Eciton rapax, Smith, Frederick, 1855

Smith, Frederick, 1855, Descriptions of some species of Brazilian ants belonging to the genera Pseudomyrma, Eciton and Myrmica (with observations on their economy by Mr. H. W. Bates), Transactions of the Entomological Society of London (2) 3, pp. 156-169 : 163

Sp. 4. Eciton rapax , n. s.

Worker.-Length 4\ lines. The head, thorax and legs of an opaque black; seven or eight of the apical joints of the flagellum fulvous beneath; the head and mandibles as in E. curvidentata ; the edges of the cavity for the reception of the antennae rather more raised at the sides ; the metathorax armed with two acute spines ; the articulations of the legs, the apex of the tibia) and tips of the joints of tarsi, ferruginous ; the first node of the abdomen having beneath a small spine curved backward : the abdomen reddish-yellow, thinly sprinkled with pale pubescence ; the legs, head, thorax and antennae sprinkled with black hairs.

Worker (minor).-Very closely resembling the larger worker; the flagellum has more of the fulvous colouring; the tip of the scape, the anterior margin of the face and inner edge of the mandibles , more or less ferruginous ; the legs rufo-fuscous, with their articulations as well as the tarsi ferruginous; the metathorax without spines, but having two longitudinal carinae, not produced at their termination. The first node of the abdomen armed beneath, as in the larger worker; there is also a minute tooth at the base of the second node, pointing forwards; abdomen reddish yellow.

This species was found by Mr. Bates at Para, and also at Santarem ; I have not been able to find any description of it, and believe it to be a new species. It is found in the virgin forests of Brazil, as observed by Mr. Bates, not in open sandy situations like most of the other species.