Cataglyphis bicolor, F., var. protuberata, Crawley, W. C., 1920

Crawley, W. C., 1920, Ants from Mesopotamia and north-west Persia (concluded), Entomologists Record and Journal of Variation 32, pp. 177-179 : 1-2

Cataglyphis bicolor, F., var. protuberata , var. nov.

☿ Major. L. 9.0 mm.

Colour (type), dark brown-black ; funiculi and tarsi reddish-brown, gaster with a faint metallic lustre.

The colour in head and thorax varies from dark brown, almost black, to a dark red, lightest on head, deepening along the thorax to the petiole which is dark brown. In the red forms the articulation of the legs, the anterinæ and mandibles, are red. The apex of each segment of gastei 1 has a pale yellowish border.

Fourth joint of maxillary palpi slightly longer than 3rd, the 5th much longer than the 6th. Palpi fringed with moderately long hairs, not so long as in bicolor . Head quadrate ; clypeus with central portion raised and with a slight keel, the anterior border feebly concave. Eyes situate in posterior 3rd of sides of head. The scape passes the occiput by a 3rd of its length. Mesonotum in profile feebly convex or quite flat ; on each side, just below the centre, the mesonotum bears a short blunt protuberance, slightly sloping forwards. These protuberances vary in size, are largest in the largest 5 , absent or barely discernible in the ÿ media, and entirely. absent in the small a . Node of petiole viewed from above, rounded, slightly broader than long ; in profile it is broad and low, rounded above, convex anteriorly and nearly straight behind. Legs very long.

Mandibles coarsely striate. Head entirely matt and microscopically reticulate with a few punctures on cheeks. Frontal area somewhat shining. Sculpture on thorax and node similar to that on head, but more shining. Gaster microscopically reticulate.

A moderately long beard under chin ; a few long hairs on clypeus, a few short ones on pronotum, epinotum and scale. A grey pubescence on thorax, epinotum and scale, most abundant on epinotum. Antennæ without hairs.

☿ Minor. L. 6.0 mm.

Head red, thorax and node darker red. Anterior border of clypeus more distinctly emarginate. Scapes proportionately longer ; mesonotum saddle-shaped and without protuberances, the node lower, and the whole insect more slender. Otherwise resembles the 5 major. Length of scapes and shape of mesonotum in 5 media intermediate between 5 maxima and minima. Amara, 1918 (Buxton).

I have given a somewhat detailed description of this variety of October 15th, 1920. bicolor as the presence of the blunt projections on the mesonotum is, as far as I am aware, unique in this genus. The end of the process is obliquely cut off, and has no resemblance to the spines in e.g., the genus Polyrhachis . The ant, according to the specimens I received, is somewhat smaller than bicòlor, i.sp., which, in specimens I took in Egypt, attains a length of 12-Omm.

Evans captured a few examples of this variety, two of which were sent to me, with the note that both specimens were found coming out of the same hole in the sand. The g major is typical, but the g minor is entirely orange yellow, with the gaster paler, and is altogether a stouter insect than the ☿ ☿ minor taken with Buxton’s examples.