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XIX. Descriptions of new species of Cryptoceridae, belong-
ing to the genera Cryptocerus, Meranoplus, and
Cataulacus. By Frederick Smith.

[Read 4th October, 1876.]

Having published three papers on this remarkable group
of insects in the Transactions of the Society, I offer a
fourth, in which twelve new species are described, of one
of which I fortunately have obtained all the sexes, figures
of which are given in the plate that illustrates the paper.

In previous publications I have altogether described
thirty-six species, those described in the present paper
making the total number forty-eight.

In a former paper I gave some account of the habits of
these insects. For that information I was partly indebted
to the account published by Professor Lund, who describes
the manner in which they capture their prey; this, he tells
us, is similar to that of Hunting Spiders,— by springing
upon it. For the more interesting details, however, I was
indebted to Mr. H. W. Bates, who, when resident in
Brazil, observed these insects with great attention. He
informed me that Cryptocerus constructed its burrows in
decaying trees, its colonies not being numerous; consisting,
in the nests examined, of about a dozen females, a few
males, and the workers, numbering about the same as the
females.

Of the habits of the genera Meranoplus and Cataulacus
no information had at that time been obtained. I have
now the satisfaction of giving some account of the habit
of a species of Meranoplus, M. intrudens, observed by
Mr. John Monkhouse Hutchinson, resident in the Weenen
district of Natal, South Africa. This species makes use
-of the thorns of a species of acacia, in which it constructs
its formicarium; the thorns are from four to five inches
in length, and, at the distance of about half an inch from
the pointed end, a small round hole is made by the ants,
which serves as ingress and egress to and from the nest.
The thorns contain a kind of spongy pith, in which the
channels and chambers of the nest are constructed. A
remarkable fact in connexion with this insect is, that

TRANS. ENT. SOC. 1876.—PART IV. (DEC.)         RR 2

604                Mr. F. Smith's descriptions of

when the thorns, forwarded in a letter, were received by
Mr. Hutchinson's mother, some of the ants were still alive
and active, after having been at least six weeks on their
journey; so that, calculating from the time the thorns
were collected in the Weenen district of Natal, at a spot
one hundred and twenty miles from the coast, in all pro-
bability the ants had been two months in reaching their
destination, thus showing a wonderful tenacity of life in
these insects.

Subsequent to the reception of the first parcel of thorns
a second supply has been received, in which it was found
that many of the ants were still alive. Two of these
thorns were sent to me, when, on cutting one open, I had
the pleasure of finding the three sexes. Figures of each
are given in the plate that illustrates this paper.

One circumstance that I observed may possibly, to some
extent, account for the fact of some of the ants being alive
when they reached England. I noticed that the abdomen
of several specimens was mutilated, a hole being observable
on the upper surface of them. This gave rise to the
suggestion in my mind of the possibility of the ants having
fed upon each other. This is, however, a matter of entire
uncertainty; but that they could easily gnaw holes through
the integument of the abdomen is proved by the fact of
their perforating the thorns, which are of a much harder
consistency.

Among the thorns sent, one or more were tenanted by a
distinct species of ant, Pseudomyrma natalensis. These
also were alive when received, the majority being females.

Previous to finding the sexes of Meranoplus intrudens
in the acacia thorn, I was unacquainted with the male of
any species of that genus; it was, therefore, very gratifying
to find that in this genus of Cryptoceridae the male sex does
not differ in form so entirely from the others as it is found
to do in the genus Cryptocerus; on the contrary, it greatly
resembles the worker: it has however ocelli, which the
worker has not. The female is distinguished by an
elongated abdomen, a more ovate form of thorax, and
having, like the male, both wings and ocelli.

