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BLOLOGIA
CENTRALI-AMERICANA. ©
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7
CHILOPODA and DIPLOPODA
BY
* REGINALD INNES POCOCK, F.Z.S.
BIOLOGIA CENTRALI-AMERICANA.
ZOOLOGIA.
Class CHILOPODA, Latr.
Subclass ANARTIOSTIGMA*. [Silvestri, Ann. Mus. Genova, xxxiv. p. 622 (1895) = Schizotarsia, Brandt.]
Order SCUTIGEROMORPHA, nov.
Fam. SCUTIGERIDA, Gerv.
SCUTIGERA. Scutigera, Lamarck, Syst. des Animaux sans Vertébres, p. 182 (1801).
1. Scutigera linceci. (‘Tab. I. figg. 1, 1a, 0.) Cermatia lincecit, Wood, Proc. Ac. Phil. 1867, p. 42°. Scutigera mexicana, Sauss. & Humb. Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. pp. 112, 118, t. 5. fig. 3 (1872) *. Scutigera occidentalis, Meinert, Vid. Medd. Nat. Foren. 1886, pp. 105, 106°.
In this species the colours are somewhat variable. When the tints are well defined, the tergites are adorned laterally with a wide, deep green band, and with a much narrower band of the same tint in the dorsal middle line; this median band is not complete behind, just falling short of the stomata; the stoma- saddles are flavous or pale olivaceo-flavous, the colour being continuous with a wide band on each side of the middle line, separating the median from the lateral green band. The legs have their femora, patella, and tibiz more or less distinctly ringed with deep green. Tarsi and antenne ferruginous.
In some specimens the legs are nearly concolorous, of a deep green, and the bands of the dorsal surface become more or less fused.
Head very flat between the eyes; the posterior portion swollen laterally, flat in the middle, the median flat
area being continuous with that between the eyes.
Tergites closely spicular, and very evenly convex, being hardly noticeably undulated at the sides; the stoma- saddles are ill-defined, and the stomata are inclined and short; the hinder borders of the tergites mesially
emarginate,
* Written Anartiostigmata by Silvestri; but this form of the neuter plural is, I believe, etymologically incorrect. Compare Echinoderma, sometimes written Echinodermata. BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Chilop., December 1895. B
2 CHILOPODA.
Sterna mesially sulcate and, at least in the posterior half of the body, with the hind borders mesially emarginate. Length up to about 19 millim. Hab. Nortu America, Texas !.—Mexico, Chilpancingo 4600 feet, Omilteme 8000 feet, and Amula 6000 to 7000 feet, all in Guerrero (H. H. Smith), Oaxaca”; GUATEMALA,
Volcan de Pacaya (Stoll); Nicaragua, Granada °.
This species differs from the common North-American Scutigera forceps (Raf.), which is very closely allied to, even if not identical with, the common S%.-European S. coleoptrata, in being of smaller size, in having its tergites more closely spicular and the head less flat; moreover, the median band of colour on the tergites of S. forceps extends over the stoma-saddles on each side of the stomata, instead of falling short of them as in S. linceci.
According to Mr. H. H. Smith these centipedes are found under logs and stones in damp places. They are exceedingly fragile, the legs breaking off at the least touch, so that it is almost impossible to secure perfect specimens.
2. Scutigera nigro-vittata. (Tab. I. figg. 2, 2a.) Scutigera nigro-vittata, Meinert, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. 1886, p. 173?.
Colour: upper surface black or very deep brown, with a wide, median, dorsal, flavous band extending from the anterior extremity of the labrum to the posterior extremity of the terminal tergite; this band crosses the middle of each half of the stoma-saddles and is uninterrupted except for a black patch on each stoma ; the lateral portions of the head and the tergites just above the side-margins furnished with a fine irregular flavous band; sternal surface fulvous. The legs nigro-annulate, the femur adorned beneath with two rings—a proximal smaller, which is very incomplete above, and a distal larger, which is almost complete above ; the patella with two wide rings and a fuscous distal extremity ; tibie indistinctly biannulate ; tarsi fulvous, concolorous.
Head with labral area sparsely hairy ; region above it in front of the eyes deeply sulcate longitudinally, and furnished on each side of the sulcus with two longitudinal, subparallel, apically curved ridges, which posteriorly diverge and meet the inner angle of the eye; area between the eyes deeply scooped trans- versely ; margin of the head raised and smooth.
Tergrtes smooth in the middle line, sparsely spicular elsewhere; the borders raised, spicular, the posterior border mesially emarginate ; the stoma-saddles sparsely spicular, ill-defined, but much wider than long ; posterior tergite with its hinder border not excised.
Sterna hairy, mesially sulcate.
Legs carinate and serrate.
Length 22 millim.
Hab. Panama !.—VENEZUELA, Caracas.
This species was described by Meinert from Panama. The accompanying figure and description have been taken from an example sent to the British Museum by Dr. Ernst. This specimen was from Caracas, but Meinert’s description applies so closely to it that in all probability it was taken from an example of the same species.
S. nigro-vittata may be at once separated from S. lincect by the marked difference in colour. Apart from this, however, the head and tergites are very differently
SCUTIGERA.—LITHOBIUS. 8
sculptured, the tergites being distinctly undulated laterally, and the interocular area of the. head strongly scooped out transversely. In colouring it calls to mind S. rugosa of Newport, from East Africa, which has the same complete median dorsal flavous band, the same wide black band on each side of it, and the same strongly annulate legs. But the stomata in S. rugosa are not fuscous, and the tibie are more strongly annulate.
Subclass ARTIOSTIGM A*. [ Silvestri, Ann. Mus. Genova, xxxiv. p. 623 (1895).]
Order LITHOBIOMORPHA, nov. [= Unguipalpi, Bollman, 1893; Artiostigmata, Silvestri, 1895.]
Containing the Lithobiide and Cermatobiide.
Fam. LITHOBIIDA, Newp.
LITHOBIUS. Lithobius, Leach, Trans. Linn. Soc. xi. p. 381 (1814).
The following is a key to the identification of the species of Lithodius known to me :—
a. The posterior angles of the ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth terga squared (about 30 ocelli and 30 antennal segments). . . - , « stolli, ap. n. b. he posterior angles of the ninth, eleventh, and thittacnth cise hae. . Ocelli about 30 in number on each side (also about 30 antennal segments) ; claw of generative forceps of female trifid . . . . . . +. . «+ e@ztecus, H. & §, 6*. Ocelli about 9 or 10 on each side; claw of female generative forceps
simple. a*, Of very large size, over 30 millim., with about 60 antennal segments and 10 to 12 coxal teeth ...., s+ + ee ee
6*. Under 30 millim., fewer than 60 antennal irate and (except in L. decodontus) with only 6 coxal teeth. a’. Coxal teeth about 10, all alike, and normally formed . . . . . decodontus, sp. n. 6°, Coxal teeth only 6, the external on each side spinuliform ; anal legs of the male modified. a‘. Male with legs of the fourteenth pair unmodified ; the first tarsal of the anal legs modified.
* [ here use this term in a much wider sense than that proposed by Silvestri, to embrace all the Chilopoda that were called Holotarsia by Brandt.
B2
4 CHILOPODA.
a’. About 27 millim.; external coxal tooth on each side larger than the internal (for sexual character, see Tab. I. fig. 4d) . pontifex, sp. n. b°. About 18 millim.; external tooth on each side smaller than the others (for sexual character, see Tab. I. fig. 5c) . . . Aumberti, sp. n. b*. Male with legs of the fourteenth and fifteenth pairs modified ; the first tarsal of the anal leg unmodified. a’. Antennal segments about 40; angles of the seventh tergum not produced, with an elongate crest on the patella of the analleg . . . . ‘ oe . « . vulcani, sp. n. 6°. Antennal segments about 50; angles of the seventh tergum produced, with a rounded prominence on the patella of the anal leg. a’. Tibia of the fourteenth pair in male much thicker than the patella, deeply grooved, and hairy above. . . . godmani, sp. n. b°. Tibia of the fourteenth leg in male only a little rider than the patella . 2 2. 1. 1 1 6 ee ew ee ee) Salvini, Sp. n.
