Wasmannia auropunctata, Roger

Forel, A., 1893, Formicides de l'Antille St. Vincent. Récoltées par Mons. H. H. Smith., Transactions of the Entomological Society of London 1893, pp. 333-418 : 383-386

1. Wasmannia auropunctata, Roger .

(No. 39 a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, vi, n, o, q, r, s, t, u, et 48 c bis), [[ worker ]] [[ queen ]] [[ male ]], [[ queen ]] (Inedite). L. 4 a 4, 3 mill.; thorax large de 1, 0 a 1,1, abdo- men de 1, 3 mill. Le thorax beaucoup plus large que la tete. Tete beaucoup plus large que longue et beaucoup plus large derriere que devant, largement concave derriere. Occiput subtronque. Pronotum epaule devant. Mesonotum subdeprime. Metanotum pourvu de deux epines extremement larges, triangulaires et assess longues qui se prolongent en aretes un peu translucides jusqu'au lobule metasternal qui est lamelliforme. Premier article du pedi- cule avec un petiole beaucoup plus long et plus fort, et un n oe ud plus court que chez l'ouvriere.

Tete et thorax longitudinalement rides-stries, mats et tres finement reticules-ponctues entre les rides. Pedicule et 1 er segment de l'abdomen tres finement et densement reticules-ponctues et mats (le dernier en partie reticule et subopaque ainsi que les pattes). Le pedicule a en outre quelques impressions longitudinales. Les autres segments abdominaux tres faiblement chagrines et luisants. Le premier segment de l'abdomen n'a pas les gros points enfonces de la [[ worker ]] et du [[ male ]].

D'un brun roussatre ou jaunatre, ferrugineux. Dessus de la tete et du thorax ainsi que le milieu des segments abdominaux d'un brun chatain. Ailes teintes de brunatre, pubescentes; nervures et tache marginale brunes. Du reste comme l'ouvriere, en particulier la pilosite et la pubescence, les aretes frontales, etc.

[[ male ]] (inedit). L. 4, 2 mill. Yeux grands, rapproches du bord anterieur de la tete. Mandibules dentees. Epistome sans carene. Scapes longs comme les deux premiers articles du funicule reunis. Premier article du funicule tres court, a peine plus long que large; second article d' 1 / 4 plus long que le 3 me. Face basale du meta- notum bien plus longue que la face declive; metanotum portant deux tubercules lateraux allonges. Premier article du pedicule avec un petiole large et un n oe ud arrondi, fortement elargi vers sa base. Valvules genitales exterieures terminees par deux immenses appendices longs, etroits, recourbes en bas, faiblement elargis vers leur extremite, longs comme les 2 / 3 de l'abdomen et depassant d'autant son extremite. Ces singuliers appendices qui ne sont qu'un prolongement demesure de l'extremite des valvules exte- rieures, donnent a ce male un aspect tout particulier. Mesonotum avec un large sillon median anterieur, deux sillons convergents et deux sillons lateraux posterieurs.

Tete et thorax densement reticules-ponctues et mats, avec quelques rides (quelques stries sur la tete). Metanotum en outre fortement ride en long. Pedicule reticule et subopaque. Abdomen luisant, faiblement reticule; sur le premier segment de gros points enfonces irreguliers. Pilosite et pubescence comme chez la [[ queen ]] et l'ouvriere, mais plus pointue et plus fine.

D'un brun fonce ou noiratre. Cotes du thorax, pattes et funicules d'un brun jaunatre sale. Mandibules, scapes, tarses, extre- mite des segments abdominaux, et appendices genitaux d'an jaunatre sale. Ailes d'une teinte un peu plus noiratre que chez la [[ queen ]].

(39). A very common species. The communities ave generally rather small, but may be composed of several hundred, or even a thousand, individuals. The formicaria are very simple, advantage being taken of a space among rotting leaves on the ground, or there is a single chamber - sometimes two or three close together - - under a stone or stick, at the roots of grass, or under bark, nearly always in a damp place. In this the ants are found closely packed, with a single female, or several, if the community is large, and the eggs and larvas. The workers are sluggish in their movements, and the females still more so. The workers are frequently found on foliage, forest or open land.

(39 a). Oct. 11 th (leeward). Forest above Chateau- belais, 1000 ft.; under a stick.

(39 b). Near Fort Charlotte, Kingstown, 500 ft. Oct. 25 th. Small nest under the side of a stone; thickets. Several males but no female found.

(39 c). Fitz-Hugh Valley (leeward), 500 ft. Nov. 4 th. Open place. Nest under log, and partly under the bark, with several chambers.

(39 d). Several nests. Localities and dates, not noted.

(39 e). Near Golden Grove House (leeward), 500 ft. Oct. 6 th. Coco orchards, among rotting leaves, under stones, & c. Several colonies; in one large one (several hundred workers) I could find no female. Some were taken on foliage.

(39 f). Same locality and date as No. 89 e. A small colony, under a stone.

(39 g). Bowwood Valley, near Kingstown, 800 ft. Oct. 21 st. Open place under a stone. Small colony.

(39 h). Near Palmyra Estate (leewardi, 1000 ft. Nov. 3 rd. Open place; under a log; between rotting leaves.

(39 i). Wallilobo Valley (leeward), Nov. 5 th. 5000 ft. Forest. Small nest under sod on a rock.

(39 j). Wallibou (leeward); seashore thickets. Oct. 7 th. Small nest under a stone.

(39 k). Old Botanical Garden, Kingstown; second growth. A small nest, in rotting-wood.

(39 l). Forest above Chateaubelais, 1000 ft. March. A single female, under rotting leaves.

(39 m). Open land and forest, 1500 ft. to sea-level. Beaten from foliage. Various localities and dates.

(39 n). Various localities and dates; forest or open land below 2000 ft. Taken from small nests, or found among rotting leaves.

(39 o). Southern end of island; Villa Estate. Oct. 14 th. Seashore thicket. Small nest under a block of coral (doubtfully referred to this species).

(39 q). Petit Bordelle Valley, 1600 ft. Nov. 13 th. Clearing. A small nest in rotten wood.

(39 r). Camden Park Estate (leeward), north of Kingstown. Nov. 19 th. Small nest under the bark of a palm-log; seaside thicket. No female could be found.

(39 s). Windward side, Robocca to Grand Sable Estate. Jan .. 2 nd and 3 rd. From several nests in various localities near the seashore; under stones.

(39 t). Windward, Grand Sable Estate; open place near the sea. Community of about 500, under a stone. Jan. 3 rd.

(32 u). Sandy bed of Dry River (windward), near sea. Jan. 2 nd. Under a stone. Associated with No. 34 c.

(48 c bis). Females found without workers; under sod on rocks; different localities near sea-level (leeward), and south end of island. November.