George C. Wheeler and Jeanette Wheeler.
The Larva of Apomyrma (Hymenoptera: Formicidae).
Psyche 77:276-279, 1970.

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THE LARVA OF APOMYRAIA
(HYMENOPTERA : FORMICIDAE)
Recently Dr. W. L. Brown sent us for study the larvae of a new genus of ponerine ants from Ivory 'Coast collected by J. Lkvieux. The adults of the genus are described in the previous article in this issue. Our descriptions of the larva follow: Genus APOMYRMA Brown, Gotwald & Livieux
Body elongate, terete, moderately slender and with the thorax slightly curved ventrally. Body hairs numerous, short, simple and generally distributed except on the intersegmental membranes. No spinules on the integument. Cranium transversely subelliptical in anterior view. Antennae with 2 minute sensilla each. Labrum nar- row, elongate-parabolic, with the base dilated; with a few spinules on the posterior surface. Mandibles elongate and very slender; basal % abruptly dilated laterally ; remainder slightly curved medially and posteriorly; apical tooth small; 2 small acute medial teeth; anterior surface smooth. Maxillary palps peg-like. Labial palps low rounded elevations. Maxillae, labium and hypopharynx without spinules.
The larva of Apomyrma resembles most closely those of Priono- pelta (Wheeler and Wheeler 1952: 120, 141 ; 1964: 447, 460) in the tribe Amblyoponini, but differ as follows:- CHARACTER
anus
head size
cranium shape
antennae
labrum
mandible base
mandible blade
Apomyrma
terminal
small (body length :
head length= 15)
transversely sub-
elliptical
2 sensilla
narrow and elongate-
parabolic
abruptly dilated
laterally
slightly curved
medially
prinopelta
subterminal
large (body length:
head length=8)
subcircular
3 sensilla
broad, transversely
subrectangular
and feebly bilobed
dilated basally
straight
Desert Research Institute, University of Nevada System, Reno, Nevada. Manuscript received by the editor October 22, 1970. 276




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19701 Wheeler &? Wheeler - Aponzyrma 277 appearance of seemingly very large seemingly normal maxillae and labium and flaring due to
constriction at bases
and to narrow labrum
spinules on none present
maxillae and
labium
maxillary palp a stout peg bootee-shaped Apomyrnzu stygiu Brown, Gotwald & Lgvieux Length (through spiracles) about 2.3 mm. Moderately slender; abdomen elongate-ellipsoidal ; posterior end narrowly rounded ; thorax slightly curved ventrally, its diameter decreasing rapidly toward the anterior end; anterior half of prothorax forming a nearly hairless "broken" neck. Anus terminal with 2 lips, the posterior lip larger. Spiracles minute. Eleven differentiated somites. Integument appar- ently without spinules. Body hairs numerous, very short (0.02-0.06 mm long), the longest in a transverse band around the middle of each somite. Head small ; cranium transversely subelliptical in an- terior view; breadth equal to length; due to the narrowness of the labrum and the constriction of their bases, the maxillae and labium appear prominent and flaring. Head hairs few [all hairs broken on our material]. Antennae small, slightly raised, each with 2 minute sensilla. Labrum narrow and elongate-parabolic, with the base dilated ; anterior surface with 6 irregularly placed sensilla; ventral border with 4 sensilla; posterior surface without sensilla but with a few relatively long spinules, isolated distally and in short arcuate rows basally. Mandibles feebly sclerotized; basal % abruptly dilated laterally, distal % narrow, slightly curved medially and posteriorly into an apical tooth; with 2 small acute subapical teeth on the medial border ; anterior surface smooth. Maxillae lobose ; apparently with- out spinules; palp a stout peg with 5 sensilla (I large and encapsu- lated, I bearing a long peg) ; galea slender and digitiform. Labium about half as wide as head; apparently without spinules; palp a low knob with 3 sensilla; opening of sericteries wide. Hypopharynx apparently without spinules.
Very Young Larva. Length (through spiracles) about 0.7 mm. Subcylindrical, slightly attenuated anteriorly and slightly curved ventrally. Anus terminal, without lips. Apparently without integu- mentary spinules. Body hairs very few, simple, very short (0.004- 0.012 mm long), in a band around the middle of each somite. Head



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Psyche [September
Figs. 1-8. Apomyma stygia. 1. Head in anterior view (only bases of head hairs shown), X284. 2. Left mandible in anterior view, X520. 3. Very young larva in side view, X42. 4. Mature larva in side view (re- construction), X42. 5. Anterior surface of labrum, X 625. 6. Posterior surface of labrum, X625. 7 and 8. Two body hairs, X1065.



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19701 Wheeler & Wheeler - Apomyrma 279
hairs few, simple, short (0.01 mm long). Antennae small, with 2 sensilla each. Labrum small; subparabolic in anterior view; breadth twice the length; with 4 ventral sensilla; apparently without spinules. Mandibles small; feebly sclerotized; subtriangular in anterior view; with 2 minute subapical teeth on the medial border. Maxillae large and lobose; apparently without spinules; palp a cluster of 5 sensilla; galea represented by 2 sensilla. Labium large; half as wide as head; apparently without spinules; palp a cluster of 4 sensilla. Hypopharynx apparently without spinules.
Material studied:
numerous larvae from Ivory Coast, courtesy of Dr. W. L. Brown.
WHEELER, G. C., AND JEANETTE WHEELER
1952. The ant larvae of the subfamily Poneriane. Amer. Midland Nat.
48 : 111-144, 604-672.
1964. The ant larvae of the subfamily Ponerinae: supplement. Ann. Ent. SOC. Amer. 57: 443-462.




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