Phrynoponera sveni

Phrynoponera sveni (Forel)

Three workers from Medje (Lang and Chapin), agree perfectly with Forel's description. They all show, however, a beautiful blue opalescence, like that of Lobopelta iridescens, on the smooth declivity of the epinotum, the sides of the petiole, and the whole surface of the postpetiole. This may have been overlooked by Forel, as the surfaces of these ants are often covered with a layer of dirt. It was only after my specimens had been thoroughly washed in caustic potash that the blue coloration of the parts above mentioned was revealed. P. sveni is a, strongly marked species, characterized by the long antennae, toothless clypeus, and slender, pointed and upwardly directed epinotal spines (Fig. 13a-c).