1. Lithobius macroceros, sp. n. (Tab. I. figg. 3, 3 a-d.)
Colour of upper surface ochraceous or castaneous, anteriorly and posteriorly darker than mesially, the head castaneous; under surface and legs pale ochraceous or pale castaneous ; antenne darker in tint than the legs.
Body long, narrow, and nearly parallel-sided, shining.
Head a little wider than long, minutely and closely punctured, shining and smooth, lightly convex, with raised lateral and posterior margins; the frontal plate distinctly defined and conspicuously longitudinally grooved.
Eyes composed of 10 ocelli, 1+3, 3,3; the posterior eye large, irregularly ovate, and widely separated from the rest, the superior ocelli of the cluster larger than the inferior.
Antenne very long, more than half the length of the body, attenuate, composed of from 58 to 63 subcyliadrical, thickly but shortly hairy segments, less thickly hairy quite at the base; apical segment always longer than the one that precedes it, but not thicker.
Coxal plate of maaillipedes smooth, shining, very indistinctly punctured, hairy in front, longitudinally depressed and sulcate throughout its length in the middle, the anterior bordér angularly excised in the middle, the margins of the excision lightly convex and sloped inwards, bearing on each side 6+6 or 5+5 minute sharp teeth, the external of which are smaller and more separated than the internal.
Tergites minutely and closely punctured throughout, distinctly wrinkled, but very much less wrinkled in front than behind, posteriorly sparsely hairy and roughened ; the first six with rounded posterior angles and straight posterior borders, the seventh with its posterior angles slightly produced but not sharp, the posterior borders of the eighth, tenth, and twelfth straight and with the angles squared ; the angles of the ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth produced and sharp, the angles of the fourteenth very slightly produced.
Sternites sparsely -hairy, mesially and laterally impressed.
Legs long and slender ; the first pair armed below as follows—0, 0, 0 (one posterior), 3 or 2 (one anterior), the anal legs armed below as follows—0, 1, 3, 3, 2, or 0, 1, 3, 2,15 the claw basally spurred, the coxa furnished with one superior and one lateral spine, the coxa of the fourteenth pair with one lateral spine, the rest of the cox unspined; coxal pores ovate, 6, 6, 6, 6, arranged in a single series.
Generative forceps in the female with a simple undivided claw, and two separated, diverging, basal spurs on each side.
Length up to 35 millim.; length of antenna of largest specimen 21 millim.
Hab. Mxxico, Omilteme in Guerrero 7000 to 9000 feet (H. H. Smith).
LITHOBIUS. 5
Obtained under rotting wood &c. about the clearings and neighbouring forest
(H. H. Smith). 2. Lithobius pontifex, sp. n. (Tab. I. figg. 4, 4 a-d.)
Colour: upper surface deep ochraceous ; head, antennex, and first tergite deep castaneous and polished ; legs and lower surface clear olivaceous.
Body robust, scarcely attenuated anteriorly, strongly attenuated posteriorly.
Head a little wider than long, smooth, very finely and obscurely punctured, the frontal plate deeply grooved longitudinally and mesially, with raised margin.
Eyes composed of 11 ocelli, 1+3, 3, 4, the posterior and superior eyes subequal in size and larger than the rest, the inferior eyes the smallest.
Antenne long, about half the length of the body, attenuate, composed of 53-56 short, subcylindrical segments, thickly hairy, sparsely so at the base, the apical segment longer, but not thicker, than the penultimate.
Coxal plate of maxillipedes sparsely punctured and hairy, its anterior border nearly straight and but little produced, scarcely excised in the middle line, bearing 3+3 minute, separated teeth, whereof the external is the largest and somewhat spiniform.
Tergites very finely punctured, and, with the exception of the first two, conspicuously wrinkled and sparsely
’ hairy: from the first to the sixth with rounded angles and straight posterior border; the sixth with its angles produced and widely rounded ; the seventh also with its angles widely rounded, but more produced than in the sixth; the ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth with their angles strongly produced and sharp ; the eighth, tenth, and twelfth with straight or only very lightly emarginate posterior borders; the fourteenth with widely, but not deeply, emarginate border.
Sternites sparsely hairy, mesially and laterally impressed.
Legs: first pair absent; anal legs short, shorter than the fourteenth pair, stout, armed beneath as follows— 0, 1, 3, 3, 1; the tibia very thick, thicker than the patella, its upper inner margin hairy, and deeply and widely grooved longitudinally, the groove bearing a conspicuous elongate prominence; the first tarsal segment also enormously enlarged, as wide as and a little longer than the tibia, piriform, narrowed behind, its upper surface deeply and widely excavated, the distal tarsal segment slender and terminated by a double claw; coxa of the anal leg armed with a single superior spine; fourteenth pair of legs of normal form, with unarmed coxa; coxal pores 5, 4, 4, 3, mostly very large and rounded.
Length 27 millim.; of antenna 12-5 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Amula in Guerrero 6000 feet (H. H. Smith). A single male specimen. This species differs from the preceding in the lesser
number of its maxillary teeth and of its antennal segments.
3. Lithobius humberti, sp. n. (Tab. I. figg. 5, 5 a—c.)
Colour obscure ochraceous, with an olivaccous tint; head and antenne with castaneous tint; legs and lower surface a little paler than the upper surface.
Body robust; a little narrowed anteriorly and posteriorly.
Head considerably wider than long, more convex than the body, very indistinctly punctured; the frontal longitudinal furrow shallow.
Eyes composed of 10 ocelli, 1+3, 3, 3, the posterior ocellus in contact with the anterior cluster ; the superior and posterior ocelli larger than the inferior and anterior.
Antenne long, a little more than half the length of the body, composed of 52 or 53 short subcylindrical segments, the apical segment longer, sometimes much longer, but not thicker, than the one that precedes it, thickly hairy, except at the base.
Cowal plate of maxillipedes smooth, hairy in front, with a deep median longitudinal sulcus, its anterior border not much produced, distinctly bilobed, the margins of the lobes directed inwards, each furnished with three sharp teeth, whereof the two internal are larger and stronger, and the external smaller and weaker.
Tergites smooth at the anterior end of the body, lightly wrinkled, and shortly hairy posteriorly: first to the fifth with rounded angles and straight posterior border ; sixth and seventh with the angles produced, but
6 CHILOPODA.
widely rounded internally, the posterior border being mesially emarginate; the ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth with the angles produced and sharp, the prolongation with straight inner edge; the eighth, tenth, twelfth, and fourteenth with widely emarginate posterior borders.
Sternites sparsely hairy, mesially and laterally impressed.
Legs adorned with long hairs ; the first pair armed below as follows—0, 0,1 (posterior), 1,1; anal legs armed below 0, 1, 3, 2,1(¢), or 0, 1, 3, 3,1 (2), claw double, coxa unarmed; posterior cox unarmed ; coxal pores rounded, 4,4, 4, 3 with the proximal pore small (¢), or 5, 4, 4, 4 with the proximal pore not remarkably smaller than the next.
d. Anal legs shorter and much stouter than the fourteenth pair; the tibia a little thicker than the patella and furnished at its distal end on the upper inner edge with a conspicuous nodular prominence; the proximal tarsal segment elongate-ovate, as thick as the tibia, with a conspicuous longitudinal groove on its upper inner edge ; legs of the fourteenth pair normally formed.
Q@. Anal legs long and slender, a little longer than the fourteenth pair, and normally formed; generative forceps with the proximal segment narrowed at the base, produced internally, and bearing two spurs, the lower of which is longer and stouter than the upper; the claw long, slender, curved, undivided, and armed basally with a small but conspicuous tooth.
Length up to 18 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Omilteme in Guerrero 7000 to 9000 feet (H. H. Smith).
Three specimens (2 3,1 ¢), obtained under rotting wood &c. about the clearings and neighbouring forest (Hf. H. Smith).
This species is very closely allied to L. pontifex, from Amula, of which the male only is known. It is, however, very much smaller, and the two internal teeth on each side of the maxillary sternite are large, and the external tooth is either absent or very small; whereas in L. pontifex the two internal teeth are minute and smaller than the external. Again, in the male of L. pontifex the nodular prominence on the tibia of the anal leg is less projecting, and the groove on the first tarsal segment is much wider and deeper.