An interesting circumstance connected with the opening
of the acacia spine that contained the three sexes of
Meranoplus, was that of my finding with them a small
bee belonging to the exotic genus Allodape. This genus
of bees is closely allied to that of Ceratina, the habit of the
latter being to perforate the pith of dead bramble stems.

new species of Cryptoceridae.                  605

It may, therefore, be reasonably inferred that the habit of
Allodape is similar, and that these bees perforate the
acacia thorns and use them as their nidus in the same
manner as Ceratina uses the bramble stems. The bee
that was found might possibly have entered the thorn,
tenanted by the ant, mistaking it for that which contained
her own nest.

Genus Cryptocerus, Latr.

1.   Cryptocerus fervidus.

Female .— Length 5 1/2 lines. Chestnut-brown, the ab-
domen with an indistinct pale macula on each side at its
base and an ovate one placed obliquely at its apex. The
head rather longer than broad; slightly convex above, with
the lateral margins raised; the posterior margin of the
vertex obliquely truncate; two minute tubercles on the
vertex in front of the truncation; the flagellum of the an-
tennae dark fuscous. The thorax of the same width as the
head; the prothorax oblique, with the margins sharp and
slightly raised; behind the insertion of the wings nar-
rowed, and with a short spine on each side of the meta-
thorax posteriorly; the scutellum semicircular. The
abdomen oblong; the sides parallel, the anterior margin
incurved, with the lateral angles slightly rounded; the first
node of the peduncle subquadrate, slightly narrowed pos-
teriorly, the second node transverse and with a short spine
at the anterior angles. (Fig. 1, [[queen]]. Pl. XI.)

Hab.—Rio.

2.   Cryptocerus gibbosus.

Worker.—Length 3—3 1/2 lines. Black, punctured, each
puncture with a pale shining seta; the lateral margins of
the head broadly rufo-testaceous anteriorly; also a rufo-
testaceous spot at the basal angles of the abdomen. Head
large, wider than the thorax; longer than broad, the
lateral margins raised, convex above; two small tubercles
on the vertex. The prothorax transverse, and having a
short pale spine at the anterior lateral angles, with a trans-
verse, sharp, raised margin posteriorly; the mesothorax
semicircular; the metathorax produced laterally and
forming a blunt spine, from which it becomes much nar-
rower. Abdomen heart-shaped; the nodes of the peduncle

606                Mr. F. Smith's descriptions of

transverse and each forming a spine that curves backwards.
(Fig. 2, [[worker]]. Pl. XI.)
Hab.—Mexico.

3.   Cryptocerus jucundus.

Worker.—Length 2 lines. Black, punctured, each
puncture having a pale shining seta ; the head oblong and
narrowed anteriorly; the lateral margins before the eyes
broadly pale rufo-testaceous; the antennae of the same
colour. Thorax narrower than the head ; transverse an-
teriorly, slightly arched; the lateral angles acute, gradually
narrowed to the metathorax, with the margins narrowly
pale testaceous; about the middle, slightly contracted, with
a minute tooth in the middle of the contraction; the
lateral margins of the metathorax with two minute teeth ;
the tibiae and tarsi pale rufo-testaceous. Abdomen heart-
shaped, pale rufo-testaceous at the base; the nodes of the
peduncle transverse and produced laterally into a pale
spine, curved backwards. (Fig. 3, [[worker]]. Pl. XI.)

Hab.—Mexico.

4.   Cryptocerus varians.

Worker.—Length 2 lines. Varying in colour from
pale yellow to black-brown; in the dark specimens the
margins of the head are anteriorly reddish, as are also the
legs, antennae, and sides of the abdomen towards the base.
Head and thorax punctured; the latter oblong, with a
transverse suture a little beyond the middle; the anterior
lateral angles acute; the margins before the suture with
two blunt teeth ; behind the suture the margins are first
produced into a small sharp tooth, and then suddenly nar-
rowed to the apex of the metathorax. Abdomen oblong-
ovate, deeply emarginate at the base; the sides narrowly
margined. (Fig. 4, [[worker]]. Pl. XI.)

Hab.—Cuba.

