An Aberrant New Genus of Myrmicine Ant From Madagascar

During a research trip to the Old World tropics during January to April 1977, I was allowed by M. A. Peyrieras, of the Institut de Recherche Scientifique of the Malagasy Republic in Tananarive, to sort through some berlesates of humus and leaf litter collected by him in various parts of Madagascar. Among these samples, I discovered a single worker example of an extraordinary new genus and species of Myrmicinae. M. Peyrieras has my thanks for these and many other interesting samples, including several undescribed species of ants. Among these are the first recorded representatives of Discothyrea and Amblyopone found on Madagascar, to be described in a separate publication. The new genus is described next below.