4. Lithobius godmani, sp. n. (Tab. I. figg. 6, 6 a-c.)
Colour ochraceous or castaneous, darker anteriorly ; legs and ventral surface paler.
Body robust, attenuated posteriorly, shining.
Head a little wider than long, lightly convex, smooth, shining, indistinctly punctured, with deep anterior longitudinal frontal groove.
Eyes composed of 9 ocelli, 1+1, 3,4; the posterior and superior ocelli subequal in size and larger than the rest.
Antenne long, more than half the length of the body, composed of from 49-53 subcylindrical segments ; hairy, but less hairy at the base; apical segment elongate, longer than the penultimate.
Coxal plate of maxillipedes sparsely hairy, mesially and longitudinally sulcate; its anterior border produced and bearing 3+3 teeth, whereof the two internal are large and stout, and the external slender, spiniform, and often absent.
Tergites in the anterior portion of the body smooth, lightly wrinkled in the posterior half, roughened and sparsely hairy: from the first to the sixth with rounded angles and straight posterior border; the seventh with its posterior border emarginate in the middle, and its angles produced, but very wide and scarcely sharpened; ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth with angles strongly produced and sharp; eighth, tenth, twelfth, and fourteenth with posterior borders only very slightly emarginate.
Sternites mesially and laterally impressed and hairy.
Legs: first pair armed below 0, 0, 2, or 1,1, 1; anal legs about as long as the fourteenth pair, armed below 0, 1, 3, 3, 1, claw double; coxa with superior and lateral spines; coxal pores round, 5, 4, 4, 4, or 4, 3, 3, 3, the proximal pore small when the series consists of 4 or 5.
LITHOBIUS. 7
d. Fourteenth pair of legs with the tibia enormously swollen and rounded internally and beneath, deeply and widely excavated above and hairy, with a tuft of hairs on the middle of the inner (posterior) edge of the excavation ; anal legs with the tibia also swollen, but less swollen than in the fourteenth pair, distally excavated above, the excavation bearing an elongate superiorly flattened nodule.
Q. Fourteenth and fifteenth legs normally formed; generative forceps with a stout undivided claw; two basal spurs, of which the external is longer and stouter than the internal.
Length up to 19 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Amula in Guerrero 6000 feet (H. H. Smith).
The male of this species may be at once separated from that of LZ. pontifea and L. humberti by the fact that the tibie of the fourteenth and fifteenth legs are enormously swollen, whereas in these others the fourteenth legs are normally consti- tuted, and in the anal leg the tibia and proximal tarsal segment are enlarged. Again, in the female the claw of the generative forceps is stouter, shorter, and has no tooth at its base; whereas in L. humberti the claw is longer, more slender, and has a distinct tooth at its base. |
5. Lithobius salvini, sp.n. (Tab. I. figg. 7, 7 ad.)
Colour ochraceous or castaneous, darker anteriorly ; legs and ventral surface paler; antenne dark.
Body robust, attenuated posteriorly, shining.
Head a little wider than long, lightly convex, smooth, shining, not or very obscurely punctured, the frontal plate deeply furrowed longitudinally, with raised margin.
Eyes composed of 9 ocelli,1+1, 3,4; the posterior and superior eyes subequal in size and larger than the rest.
Antenne long, more than half the length of the body, attenuate, composed of from 48 to 56 hairy, subcylindrical segments; less hairy at the base; apical segment varying in length, but always longer, but not thicker, than the segment that precedes it.
Coxal plate of maxillipedes sparsely hairy, mesially longitudinally sulcate, the anterior border nearly straight, and bearing 3+3 strong, sharp teeth, whereof the external is more slender, somewhat spiniform, and often absent.
Tergites not manifestly punctured; with the exception of the first, wrinkled, sparsely hairy, and roughened, more wrinkled and roughened towards the hinder end of the body: the first, second, third, fourth, and fitth, and often the sixth, with rounded angles and straight posterior border (in the fifth the border is lightly concave); the sixth, sometimes the seventh, ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth with their angles strongly produced, and posterior border deeply, but narrowly, emarginate ; the eighth, tenth, twelfth, and fourteenth with the posterior border widely emarginate and the angles sharp. In younger specimens (15 millim. or less) the angles of the sixth tergite are rounded, and the posterior borders of the rest much less markedly emarginate.
Sternites mesially and laterally impressed, shortly and sparsely hairy.
Legs of moderate length ; the first pair armed below as follows—0, 0, 1 (posterior), 1, 1; anal legs short, as long as the fourteenth pair, armed below 0, 1, 3, 3 or 2, 1, claw double; coxa with superior and lateral spine* ; coxal pores 4, 3, 3, 3, arranged in a single series, large and round; coxe of thirteenth and fourteenth with a superior spine.
3. Tibia of fourteenth pair a little stouter than the patella, subcylindrical, with a conspicuous, short, ovate depression on the upper-inner surface at its distal extremity; tibia of anal leg also cylindrical and stouter than, or at least as stout as, the patella, with a somewhat similar, although much less conspicuous, depression.
* When these spines are invisible, their absence is probably to be attributed rather to mutilation than
variability.
8 CHILOPODA.
9. With the fourteenth and fifteenth pairs of legs of normal form; claw of the generative forceps stout, not long, and undivided; two basal spurs on each side, of which the external is considerably longer and stouter than the internal.
Length up to 26 millim.; average length about 21 millim., with antenne measuring about 11:5. In one specimen, measuring 26 millim., the antenne are not more than half the length of the body.
In young specimens (i. ¢. males in which the fourteenth and fifteenth pairs of legs are unmodified, and females in which the generative forceps is only half-formed) the coxal pores are 3, 2, 2, 2.
Hab. Mexico, Omilteme in Guerrero 7000 to 9000 feet (H. H. Smith).
Obtained under rotting wood &c. about the clearings and neighbouring forest (H. H. Smith).
The males of this species may be easily recognized from those of L. godmani by the difference in the form of their posterior legs. But the females are very hard to determine. Possibly the two species may prove to be identical ; in which case we shall have an interesting instance of dimorphism in the males. I think, however, that, provisionally at least, it is wiser to regard the two as distinct, at all events until a larger series of the females are forthcoming for examination.
In the case of females not associated with males, I have referred all those from Omilteme to Z. salvini, and those from Amula to L. godmani.
6. Lithobius vulcani, sp. n. (Tab. I. figg. 8, 8a, 8 6.)
Colour castaneous.
Head weakly punctured ; frontal plate distinct, with conspicuous median groove.
Eyes composed of about 9 ocelli, 1+1, 3, 3.
Antenne of moderate length, composed of 41 segments.
Coxal plate of mawillipedes with anterior edge lightly emarginate, armed with 3+3 evenly spaced teeth, whereof the external is slender and has the appearance of being a movable spinule.
Terga smooth: ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth with produced angles; the fourteenth posteriorly emarginate, the rest of the posterior borders straight.
Legs: spine-armature of first, 0, 0, 0, 1, 15 the fifteenth leg a little longer than fourteenth, armed below with 0, 1, 38, 3, 1 spines, claw double ; the coxal pores uniserial, small, circular, 4, 4, 4, 3.
g. Legs of the fourteenth pair with the tibia much thicker than the tarsal segments, and thicker in the middle than at the two ends; the tibia of the anal leg also slightly thickened, a little flattened posteriorly on its inner side, and from the middle of the flattened area there rises a low crest, which terminates abruptly behind.
Generative appendages represented by two short, rounded processes.
Length 17 millim.
Hab. GuateMata, Volcan de Agua (Stoll).
In the same bottle as that which contained the above described male there was a female measuring 19 millim., with 36 antennal segments, 5, 6, 6, 5 coxal pores, two long subequal spurs, and a simple claw on the generative forceps, but otherwise agreeing with the typical male. Another smaller specimen, a male, which may be an immature form of the one described, has only 32 antennal segments, and the anal legs unmodified. |
In its male sexual features, 7. e. in having the tibie of the fourteenth and fifteenth
LITHOBIUS. 9
legs modified, and the tarsi of the fifteenth unmodified, Z. vulcant agrees with L. godmani and L. salvini. It may be recognized by having a smaller number of antennal segments, the angles of the seventh tergite not produced, and in the different structure of the anal leg of the male.
