
graduaOly slopes downward and backward to the mesoepinotal constriction. Epinotum

Fig. 1. Amauromymex speculifrons, new genus and species.
a, worker in profile; b, head of same, dorsal view; c, thorax and pedicel, dorsal view.

broader than the mesonotum, somewhat broader than long; its base moderatly con-
vex in prefile, longer than the declivity, which is vertical, marginate on the sides
and rather concave medially; the spines are as long as their distance apart at the base,
slender and acute, directed upward and outward and with their tips curved forward.
Petiole very slender, nearly three times as long as broad, gradually broadened behind
where it bears a rounded-conical node, through which the petiole is as high as the
length of the peduncle; ventral surface evenly convex and finely crenulate in proffle.
Postpetiole fully half again as broad as the petiole, nearly one and one-half times as
long as broad, subelliptical in profile, evenly convex above but decidedly lower than
the petiolar node. Gaster smaller than the head, elongate ellipticaL narrowed an-
teriorly. Distal halves of femora decidedly thickened, their bases and the tibia slender.

1929] NEW ANTS FROM THE DUTCH EAST INDIES          3

Feebly shining; mandibles subopaque, sharply and densely striate; front of head
over a squarish area bounded anteriorly by the frontal carinse and as far back as the
posterior fourth, very smooth and shining; remainder of head, thorax and petiole
sharply and regularly reticulate-rugulose, the gula anteriorly and the cheeks with
longitudinal rugae. The latter spread out fan-wise around the antennal f oveas. There
are rugae also on the thoracic dorsum but they are irregular, loose and vermiculate;
' sides of epinotum with several longitudinal rugae. Petiole more finely reticulate than
the thorax. Postpetiole, gaster and legs shining but with rather uneven surface and
with sparse piligerous punctures. Scapes and coxe indistinctly shagreened, less shin-
ing than the legs.

Hairs yellowish, coarse, sparse, pointed, of very uneven length; long and erect
on the dorsal surface, especially on the pronotum, clypeus and gaster; shorter and
oblique on the legs and scapes.

Mandibles, head, thorax and coxe deep reddish brown; petiole, postpetiole,
gaster, legs and antennae paler and more yellowish brown; first gastric segment,
except anteriorly, dark brown.

Described from seven specimens taken by Dr. E. Mj6berg on Mt. Poi, at an alti-
tude of 8000 ft., Sarawak, Borneo (type-locality), and eight specimens, taken by Dr.
K. Dammerman at Doerian in the Riouw Archipelago, near Singapore. Four of the
latter series are defective.

The genus Amauromyrmex is obviously related to Pheidologeton
Mayr, but there is nothing to indicate that the worker is represented by
any large media or soldier form in addition to the form above described.
Moreover, no species of Pheidologeton is known to have spines on the
pronotum. The affinities of the new genus to the two known species of
Erebomyrma Wheeler from Texas and Peru, and especially to SpeUseo-
myrmex urichi Wheeler from Trinidad, seem to be much closer, but
Spelaomyrmex has the clypeus toothed and carinate, the basal joint of
the antennal club only one-third as long as the terminal joint, the pro-
notum merely angulate at the humeri and the posterior tibiae without
spurs. In most other respects the resemblance is striking. Amauromyr-
mex also resembles Lophomyrmrex Emery, especially in the structure of the
pronotum, but the latter genus has a 3-jointed antennal club and distinct
promesonotal and mesoepinotal sutures. The small eyes and long,
sparse, erect hairs seem to indicate that Amauromyrmex is hypogaeic in
habits like Erebomyrma and Speleomyrmex.

Buzgmatomyma, new genus

Fxmae.—Robust, with thick, smooth integument. Head very high and convex
in the middle, depressed at the posterior corners, which are rounded; the occiput
deeply excised in the middle. Eyes very prominent but rather small, situated at the
sides of the head and just in front of its middle. Ocelli large and prominent. Palpi
very small and short. Mandibles well-developed, subtriangular, dentate, narrow at the
bases which are inserted rather far apart near the anterior corners of the head. Clyp-

4                   AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES [No. 349

eus broad and short with nearly straight anterior border; its posterior border straight
and not continued back between the frontal carine. The latter very short and neither
prominent nor covering the antennal insertions, sigmoidal, moderately far apart.
Antenna 12-jointed, long, inserted very close to the clypeus; scape stout, funiculus
very slender, not thickened towards the tip; first joint shorter than the second.
Antennal and clypeal fovese not confluent, the latter indistinct. Thorax robust and
massive, broader than the head; mesonotum very prominent anteriorly, epinotum
smooth and unarmed, its spiracles circular. Petiole large, with a very thick, rounded
node above. Gaster short and subglobose, not longer than broad, very convex
above; first segment short, not longer than the second and third together. Legs
very long; femora, tibiae and metatarsi flattened; spurs of posterior tibiae very smaUl
and short. Claws simple. Wings lacking.

