Worker, length from 5 - 17 th of an inch to nearly 1 / 3 an inch; head oblong, pointed in front and rounded behind; jaws large, triangular, armed with alternately a large and a small tooth; eyes very large, nearly medial; antennae inserted on a line just in front of the eyes, rather long; thorax nearly uniform in width and height; abdominal pedicle raised, pointing forwards, with two snail spines; abdomen long, cylindric; legs long; the whole body curiously sculptured, being channeled and grooved in different directions, longitudinally, circularly, obliquely, giving a peculiar dull appearance; colour blackish green.
This is one of the commonest species of Ant in Malabar, extending from the level of the sea up to the top of the Neilgherries. It lives in the ground in small societies, often making its nest in a flower pot, occasionally under a large stone. It does not work in concert, being generally seen solitary. It lives on animal sub-stances, but apparently will also take vegetable matter. I have seen two fighting for a ripe seed of the Lantana. I have not met with the female of this species.
Ponera sculpta, Jerdon , Madr. Journ. Lit. & Sci. p. 117 [[worker]]; Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. xiii. 101 (1854).
Hab. Malabar.
Mr. Jerdon says this is one of the commonest species of Ant in Malabar, extending from the level of the sea up to the top of the Neilgherries. It lives in the ground in small societies, often making its nest in a flower-pot, occasionally under a large stone. It does not work in concert, being generally seen solitary. It lives on animal substances, but apparently will occasionally take vegetable substances.