5. Cryptocerus pallidicephalus.

Female.—Length 3 1/2 lines. Black, with the head, tibiae
and the base of the abdomen laterally, and a subovate
macula on each side near its apex, ochraceous. Head
oblong, rather widest in front, the margins raised, dish-
shaped ; covered with large shallow punctures; the eyes
and head beneath black; the antennae, with the scape, pale
ferruginous, and the flagellum black. Thorax punctured,

new species of Cryptoceridae.                  607

each puncture with a pale seta; the anterior margin of the
prothorax arched, the lateral angles acute and pale testa-
ceous ; the sides curved, narrowed posteriorly; the meta-
thorax emarginate, forming a blunt tooth at the lateral
angles; the tarsi ferruginous. Abdomen oblong-ovate
and deeply emarginate at the base; the first node of the
peduncle oblong, and having a small tooth on each side;
the second node transverse, with a short curved tooth on
each side at the base. (Fig. 5, [[queen]]. Pl. XI.)

Hab.—Mexico.

Type in the British Museum.

6.   Cryptocerus maculatus.

Female.—Length 2 3/4 lines. Black, punctured, each
puncture with a pale shining seta; the abdomen with two
basal and two sub-apical pale yellow maculae. Head
oblong, with the lateral margins raised. Thorax oblong;
the prothorax with the anterior portion transverse and
declining forwards; the anterior margin arched, with the
lateral angles acute; narrowed to the metathorax, which is
emarginate and toothed laterally. Abdomen deeply
emarginate at the base; the basal maculae triangular, the
apical ones ovate; the first node of the peduncle sub-
globose ; the second wider than the first, anteriorly pro-
duced laterally into a curved tooth, from which it is nar-
rowed posteriorly. (Fig. 6, [[queen]]. Pl. XI.)

Hab.—Bahia. Type in the British Museum.

7.   Cryptocerus fenestralis.

Female.—Length 5 3/4 lines. Black; head and thorax
strongly punctured and slightly shining; the abdomen
delicately shagreened, giving it a silky texture, slightly
shining. Head oblong, convex, the lateral margins nearly
parallel to the eyes; in front of them the head slightly
widens and the margins are slightly raised; the posterior
margin has the middle nearly straight, and on each side it
is emarginate, the lateral angles being acute. The pro-
thorax transverse and produced laterally into a stout tooth
or spine; the sides rounded to the metathorax, which is
deeply emarginate, and has a stout spine on each side,
which diverges slightly outwards. Wings brown, with
the first submarginal cell hyaline. Abdomen oblong; the

608                Mr. F. Smith's descriptions of

sides parallel, rounded at the apex, and slightly emar-
ginate at the base.

Hab.—St. Paulo (Brazil).

In the British Museum; from Mr. Bates' collection.

8. Cryptocerus basalis.

Female.—Length 5 1/2 lines. Shining black; head very
finely punctured; thorax and nodes of the peduncle of the
abdomen much more strongly so; the base and apex of
the abdomen finely punctured. Head convex above, as
broad as long; the margins before the eyes raised, ante-
riorly emarginate in the middle; a circular fossulet in the
middle towards the anterior margin; two small tuberculate
spines at the posterior margin, about one-third of the width
of the margin apart; the lateral angles acute. Thorax
a little longer than the head; the anterior margin trans-
verse, nearly straight, being very slightly arched; the
lateral angles acute, subspinose; gradually narrowed to
the metathorax; the metathorax transverse above and
with the lateral margins produced into an acute angle or
tooth; the posterior margin emarginate; the truncation
concave, smooth and shining. Abdomen oblong-ovate,
emarginate at the base and having on each side a mar-
ginal, large, subovate, yellow macula; the disk of the
abdomen very smooth and shining.

In the British Museum.

Hab.—Brazil (Chontales).