7. Lithobius decodontus, sp. n. (Tab. I. fige. 9, 9a, d.)
Colour castaneous.
Head nearly smooth ; about 9 or 10 ocelli on each side ; frontal plate defined and mesially sulcate.
Antenne elongate, furnished with 41 or 42 short cylindrical segments.
Cowal plate of maaillipedes with anterior border deeply notched in the middle, convex on each side of it, and armed with 6+4 small subequal teeth.
Posterior terga lightly wrinkled and sparsely hirsute: the angles of the ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth strongly produced, the posterior border of the seventh noticeably emarginate, of the eighth, tenth, and twelfth nearly straight, but becoming gradually emarginate towards the hinder end of the body.
Legs: first pair armed below, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1; coxe of the last three pairs armed with a superior spur, those of the last two furnished in addition with a lateral spur; coxal pores uniserial, small, circular, 5, 5, 5, 5; anal legs long, slender, longer than the preceding pair, armed below 0, 1, 3, 3, 2; claw double.
g. Fourteenth and fifteenth pairs of legs unmodified, generative appendages represented by a pair of rounded tubercles.
Length about 20 millim.
Hab. Guatemata, Volcan de Acatenango (Stol/).
One male example. A second male, from Quezaltenango, which has the anal legs broken off, agrees with the one described in most characters, but it differs in having the distal segment of the tarsus noticeably shorter as compared with the proximal segment. I consequently expect that the two are specifically distinct.
This species differs from L. pontifer, L. humberti, L. godmani, and L. salvini in the dentition of its maxillary coxe, its unmodified anal legs (in male), and the smaller number of its antennal segments.
8. Lithobius stolli, sp. n. (Tab. I. figg. 10, 10 a—c.)
Colour fusco-olivaceous, with traces of a dorsal median longitudinal band.
Head and terg« smooth, sparsely punctured.
Antenne long, hirsute, composed of 27 elongate cylindrical segments.
Eyes composed of about 26 ocelli.
Coxal plate of maxillipedes with anterior border transverse, shallowly notched, the inner half of each side furnished with three small, evenly spaced teeth, of which the external is a little the largest.
The ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth terga with squared angles; the eighth, tenth, twelfth, and fourteenth with their posterior borders slightly emarginate.
Legs: those of first pair armed below as follows—9, 0, 2, 2, 1; coxa of twelfth armed with one upper spine, coxe of thirteenth to fifteenth furnished with an external lateral spine as well; the anal legs longer than the preceding pair, armed below as follows—0, 1, 3, 2,1; claw simple; coxal pores uniserial, elongate as in adult L. forficatus (Linn.), 9, 8, 8, 8.
Generative forceps of female with two pairs of spurs and simple pointed claw.
Length 27 millim.
Hab. Guatemata, Volcan de Agua (Stol/).
A single female example. BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Chilop., December 189d. c
10 CHILOPODA.
9. Lithobius aztecus. (‘Tab. I. figg. 11, 11 a-c.)
Lithobius aztecus, Humb. & Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. (2) xxi. p. 156 (1869)°; Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. pp. 116, 117, t. 5. fig. 4°.
Colour: upper surface uniformly castaneous, or more commonly ochraceo-castaneous, and darker anteriorly and posteriorly ; lower surface ochraceous with olivaceous tint; apex of legs and of antenne paler.
Body moderately robust, attenuated posteriorly, shining.
Head a little wider than long, finely punctured, the frontal longitudinal groove absent.
Eyes composed of about 30, mostly rounded ocelli, arranged in about five rews; the posterior ocellus the largest.
Antenne short, not half the length of the body, hairy, sparsely so at the base, composed of about 30 short subcylindrical segments ; the apical segment elongate, longer than the penultimate.
Coxal plate of mawillipedes finely punctured, longitudinally sulcate in the middle, its anterior border moderately produced, nearly straight, bearing 7+7 or 6+6 small subequal teeth, of which the internal are close set and the external more separated.
Tergites lightly wrinkled and sparsely hairy; from the first to the sixth with straight posterior border and rounded angles; the seventh with its angles slightly produced; the eighth, tenth, twelfth, and fourteenth with squared angles, and posterior borders straight, or only very lightly emarginate; the ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth with angles produced and sharp.
Sternites smooth, mesially impressed in the posterior half, and with fainter lateral impressions, the posterior sternites and coxe pubescent. —
Legs: the first pair armed: below, 0, 0, 2, 2,1; anal legs long, longer than the fourteenth pair, which extend only as far as the middle of their proximal tarsal segment, armed below, 0, 1, 3, 3, 2; claw double ; coxe of thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth armed with one superior and one lateral spine, coxe of eleventh and twelfth armed with a superior spine; coxal pores in a single series, elongate, 6, 7, 7, 5 to 4, 6, 6, 4.
dé. Anal leg with femur marked beneath with a single longitudinal groove; patella much widened, deeply and widely excavated above, with two longitudinal grooves beneath; tibia and tarsal segments of normal form.
2. Femur and patella of anal leg with a single inferior groove, all the segments of normal size and shape , generative forceps with two subequal, subparallel, basal spurs on each side, and a stout trifid claw.
Length up to 24 millim ; average length of adult about 19 millim. .
Hab. Mexico, Omilteme 7000 to 9000 feet, and Sierra de las Aguas Escondidas 9500 feet, both in Guerrero (H. H. Smith), Hastern Cordillera!; Guatemaa, Antigua and Tecpam (StoJ2).
The original description of this species is somewhat meagre, but it applies sufficiently well to these examples from Omilteme as to leave very little doubt in my mind that they are rightly to be named L. aztecus. The species may be at once recognized by its short antenne and large number of ocelli. Mr. Smith’s specimens were found under decaying logs, in damp thick forest, and also in the clearings.
The following Central-American species are unknown to me:—
Lithobius mystecus.
Lithobius mystecus, Humb. & Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. (2) xxi. p. 156 (1869); Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. p. 117 [excl. t. 5. fig. 5] (1872); Stuxberg, Ofv. Vet.-Akad. Fork. xxxii. 3, p. 32 (1875).
LITHOBIUS. Ha
‘Colour ferruginous brown; the last segment of the legs paler.
“Smaller than L, aztecus; the head with almost the same form, but divided in front by a deep groove, which renders it a little bilobate; the frontal sulcus distinct.
“‘ Antenne longer than in Z. aztecus, more hairy, thinner at the base, composed of from 40 to 46 segments.
“ Maxillary cove sulcate throughout, with three spiniform teeth on each side.
“* Hyes small, composed of from 8 to 10 ocelli.
“‘ Body with its tergites as in L. aztecus.
“* Anal legs shorter than in L. aztecus, not sulcate below.
“ Coxal pores round, in a single row, 4, 4,5, 4. Length 18 millim.
‘*‘ Hab. Mexico, Eastern Cordillera.”
This description appears to have been drawn up from examples of both sexes, since Humbert and de Saussure state that they had five males and three females before them. And as they make no mention of variation in the form of the posterior legs in the male, it is necessary to conclude that no variation was presented. In which case L. mystecus differs materially from all those others described here, which agree with it in possessing a large number of antennal segments and a small number of ocelli.
Fig. 5 on tab. 5 of Humbert and de Saussure’s last great work on the American Myriopoda, which is ascribed to L. mystecus, is doubtlessly erroneously named. It appears to me to be beyond all question the figure of L. toltecus, the following species ; for not only does the figure show the modified anal leg as it is described in L. toltecus, but the line which represents the natural size of the specimen, which is magnified in the full figure, is of the length not of LZ. mystecus, but of L. toltecus.
Lithobius toltecus. Lithobius toltecus, Humb. & Sauss. Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. p. 118 [t. 5. fig. 5].
“‘Testaceous. Of small size. The head swollen, divided in front by a deep groove, bilobed between the antenne. No frontal sulcus.
“ Antenne long, composed of 40 or 42 segments.
