Phyracaces clarus

Clark, J., 1930, New Formicidae, with notes on some little-known species., Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 43, pp. 2-25 : 3-4

Phyracaces clarus , n. sp. (Text-fig. 1, No. 2.)

Worker.-Length, 9-10 mm.

Bright castaneous. Antennae and tarsi darker. Eyes, ocelli, margins of the thorax and node black.

Shining. Densely and microscopically punctate throughout, slightly coarser on the front of the head than elsewhere. Lower half of the sides of the thorax finely rugose.

Hair yellow, long and erect, pointed, abundant throughout, particularly on the apical segments of the gaster, shorter on the antennae and legs. Pubescence very fine and adpressed, confined to the antennae and legs.

Head as long as broad, the occipital border almost straight, the sides convex. Frontal carinae erect, truncate and confluent behind. Carinae of the cheeks short, extending back level with the frontal carinae. Clypeus short, broadly rounded and feebly produced in front. Eyes large, almost globular, placed at the middle of the sides. Three large prominent ocelli. Scapes extending to the anterior ocellus; second segment of the funiculus fully one-third longer than the first, apical barely as long as the two preceding together. Mandibles triangular, finely denticulate, abruptly bent at their base. Thorax one and three-quarter times longer than broad, constricted at the mesonotal region, with faint traces of sutures. Pronotum convex and subbordered in front, strongly bordered and convex on the sides, the border terminâtes at the suture. Mesonotum not margined. Epinotum strongly corrvex and margined on the sides, the posterior border feebly convex and strongly margined. The declivity short and steep, submarginate on the sides. Petiole broader than long, much broader behind than in front, the anterior border concave, submarginate, the sides strongly convex and marginate, the anterior angles sharp, the posterior angles produced as broad translucent teeth, directed outward and curved inward. There is only a feeble indication of a tooth on the ventral surface, near the middle. Postpetiole fully one-third broader than long, much broader behind than in front, the anterior border straight, marginate, the sides strongly convex, the anterior two-thirds submarginate. A deep and wide construction between the postpetiole and gaster, the latter broader than long. Legs long and slender, hind coxae without a lamella behind.

Female.-Length, 10-12 mm.

Similar to the worker, but larger and winged. The pilosity is much more abundant. Parapsidal furrows strongly impressed. Mayrian furrows not defined. Wings hyaline, all the veins in front of the cubitus obsolete.

Male.-Length, 8 mm.

Colour and pilosity similar to the worker.

Shining. Head, pronotum, scutellum and epinotum finely and densely rugose. Mesonotum, node, postpetiole and gaster smooth with large, scattered, piligerous punctures.

Head broader than long, strongly convex behind. Frontal carinae erect, truncate but not confluent behind. Clypeus short, broadly rounded. Eyes large and convex, occupying almost half the sides. Ocelli large and convex. Scapes of the antennae extending to the anterior ocellus; second segment of the funiculus one third longer than the first. Mandibles large and triangular, edentate. Pronotum short, just visible from above, broadly convex. Mesonotum large, as broad as long, strongly arched in front, straight behind, mayrian and parapsidal furrows not indicated. Scutellum dome shaped, slightly broader than long. Epinotum broader than long, the posterior border margined; in profile the declivity straight, the sides margined. Node as long as broad, the anterior border straight, the sides and posterior border convex. Postpetiole as broad as long, almost three times broader behind than in front. First segment of the gaster one-fourth broadcr than long, broadest behind. Genitalia retracted. Legs long and slender.

Habitat.-Western Australia: Cannington (D. L. Serventy); Mundaring, Kalamunda and National Park (J. Clark).

This species comes nearest to P. constricta Clark , but may be distinguished by its smaller size and more robust thorax. In P. constricta the sides of the declivity are margined.