9. Cryptocerus discocephalus, Smith.

Female.—Length 3 1/4 lines. Dark reddish-brown, the
abdomen of a lighter tint. Head concave above, oblong,
dish-shaped and punctured. Thorax about the same
length as the head, covered with shallow punctures;
obliquely truncate towards the head, the margin of the
truncation raised; the sides, before the wings, nearly
parallel; behind the wings narrowed to the metathorax;
the metathorax transverse, with the lateral margins slightly
rounded, the lateral angles acute; wings fusco-hyaline;
the legs bright red-brown. Abdomen oblong, emar-
ginate at the base, very finely shagreened; the nodes
of the peduncle rugulose, the first subovate, the second
transverse, with a tooth at the lateral angles of the
base.

Hab.— Villa Nova and Santarem, Brazil; St. Vincent.

new species of Cryptoceridae.                  609

In the British Museum, from the collection of Mr.
H. W. Bates.

The large worker of this species was described and
figured in the second volume of the Transactions of this
Society, Pl. XX. fig. 2. Mr. Bates subsequently sent
specimens of both the sized workers, obtained from the
nest; the small worker has a differently shaped head to
the larger worker; the head is nearly flat above, slightly
convex, punctured, with the margins pale reddish-brown,
widest in the middle. The thorax is differently shaped
anteriorly, not being obliquely inclined to the head; the
abdomen and nodes of the peduncle are the same in form
as in the larger worker. The male and the large and
small worker are figured in the Catalogue of Formicidae,
published by the trustees of the British Museum, Part VI.
Pl. XI. fig. 1, [[male]]; 2, worker major, 3, worker minor.

Genus Meranoplus, Smith.
1. Meranoplus intrudens.

Female.—Length 3 lines. Opaque-black; the scape
of the antennae, the base and apex of the flagellum, tips
of the femora, the tibiae, the anterior tarsi, and the apical
joints of the intermediate and posterior pairs, light ferru-
ginous; the wings flavo-hyaline, the nervures pale rufo-
testaceous. Head, thorax and nodes of the peduncle with
rugose confluent punctures; the head longer than broad,
slightly narrowed before the eyes; the posterior margin
of the vertex broadly emarginate. The anterior margin of
the prothorax arched; the thorax about the same length
as the head, narrowed behind the insertion of the wings;
the metathorax with two blunt spines. Abdomen oblong
and very finely shagreened; emarginate at the base and
rounded at the apex.

Worker.—Only differs from the female in being rather
shorter, and in the form of the thorax, as will be seen by
the figure; the abdomen shorter, with the sides less parallel.

Male.—Length 2 1/2 lines. The colour and sculpture as
in the female. Head wider than the thorax, much nar-
rowed before the eyes; the lateral angles of the posterior
margin of the vertex subspinosa Thorax anteriorly
arched; the mesothorax with two curved, deep, broad
channels that curve inwardly and unite at the base of the
scutellum; the scutellum, the spines of the metathorax,
and the nodes of the peduncle of the abdomen, grooved

610                Mr. F. Smith's descriptions of

longitudinally; the wings as in the female; the abdomen
subovate, slightly emarginate at the base and pointed at
the apex. (Fig. 7, [[queen]]; 7a, [[male]]. Pl. XI.)

Hab.—Weenen District, Natal.

This species was discovered by Mr. John Monkhouse
Hutchinson, inhabiting the thorns of a species of acacia.
Some of the specimens of the workers have the legs more
or less ferruginous.

2.  Meranoplus vestigator.

Worker.—Length 2 3/4 lines. Head, thorax and legs
brown-black; abdomen black. Head subglobose, shining,
and with a few irregular carinae; antennae reddish-brown,
palest at the apex. Thorax short, not longer than the
head, longitudinally rugose-striate; the anterior margin
arched, the lateral angles acute and subdentate; narrowed
posteriorly; the metathorax with two long acute spines;
the legs pale at the base of the femora; the tarsi pale
rufo-testaceous. Abdomen heart-shaped, smooth, shining,
and with scattered erect setae; the first node of the pe-
duncle wedge-shaped, the second subglobose, both rugose.
(Fig. 8, [[worker]]. Pl. XI.)

