Australasian ants of the subfamily heteroponerinae (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): (1) General introduction and review of the heteroponera leae (Wheeler, 1923) species group, with descriptions of two new species

The Australian species groups of Heteroponera relicta (WHEELER, 1915), H. leae (WHEELER, 1923)and H. imbellis (EMERY, 1895) are briefly discussed. The workers of H. leae, H. crozieri sp.n. (southeast Queensland) and H. majeri sp.n. (southwest Western Australia) and the dealate gyne of H.crozieri are reviewed, keyed and illustrated. Heteroponera is considered biogeographically to be apaleoaustral component of the Australian fauna.