“ Maxillary cowe divided by a strong sulcus, not lobate, its anterior border transverse, subangular, but not divided, with two spiniform teeth on each side, and sometimes a trace of a third.
‘‘ Hyes composed of 9 ocelli, arranged in three longitudinal rows, the upper of which is composed of 4, the middle of 3, the lowest of 2; the size of the eyes increasing from below upwards, and from before back- wards.
“ Anal legs with fourth and fifth segments [tibia and first tarsal] swollen; the first tarsal dilated, with its upper surface bearing a curved projection, which renders the segment bifurcate at its posterior end, the internal face bearing a deep elongate depression, from the lower border of which there runs a longitudinal row of long hairs. The sixth segment short and lightly swollen. Length 12 millim.
‘¢ Hab. Mexico, Eastern Cordillera.”
It appears from this description that L. toltecus resembles L. salvini and L. godmani in having the fourteenth pair of legs in the male unmodified, and the tibial and first tarsal of the anal legs swollen. But in neither of the two here described as new is there any bifurcation of the posterior extremity of the first tarsal segment of the anal leg, such as appears to exist in Humbert and de Saussure’s species.
12 CHILOPODA.
Lithobius saussurel. Lithobius saussurei, Stuxberg, Ofv. Vet.-Akad. Férh. xxxii. 2, p. 71, and 3, p. 32 (1875).
‘‘ Head-plate cordate, about as long as wide, with semicircularly rounded sides, smooth, sparsely clothed with
hairs. “ Antenne tolerably long, not extending to the middle of the body, composed of 27 scantily hairy segments,
the apical segment not much longer than the penultimate.
“ Coxe of the second pair of maxillary feet armed with 5+5 very black, short, strong teeth, with a mode- rately deep median notch.
“The anterior tergites more lightly, the posterior more conspicuously wrinkled, but not granular, nearly smooth ; ninth, eleventh, and thirteenth with produced angles; seventh with its posterior margin deeply sinuate in the middle. Coxal pores 5, 6, 7, 6, large and round.
‘« Legs of the first pair armed (beneath) with 7 3, 1 spines.
‘Anal legs short, moderately swollen, with two claws, armed (beneath) with 1, 3, 3, 1 spines; coxa armed with a single lateral spur.
“Claw of the generative forceps in the female obsoletely trifid, the median lobe not much longer than the lateral ; two pairs of spurs.
‘Colour castaneous or brown.
“ Length of body 23 millim., of antenne 9, of anal legs 6-7.”
Hab. Mextco, Orizaba (Saussure).
1 suspect that this species will prove to be synonymous with L. aztecus. The description was taken from a single female specimen, and no mention is made of the existence of sulci on the lower surface of the anal legs. Moreover, there are said to be only ten teeth on the maxillary coxe. The first of these characters, however, may well have been overlooked, and no great importance is to be attached to the second.
Lithobius mexicanus. Lithobius mexicanus, Perbosc, Rev. Zoo]. 1839, p. 261°.
Hab. Mexico, Vera Cruz!.
This species is compared by its author to L. forficatus (Linn.), and is described as differing from it solely in having 11 ocelli instead of from 21 to 40. It is said to be 26 millim. long, and 3 millim. broad.
Unless the type is still extant, there is little hope that LZ. mexicanus will ever be identified. Judging by the number of its eyes, it belongs to the section of which L. pontifeax may be looked upon as the type.
SCOLOPENDRA. 13
Order SCOLOPENDROMORPHA, nov.
[ = Scolopendride of authors. |
Fam. SCOLOPENDRIDSA (sensu stricto).
Body composed of 21 leg-bearing segments. Head furnished on each side with 4 distinct ocelli. Legs with the tarsal segments two-jointed.
This family may be divided into two subfamilies—the Alipedine for the S.-African genus Alipes, which has the distal segments of the anal legs enormously expanded and flattened, and no claw on the tarsus; and the Scolopendrine, in which the anal legs are normally constructed.
Subfam. SCOLOPENDRINA, Newp.
Excepting for the elimination of Alipes (Eucorybas), I use this subfamily in the same sense as that employed by Bollman (Bull. U.S. Mus. 1893, p. 165). It includes the Cormocephaline and Heterostomine (=Rhysidine, Silvestri, 1895) of Newport.
SCOLOPENDRA. Scolopendra, Linneus, Syst. Nat. (1735).
The following is a synopsis of the species of Scolopendra here recognized :—
a. The first tergite not marked in front with a transverse sulcus. a’. Anal legs usually longer and thinner, not armed beneath with more than 2or3spines .. . a ue ee » « « . subspinipes, Leach. B. Ane legs shorter, stouter, afaed beneath with not fewer than 9 spines. . Femur of anal legs armed with from 13 to 15 spines, all the tergites except the anterior 4 or 5 with raised _ all the legs with tarsal spurs. . . : ; morsitans, Linn. 6?, Femur of anal leg somal with shout 23 spines, the gaterior leew ‘eth out spurs and at least only the posterior terga marginate. . . . pygmea, sp. n. b. The first tergite with a conspicuous sulcus in its anterior half. a’. The femora of all the legs and the patella of the anal legs spined. . . gigas, Leach. b°. The femora of all the legs, except the anal, and the patella of the anal unspined. a‘. With fewer than 20 antennal segments; head with a pair of shallow impressions . . ol. : : - + + + « pomacea, Koch. 5‘. With more than 20 aiicaual hevhents: ; head not snapihoeiied a’, Tarsi of all the legs unspined . . . . «. «© » ws + +s . 6 punctiventris, b°. Tarsi of nearly all the legs spined. [ Newp. a’, All the tergites, except the anal, with unraised margins and only obsoletely bisulcate ; few spines on the anal femur . . . . sumichrasti, Sauss.
. 14 CHILOPODA.
6°. The tergites completely bisulcate and at least those at the hinder end of the body with raised edges. a’. Tibize of anal leg gradually narrowed posteriorly, tarsi slender; anal pleuree with long processes. . . . 2. « « «+ = btenuitarsis, sp. n. &". Tibue of anal leg parallel-sided ; pleuree shorter. . Head with two fine sulci; distal segments of the first maxillipedes inferiorly produced. . . . . ~~. + ~ Aeros, Girard. 6°. Head not bisulcate; first maxillipedes normal. a’. Coxal plate of second maxillipedes (poison-jaws) densely punctured in front ; prosternal plates prominent. . . pachygnatha, sp. n. a Coxal plate smooth; prosternal plates normal. . Of larger size, ferruginous, with the hind borders of the terga dark green . 2» . . . 1 ee ee) Copeana, Wood. 6°. Smaller, usually of a more uniform green tint . . . viridis, Say.
1. Scolopendra morsitans. Scolopendra morsitans (Linn.), Kohlr. Arch. f. Naturg. 1881, 1, pp. 104-112 * (? all the synonymy). Scolopendra brandtiana, Gervais, Ins. Apt. iv. p. 280°. oe
Hab. Mexico, Tampico! and Vera Cruz!?. (Artificially introduced.)
This well-known species is found in almost all tropical and subtropical countries.
2. Scolopendra subspinipes. (Tab. II. fig. 9.)
Scolopendra subspinipes, Leach, Trans. Linn. Soc. xi. p. 883°; Kohlr. Arch. f. Naturg. 1881, 1, p- 967; Meinert, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. xxiii. p. 202 (1886) °; Vid. Medd. Nat. Foren. v. 1886, p. 126%.
Hab. Mexico (Eisen); Centra America‘. (Artificially introduced.)
This species, like S. morsitans, is found in the tropical and subtropical parts of both Eastern and Western hemispheres. According to Meinert*, it occurs in Central America. The Mexican example, from which the figure here published has been taken, was submitted to me for identification by Dr. Gustav Hisen.
3. Scolopendra gigas. Scolopendra gigas, Leach, Trans. Linn. Soc. xi. p. 3883. -
Hab. Honpuras.—SoutH AMERICA; JAMAICA.
For the synonymy of this species and references to its literature see Porath, Bih. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl. iv. 7, p. 5 (1876); Kohlrausch, Arch. f. Naturg. 1881, 1, p. 119; Meinert, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. 1886, p. 191.