Hab.—Matabello, Eastern Archipelago.

Type in the British Museum.

3.  Meranoplus attenuatus.

Female. —Length 2 1/2 fines. Black and shining; the
head rather strongly punctured; the ocelli distinct, placed
in a triangle on the vertex; the apical joint of the
antennae rufo-testaceous. Thorax oblong, longitudinally
roughly striated; the metathorax deeply emarginate, form-
ing two lateral stout teeth; wings wanting; femora much
attenuated at the base, and swollen in the middle; the
anterior tibiae and tarsi, and the apical joints of the two
posterior pairs, rufo-testaceous. Abdomen oblong-ovate,
striated at the base, the apex with scattered pale hairs;
the first node of the peduncle with large punctures, and
much narrower than the second, which is longitudinally
striated. (Fig. 9, [[queen]]. Pl. XL)

Hab.—Para.

Type in British Museum.

4.   Meranoplus puncticeps.

Worker.—Length 2 lines. Black and shining; the

new species of Cryptoceridae.                  611

head subovate, punctured; antennae pubescent, the apex
testaceous; the mandibles and a small space between the
antennae striated. Thorax oblong, deeply constricted at
the base of the metathorax, which is longitudinally stri-
ated, deeply emarginate, and with two longish acute
spines; the anterior portion of the thorax strongly longi-
tudinally punctate-striate; the femora much attenuated at
their base and swollen in the middle; the apical joints
of the tarsi testaceous. Abdomen ovate, longitudinally
striated at the base; the nodes of the peduncle deeply
striated, the first narrower than the second, both sub-
ovate. (Fig. 10, [[worker]]. Pl. XI.)

Hab.—Para.

Type in British Museum.

This is very probably the worker of Meranoplus atte-
nuatus; both are from the same locality, and were
received at the same time.

Genus Cataulacus, Smith.
1. Cataulacus hispidus.

Worker.—Length 2 1/4 lines. Black; the head, thorax
and nodes of the peduncle of the abdomen rugose; the
apical portion of the scape, the apex of the flagellum, the
anterior tibiae and tarsi, and the apex of the intermediate
and posterior tibiae above, pale ferruginous. Head with
the sides rounded, narrowed anteriorly, with the anterior
margin very slightly emarginate, nearly straight; the
margin of the vertex also slightly emarginate and crenu-
lated; convex above, and longitudinally and irregularly
rugose-striate. Thorax sculptured similarly to the head;
the sides spinulose, narrower than the head, widest ante-
riorly; the metathorax with two stout spines; the legs
rugose, covered with short, minute spines, each spine ter-
minating with a pale seta; the spines on the margin of
the thorax have also terminal white setae as well as the
nodes of the peduncle of the abdomen. Abdomen ovate,
slightly emarginate at the base; the base with a number
of irregular longitudinal carinae; beyond, it is very deli-
cately carinated, and sprinkled with minute, erect pale
setae. (Fig. 11, [[worker]] Pl. XL)

Hab.—Singapore.

( 612 )

DESCRIPTION OF PLATE XI.

Fig. 1. Cryptocerus fervidus, [[queen]].

2.               „ gibbosus, [[worker]].

3.              „ jucundus, [[worker]].

4.               „          varians, [[worker]].

5.               „          pallidicephalus, [[queen]].

6.               „           maculatus, [[queen]].

7.   Meranoplus intrudens, [[queen]] .

7a.                  "                            „                  [[male]].

8.              „ vestigator, [[worker]].

9.              „           attenuatus, [[queen]].

10.              „          puncticeps, [[worker]].

11.   Cataulacus hispidus, [[worker]].

Trans. Ent. Soc. (1876) Pl. XI.

F. Smith dest. et. sculpt.