Genotype.—Bregmatomyrma carnosa, new species.

Bregmatomyrma camosa, new species

Figure 2

Female (dealated).—Length, 7 mm.

Head distinctly broader than long; very slightly narrower in front than behind,
with straight sides; the posterior border broadly, deeply and arcuately excised, the
posterior corners rounded and lobular, but thick; the front and ocellar region very
high and convex, the surface falling abruptly and almost perpendicularly behind the
posterior ocelli to the occipital foramen and less abruptly and concavely to each
posterior lobe. The prominent eyes are nearly circular, distinctly shorter than Jheir
distance from the anterior corners of the head. Mandibles long and rather narrow
with feebly concave external borders and subequal basal and apical borders, the latter
oblique and 5-toothed, their terminal tooth long and curved, the others subequal
and rather broad. The mandibles overlap but leave a space between their inner
angles and the clypeus. Clypeus not reaching to the corners of the head, nearly twice
as broad as long, somewhat convex in the middle, its anterior border entire and feebly
rounded. Frontal area small and indistinct, triangular; frontal groove represented
by a distinct, narrow ridge extending back to the anterior ocellus. Frontal carina
strongly diverging posteriorly. Antennal scapes curved only at the extreme base,
otherwise straight, slightly dilated and flattened, extending about one-fourth their
length beyond the posterior corners of the head; first funicular joint three times as
long as broad; the remaining joints, except the. last, gradually decreasing in length
and all of the same thickness, the last joint somewhat more slender and as long as the
two penultimate joints together. Thorax broader than the head, the mesonotum,
scutellum and epinotum all broader than long; the pro- and mesonotum together as
broad as long and nearly equalling the greatest height of the thorax. Mesonotum
anteriorly continuing the vertical outline of the pronotum, the posterior surface very
feebly ridged in the middle, its outline in proffle nearly straight and horizontal. Be-
hincd the mesonotum the outline of the scutellum and epinotum form a gently sloping
curve, the epinotum being evenly convex, without a distinct base and declivity.
Petiolar node half as broad as the epinotum and less than one and one-half times as
broad as long; from above broadly elliptical. In proffle the petiole is somewhat
higher than long, its ventral surface with a median convexity, its node thick and erect,
with subequal, convex anterior and posterior surfaces and bluntly rounded apex.

19291 NEW ANTS FROM THE DUTCH EAST INDIES

Gaster broader than the thorax but shorter, its anterior border straight and trans-
verse, rather sharply angulate on each side. Circumanal cilia long and bristly.
Legs long, the femora, tibia and metatarsi distinctly flattened, the anterior femora not
enlarged.

Mandibles, scapes, legs, gaster and petiole, except the anterior surface of the
node, smooth and shining; mandibles coarsely punctate and along the dental border
finely striolate. Head, thorax, coxae and anterior surface of petiolar node subopaque,
very finely reticulate punctate.

Hairs yellowish, fine and short, absent on the body, except the clypeus, suberect
and moderately numerous on the legs and mandibles, sparse on the anterior surface
of the scapes. Head, thorax, coxe and anterior surface of the petiolar node covered
with dense, fine, appressed, golden pubescence, which does not completely conceal
the underlying integument though it produces a silky lustre. Antennal funiculi with
longer, less appressed pubescence.

Fig. 2. Bregmcatomyrmca carnosa, new genus and species,
a, female (deflated), in profile; b, head of same, dorsal view.

Deep blood-red; the head, thorax, cox= and anterior surface of the petiolar node
darker and more blackish, but the sutures, wing-insertions and upper portions of the
mesopleurse paler and more. ferruginous.

Described from a single specimen taken by Dr. E. Mjoberg at Pajan, in Dutch
East Borneo.