S. gigas, the largest of the Centipedes, occurs in Jamaica and in the northern parts of S. America. According to Meinert (Vid. Medd. Nat. Foren. 1886, p. 125), the Copenhagen Museum possesses an example from Honduras.
SCOLOPENDRA. 15
4. Scolopendra pygmea, sp.n. (Tab. II. figg. 8, 8 a-c.)
Colour pale olivaceous or pale ochraceous, sometimes with indications of a darker median longitudinal dorsal band ; posterior pleure and maxillipedes ferruginous.
Body slender and parallel-sided.
Head not suleate, with its posterior margin straight and meeting, but scarcely overlapping, the first tergite.
Antenne attenuate, moderately long, composed of from 20 to 26 segments, whereof the basal 4 are nearly naked and the rest pubescent.
Maxillipedes: prosternal plates somewhat long, separated in the middle and sometimes diverging, the anterior border a little oblique and bearing 4 (3) teeth, whereof the three internal are short and close together, and the external separated and more slender ; femoral tooth small, sharp, and bifid.
Tergites more equal in size than is usual, the first not anteriorly sulcate, with two fine anteriorly abbreviated posterior longitudinal sulci, a little longer than the second, but shorter than the third ; the second to the twentieth strongly bisulcate, and with simple unraised margins.
Sternites strongly bisulcate and faintly impressed laterally and mesially.
Anal somite: tergite narrow, about as long as wide, nearly parallel-sided, with raised margins, posterior border produced, with median longitudinal sulcus ; plewre furnished with an anterior inferior porous area as in Cryptops, supetior and posterior portion smooth, the pores numerous, larger and smaller, and close set, process slender and elongate, with one lateral, four apical or subapical spines, and sometimes one superior spine, the posterior border of the pleurs: furnished with one or two spines; sternite long and narrow, a little narrowed posteriorly, with rounded angles; legs long and stout, the patella and tibia being about as thick as the femur; femur armed with about 23 small spines arranged in longitudinal series approxi- mately at follows—2 on the upper-inner edge, 2 on the inner surface, 5 and 4 on the under-inner edge, 5 and 5 on the under-outer edge ; the inferior surface sometimes without spines in the middle and depressed in front, the process short and bifid; the patella, tibia, and proximal tarsal segment with upper inner edge internally produced and rounded, the under inner edge flattened ; both tarsal segments thick and sparsely pubescent, not armed with a spine, claw with two spurs.
Legs with claws spurred; tarsi of sixteenth to twentieth unspined, the rest with a minute spine; the twentieth pair of legs considerably larger than the nineteenth, as in Cryptops, the distal tarsal segment more than half the length of the proximal.
Length up to 37 millim. gia
Hab. Mexico, Amula 6000 to 7000 feet (7. ZH. Smith).
In this species the first tergite presents no transverse arched sulcus behind the head- plate. It is further remarkable for the rounded, swollen appearance of the segments of the anal legs.
The description has been drawn up from the examples from Amula, but in the British-Museum collection there are others obtained at San Diego (Texas) by Mr. William Taylor, which appear to belong to the same species. These examples show that the four tergites at the hinder end of the body may have raised margins and that the first tergite is not always bisulcate behind.
It is possible that the species is based upon young individuals ; but apart from their small size the specimens examined appear to be adult. At all events, they may be readily recognized from all the other Central-American species, as may be seen from the synoptical table.
co
5. Scolopendra pomacea. (Tab. II. figg. 7, 7a.) Scolopendra pomacea, C. Koch, Syst. d. Myr. p. 170. 33 (1847)*; Die Myr. i. p. 65, fig. 56 (1863) *. Scolopendra chichimeca, Saussure, Mém. Soc. Phys. Genéve, xv. p. 386, t. 7. fig. 44 (1860) °; Humb, & Sauss. Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. p. 182, t. 5. fig. 13 (1872) *.
16 CHILOPODA.
Scolopendra olmeca, Humb. & Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1869, p. 157°; Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. p. 129, t. 5. figg. 7, 7a°.
Colour : upper surface olivaéeous, under surface ochraceous or olivaceous ; legs wholly ochraceous or distally olivaceous (in specimen from Cuernavaca).
Body robust, attenuated in front and behind, wider in front than behind.
Head large, about as wide as long, not sulcate but conspicously punctured, considerably overlapping the first tergite ; with a pair of shallow impressions in its posterior half.
Antenne short, attenuate, composed of 18 segments, of which the basal 4 are naked and the rest pubescent.
Mawillipedes punctured ; prosternal plates long, almost contiguous, almost square, with nearly straight ante- rior border, furnished with 4 blunt teeth, whereof the three internal are fused, and the external separate ; femoral tooth of normal size, not dentate.
Tergites punctured ; the first with a deep anterior transverse sulcus; the second to the twentieth bisulcate ; seventeenth to the twenty-first with raised margins.
Sternites smooth, from the second to the twentieth bisulcate.
Anal somite: tergite wider than long, not sulcate; plewre closely porous throughout, a single spine on its posterior margin, the process moderately long, smooth, armed apically and subapically with 4 spines ; sternite with lightly convex and converging lateral margins, and straight posterior margin ; legs moderately long, femur armed with about 15 or 17 spines, arranged in longitudinal series approximately as follows— 2 on the upper-inner edge, 3 on the inner surface, 4 or 6 on the under-inner edge, and 3 and 3 on the under-outer edge; the middle of the under surface without spines, the process stout, of moderate length and tipped with two spines ; tarsus unspined, claw spurred.
Legs: the twentieth pair with unspined tarsus, the rest with spined tarsus ; claws spurred.
Length to 58 millim.
Hab. Mexico !5 (Geddes, in Mus. Brit.), Puebla (Saussure ®, Botteri+), Cuernavaca in Morelos 5200 feet (Saussure °, H. H. Smith).
According to Humbert and de Saussure this species frequents the plateau of Mexico, occurring at Cuernavaca and Puebla. S. pomacea may be recognized from the other indigenous Central-American species by its shorter antenne. These appendages are composed of only 17 or 18 segments, whereas in the others there are always more than 20.
The above description is taken from a specimen in the British Museum obtained by Mr. Geddes, which has unfortunately but one anal leg; I am consequently unable to test the constancy of the spine-armature of the femur of this appendage. ‘The spines in Koch’s specimen seem to be fewer in number, since he indicates them as only 12, arranged as eras above downwards 2, 3, 3, 2, 2. In the above-described example they are 2, 8, 3, 3, 38, being two in excess; but I do not think this is sufficient to distinguish the specimens specifically. ‘There is, however, one other objection that may be alleged against my opinion that S. pomacea and S. chichimeca are identical. This is Koch’s statement that the neck-plate in his specimen is without impressions. But I venture to think that he is here referring to the absence of punctures or of the two longitudinal grooves which characterize the rest of the terga, and not to the absence of the deep anterior transverse sulcus. ‘This sulcus he probably never saw, owing to the retraction of the head-plate, which his figure indicates.
The determination of S. olmeca as the same species is based upon the absence of
SCOLOPENDRA. 17
diagnostic characters in Humbert and de Saussure’s description, and upon my posses- sion of a specimen of 8. pomacea from Cuernavaca, whence S. o/meca was obtained.
6. Scolopendra punctiventris. (Tab. II. figg. 6, 6 a-c.)
Scolopendra punctiventris, Newport, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. xiii. p. 100 (1844) *; Trans. Linn. Soc. xix. p. 887 (1845) *; Cat. Myr. Brit. Mus. p. 83 (1856) °; Gervais, Ins. Apt. iv. p. 277 (1847) *.
Scolopendra inequidens (Gerv.), Wood, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil. (2) v. pp. 24, 25 (1868) ° ; Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. xiii. pp. 162, 163° (?? inequidens of Gerv.).
Scolopendra woodii, Meinert, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. xxiii. p. 198 (1886) *.
Colour: tergites olivaceous or ochraceo-olivaceous, with posterior margin, especially in the middle, deeper olivaceous ; head, first tergite, and maxillipedes olivaceous or pale castaneous; legs ochraceous, posterior legs distally pale olivaceous ; sternites ochraceous with olivaceous tint ; antenn# pale olivaceous, distally paler.
Body moderately robust, but little narrowed in front and behind, smooth, polished.
Head longer than wide, ovate, with nearly straight posterior border, not suleate.
Antenne short, attenuate, composed of 17 segments, whereof the basal 6 or 7 are naked, and the next pubescent.
Mawillipedes smooth or very indistinctly punctured ; prosternal plates almost in contact, long, about as long as broad, the anterior border oblique and cut out into four distinct teeth, whereof the three internal are approximate ; femoral tooth large and subdentate.
Tergites: the first marked anteriorly with a transverse arched sulcus, and posteriorly with two fine, sub- parallel, longitudinal sulci; all the rest, except the anal, also marked with two longitudinal sulci; the first 16 or 17 with simple unraised margins.
Sternites smooth, except the first and last, strongly bisulcate.
Anal somite: tergite with a faint longitudinal suleus ; pleure furnished with larger and smaller, not close-set pores ; the process long, slender, cylindrical, smooth, and tipped with four spines, without lateral spine ; sternite with sides strongly converging posteriorly, straight or lightly concave hinder margin ; legs some- what short, only a little longer than the preceding pair, moderately stout, the femur armed with 9 or 11 spines—3 (1 superior) on the upper-inner edge, 2 on the under-inner edge, and 2, 2 in pairs on the under- outer edge, and sometimes 2 small spines at the proximal end of the segment; process long, stout, and tipped with three spines ; tarsus unspined, claw spurred.
Legs with spurred claws but with tarsi unspined.
Length up to 43 millim.
Hab. Nortu America‘, Eastern States, Florida !°.—MeExico, Tampico in Tamaulipas (Richardson), Omilteme in Guerrero 7000 to 9000 feet (H. H. Smith).
This species was described by Newport from a Floridan specimen which is still preserved in the British Museum.
Dr. Meinert? records it from North and South Carolina, Virginia, and Massachusetts, so it is evidently not uncommon in the Eastern States of North America. Mr. Smith’s specimens were found under rotten wood, &c., about clearings and in the forest.
There is no doubt that the synonymy given above is correct. The error of ascribing the species to S. viridis of Say is to be laid to Wood’s charge. Dr. Meinert followed Wood without questioning his synonymy.
S. punctiventris may be recognized at once from S. viridis of Say by the entire absence of tarsal spurs on all the legs.
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Chilop., December 1895. : D
18 CHILOPODA.
7. Scolopendra tenuitarsis, sp. n. (Tab. II. figg. 5, 5 a-d.) Colour olivaceous or ochraceo-olivaceous ; under surface deep ochraceous ; antenne and legs distally olivaceous. Body robust and approximately parallel-sided. Head about as wide as long, obscurely punctured, and with an indistinct median longitudinal sulcus, posterior border straight. Antenne short, attenuate, composed of about 22 segments, whereof the basal four are naked and the rest
pubescent.
Mazillipedes obscurely punctured; prosternal plates elongate, contiguous, with straight anterior border, furnished with four blunt teeth, whereof the three internal are close together and the external separate.
Tergites: the first marked in front by a transverse sulcus, which is situated at some distance behind the posterior margin of the head; from the third to the twentieth bisulcate, the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first with raised margins.
Sternites smooth, second to the twentieth bisulcate.
Anal somite: tergite with a median sulcus, much wider than long; plewre porous throughout, except the posterior border and the process, which are smooth, posterior border bearing one or two spines, the process long and slender, bearing one lateral and about six apical and subapical spines ; sternite somewhat wide, its sides very gently converging, with straight or slightly concave hinder margin ; legs of moderate length, the basal segments stout and the tarsal segments slender ; femur flattish, but with rounded margins, armed with about 23 or 26 small spines, arranged in longitudinal series approximately as follows—2, and 1 beneath them on the upper-inner edge, 4 on the inner surface, 6 or 7 in two irregular series on the under- inner edge, 2 or 3 on the under surface, and 4 or 5 and 4 on the under-outer edge; the process well developed and tipped with two spines; the lower surface slightly excavated anteriorly ; the patella parallel- sided, a little wider than the femur, with rounded margins, but lightly and widely excavated above; the tibia elongately piriform, its proximal end being much wider than the distal end, flat or lightly excavated above, sparsely pubescent ; tarsal segments somewhat stout, but much slenderer than the tibia, cylindrical,
pubescent, unarmed ; claw spurred. Legs with spurred claws, and, except the twentieth pair, with spined proximal tarsal segment.
Length 39 millim. Hab. Mexico, Omilteme in Guerrero 7000 to 9000 feet (HZ. H. Smith).
Three examples, found under rotting logs. Unfortunately only one of them is furnished with its anal legs; it is consequently impossible to judge of the constancy of the peculiarities presented by these appendages. This character may be sexual, but at all events it serves to distinguish the specimen presenting it from all the others that have been hitherto described.
8. Scolopendra heros. (Tab. I. figg. 12, 12 a-c.) Scolopendra heros, Girard, in Marcy’s Rep. Expl. Red River, p. 272, t. 18 (1853) 1; also of Wood, Porath, Meinert, &c. Scolopendra castaneiceps, Wood, Proc. Ac. Phil. 1861, p. 117; Trans. Am. Phil. Soe. xiii. p. 156, t. 1. fig. 1°. ? Scolopendra polymorpha, Wood, op. cit.* (testibus auctoribus). ? Scolopendra mysteca, Humb. & Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1869, p. 157°; Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. p. 130 (1872) °. Hab. Norta America ! 4, Texas *.—Mexico ° °, Presidio (Forrer), San Miguel (coll. Kisen).
This handsome species is so well known that no detailed description of it is here
SCOLOPENDRA. 13
necessary. Specimens that I have seen vary in size from 106 to 150 millim. The colour is very variable, shading from olive-brown to deep green, the head being sometimes greener, sometimes redder than the body. Those with the head and first segment red and the trunk green have been named S. castaneiceps by Wood. I have seen one of these specimens from San Diego, Texas, measuring 106 millim., captured by Mr. William Taylor; but in structural features it does not differ from another example from the same locality, which is olive-brown in colour and measures 140 millim.
A young specimen of the S. castaneiceps-type, from this same locality, measuring 36 millim. in length, has the anal legs exceedingly long and slender, their length equalling one-third of the length of the body and head.
From Mexico I have seen five specimens: two, without special locality (Eisen coll.), 135-150 millim., pale coloured; one from San Miguel (Hisen coll.), 145 millim., with greenish head and chestnut body; and two from Presidio (Forrer), 114-133 millim., with the hinder border of the terga green, the head greenish, the rest castaneous.
9. Scolopendra copeana. (Tab. II. figg. 1, 1 a-d.) Scolopendra copeana, Wood, Journ. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phil. (2) v. p. 27 (1868) *; Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. xiii. p. 165 (1865) °. ? Scolopendra pachypus, Kohlr. Arch. f. Naturg. 188], 1, p. 112°. Hab. Norta America, California! ?, Texas.—Mexico, Chihuahua (Montagu-Kerr), Tres Marias Is., Ventanas in Durango (forrer), Amula in Guerrero 6000 feet (4. H. Smith).
This species, described by Wood from California, has been set down by both Meinert (Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. xxiii. p. 195) and Bollman (Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1893, p. 175) as a synonym of S. heros. My opinion that the two should at all events be regarded provisionally as distinct is based upon the examination of a very large number of Californian specimens, submitted to me for identification by Dr. Gustav Kisen, all of which differ from the Texan specimens that I refer to S. heros in certain apparently constant characters. ‘These characters are: (1) the absence of an angular tooth on the inferior edge of the last and penultimate segments of the palpi; (2) the absence of sulci on the head-plate; (3) the presence of a median stria on the anal tergite; (4) the shorter anal pleurz, the posterior border being more nearly vertical and the process more slender and cylindrical. It may be added, moreover, that S. copeana seems seldom to attain the size characteristic of S. heros. I have, however, seen Californian speci- mens measuring 130 millim. in length (over 5 inches); but the average length is perhaps about 100 millim. The colour, too, as in S. heros, appears to be very variable, the trunk varying from olive-brown through various shades of green to chestnut, but
the posterior portions of terga 2-20 are deeper green, which gives a characteristically D2
20 CHILOPODA.
striped appearance to the animals. Moreover, the anal segment and all the legs are flavous or ochre-yellow, and the head-region is generally noticeably darker-coloured than the opposite end of the body. ‘The variation in colour does not seem to be connected with distribution, since specimens from the same locality show immense individual variation.