This extraordinary ant is evidently to be regarded as the representa-
tive of a new tribe of Formicin2e, which may be called the Bregmatomyr-

6                   AMIERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES [No.

mnml, but the precise position of this group among the known tribes of
the subfamily cannot be determined till the worker and male have been
secured and the gizzard examined. The general habitus of the insecU
somewhat resembles that of Pseudolasius and suggests that it mnight be
placed, for the present, near the tribe Lasiini.

MYrmapatztzs, new genus

Male.—Head rather large and broad, with very large eyes, which take up nearly
the whole of its sides; ocelli large and prominent; cheeks extremely short; face
narrowed upward; clypeus extending backward in a blunt point between the antennal
insertions, which are close together. Frontal carine undeveloped. Palpi very
slender and delicate; the maxillary pair apparently 6-jointed, the labial pair 4-jointed.
Mandibles very small, vestigial, drawn out at the tip into a long slender point. Anter-
ne 13-jointed, very slender and filiform; scape much shorter than the second funiculhr
joint; first funicular joint small, not swollen. Thorax decidedly narrower than the
head; pronotum well-developed, not overarched by the mesonotum, the latter with
deep Mayrian furrows. Petiole with large erect node. Gaster short, with rather
voluminous, exserted genitalia; last tergite somewhat beak-shaped, pointed. Cerci
present. Legs slender; all the tibiae with well-developed spurs. Claws simple. Wings
with two cubital cells, a rather small discoidal and a closed submarginal cell.

Genotype.—Myrmapatetes filicornis, new species.

Myrmapatetes filicornis, new species
Figure 3

Male.—Length, 4.8 mm.; fore wing, 4.3 mm.

Head transversely elliptical, nearly one and one-third times as briad as long, with
concave occipital surface and resembling the head of a dipteron. Antennae inserted a,
little below the middle of the face. Clypeus as long as broad, subtriangular, mod.-
erately convex in the middle, with nearly straight anterior border. Frontal groove
distinct anteriorly, posteriorly continued back as. a rather deep impression to the
anterior ocellus. Antennal scapes about two and one-half times as long as broadI,
cylindrical, broader than the funiculi; first joint of the latter a little longer than
broad; joints 2-9 slender and elongate, gradually diminishing in length distallyT
joints 10 and 11 subequal, together as long as the preceding and terminal joillt. Thorax
about twice as long as broad, broadest through the mesonotumn; pronotum trans.-
versely swollen; mesonotum and scutellum convex; epinotum evenly rounded ancd
sloping, without distinct base and declivity. Petiole higher than long, the node thick,
higher than broad, broader above than below, cuneate in profile, with subequal, flat
anterior and posterior surfaces and blunt apex. Gaster elliptical, the first segment
high and subtruncate anteriorly; external genital valves subquadrate, with broad
excised apical border.

Head subopaque, very finely punctate-reticulate; thorax, petiole and gaster more
shining, superficially and very finely punctate. Mayrian furrows on the mesonotum
transversely rugose.

1929] NEW ANTS FROM THE DUTCH EAST INDIES 7

Hairs yellowish, short, rather few and scattered on the thorax, more numerous
on the border of the petiolar node and on the gaster, especially on the venter. Whole
body and appendages covered with very fine, appressed whitish pubescence, not very
conspicuous or sufficiently dense to hide the underlying integument.

Brownish black; mandibles, mouthparts, tarsi and articulations of legs duUl
brownish yellow. Wings uniformly tinged with brown, with brown stigma and veins.

Described from a single specimen taken during December, 1907, by Dr. F. Muir,
on the Island of Larat, near New Guinea.

Fig. 3. Myrmapatetes fdicornis, new genus and species,
a, male, in profile; b, head of same, from front.

I have hesitated to describe this singular ant, which has been in
my collection for many years, because its affinities seemed to be so
obscure. It is obviously one of the Dolichoderinae and resembles the male
of Dolichoderus in wing-venation and the structure of the gaster and

8                 AMERICAN MUSEUM NOVITATES [No. 349

genitalia, but in no dolichoderine genus known to me does the male have
Mayrian furrows on the mesonotum, or such peculiarly reduced mandibles,
slender palpi and antenna. The male of the primitive genus Aneuretus,
however, is still unknown, and it is therefore possible that the specimen
from Larat may belong to this or to some allied genus of which the
worker has not been seen.