It may be that this species will prove to be based upon young specimens of S. heros: but the evidence at my disposal does not support this supposition; for the large Californian specimens that I refer to S. copeana have all the appearance of being adult, and specimens from the same locality ranging from 90-130 millim. present no varia- tion in the characters given above as distinguishing this species from S. heros; and, conversely, Texan specimens of S. heros ranging from 108-140 millim. are also alike in these particulars.
I may add that the species named S. polymorpha by Wood may prove to be the same as S. copeana, in which case the former name has the precedence. But S. poly- morpha is unknown to me, and I must follow the example of my predecessors in adding it to the synonyms of S&. heros.
I have examined fourteen specimens from Mexico: six, 78-85 millim., from Dr. Gustav Eisen’s collection; three from Chihuahua (Montagu-Kerr), 70-93 millim. ; two from Ventanas (Forrer), 65-91 millim.; one from Amula (AH. H. Smith), 101 millim.; and two from Tres Marias Islands (forrer), 78-85 millim.
The British Museum also has an example, 104 millim. in length, from San Diego, Texas, obtained by Mr. William Taylor.
Subsp. gaumeri, nov. ? Scolopendra pachypus, Bollman, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. no. 46, p. 198 (1893). (?? pachypus, Kohlr.)
Hab. British Honpuras (Colonial Exhibition) ; Honpunas, Bonacca I.,in the Bay of Honduras (Gaumer).
This subspecies is based upon some specimens closely allied to the typical S. copeana, but possibly specifically distinct from it. They are, however, in rather a bad state of preservation, and I propose at present to regard them merely as a subspecies. They differ from S. copeana in the absence of a sulcus on the anal tergite, and in the greater shortness of the pleural process. ‘Three specimens: one, the type, from Honduras, measures 104 millim.; two from Bonacca Island, 78-88 millim. It appears to me probable that the specimen recorded from ‘Truxillo as §. pachypus by Bollman is a representative of this subspecies.
10. Scolopendra sumichrasti. (Tab. II. figg. 4, 4 a.) Scolopendra sumichrasti, Saussure, Mém. Soc. Phys. Geneve, xv. p. 885, t. 7. fig. 46 (1860); Humb. & Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1869, p. 157 *; Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. p. 181°.
SCOLOPENDRA. 21
Colour of tergites olive-green or olive-brown ; legs and antenne pale olive-green, or ochraceous ; head and maxillipedes more or less castaneous.
Head punctulate, with two fine strie.
Antenne with 23 or 24 segments, of which the basal 6 are naked; coxal plates of maxillipedes with the three internal teeth confluent.
Terga not distinctly sulcate, and, excepting the anal, with unraised margins ; the anal without a median stria.
Sterna strongly bisulcate.
Anal pleure densely and finely punctulate; the process shortish, tipped with from two to four acute spines.
Anal legs longish, about three times as long as the head-plate, or rather more; claw spurred ; tarsus unspined ; femur armed with from six to eight strong sharp spines, not counting the process, which is robust and armed with two acute spines, the spines are disposed as follows: 2 or 3 in two rows on the upper-inner edge, 1 or 0 on the under-inner edge, and 4 or 3 in two rows on the under-outer edge.
Legs with spurred tarsi.
Length up to 140 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Vera Cruz !?3 (Saussure); British Honpuras (Mus. Brit., ex Colonial
Exhibition) ; GuateMa.a, Tucuru in Vera Paz, Livingston (Stol0).
This species resembles S. heros in size, but may be at once recognized by the unraised margins of its terga, the absence of sulci on these plates, and the smaller number and larger size of the spines on the anal legs.
De Saussure’s description does not point out these distinctive characters, and it is suggested that S. swmichrastt may be based upon old examples of S. mysteca. But if S. mysteca be S. heros, as I suppose, de Saussure’s conclusion will not hold, for Texan specimens of S. heros measuring 140 millim. do not resemble S. sumichrasti.
11. Scolopendra viridis. (Tab. II. figg. 2, 2 a-.) Scolopendra viridis, Say, Journ. Ac. Phil. ii. p. 110 (1821) *. Scolopendra parva, Wood, Proc. Ac. Phil. 1861, p. 10’. Scolopendra azteca, Saussure, Mém. Soc. Phys. Genéve, xv. p. 382, t. 6. fig. 41 (1860) *. Scolopendra otomita, Saussure, loc. cit. p. 383, t. 6. fig. 42*, Scolopendra maya, Saussure, loc. cit. p. 384, fig. t. 7. 45°. Scolopendra tolteca, Saussure, loc. cit. p. 384, t. 6. fig. 43 °.
fab. NortH America, Georgia! ?, Florida1, Texas.—Mexico, Ciudad in Durango (forrer), Omilteme in Guerrero 7000 to 9000 feet (H. H. Smith), plateau of Mexico * 4, Huitznopal, between Mextitlan and Tampico®, and Puebla*®’, Cuautla in Vera Cruz ® (Saussure), San Andres Tuxtla (Mus. Brit.) ; Guatemata, Quezaltenango, Volcan de Pacaya, Guatemala city, Antigua, San Miguel Uspantan (Stoll); Costa Rica (Rogers).
The identity of the species that I have here called S. viridis, Say, is still, in my opinion, involved in much obscurity. Jam not even sure that all the specimens I have referred to this species will prove to be co-specific ; nor would I undertake in all cases to distinguish between this form and S. copeana.
As a very general rule the species is smaller than S. copeana (length about 50-60
22 CHILOPODA.
millim.), of a much more uniform green tint, with shorter and stouter anal legs. The largest I have seen, a specimen from Omilteme, measures, however, 86 millim.
The specimen of which a coloured figure is given on Tab. II. fig. 2 is from San Andres Tuxtla. It and another were acquired by the British Museum in 1861, and according to a note in the register they were identified by de Saussure himself as S. tolteca. ‘They are said, moreover, to be the types of this species. This, however, they clearly are not; for the types of S. tolteca came from Cuautla, Vera Cruz, and are said to vary in length from 80-85 millim., whereas the San Andres specimens are 70 and 75 millim. respectively. The smaller one is like the larger, except that the anal legs are thinner and the spinous process on the femur longer. This fact is interesting, inasmuch as the great length of this spinous process is one of the first characters to strike the eye as distinguishing de Saussure’s figures of S. azteca and S. otomita, not to mention 8. maya from 8S. tolteca. In fact, an examination of the available material seems to me to show that the structure of the anal somite, which usually furnishes trust- worthy characters, cannot be safely used as a criterion for distinguishing the so-called species enumerated in the above synonymy. For instance, the pleural process may be longish or quite short, so also may the spinous process on the femur, and the anal legs may be stout and short or longer and thinner. I believe, in fact, that these organs vary considerably with sex and age. On Tab. II. figs. 2c-2hI have depicted the anal somite of three specimens of a Scolopendra selected from a large series that was obtained some years back at San Diego, Texas, by Mr. William Taylor. ‘These figures, drawn to the same scale, well illustrate the variations that have just been mentioned. I may add, moreover, that other specimens from the same set further illustrate the same truth, scarcely any two of them being alike. ‘These Texan specimens I cannot distinguish from the Central-American forms named S. azteca, S. tolteca, &c.; and, so far as I can ascertain, they are nothing but S. viridis of Say, which was described from Florida, and, according to Bollman, is spread over the South-eastern States of the Union as far to the north as Tennessee. The last-named author, moreover, distinguishes between S. viridis, which is found to the east of the Rocky Mountains, and S. pachypus of Kohlrausch, which occurs in California. I have not, unfortunately, seen specimens from California that are at all like S. viridis; but the thickness of the anal legs in S. pachypus, upon which Bollman relies, is, it appears to me, an untrustworthy character.
The arguments which thus lead me to consider that the Mexican species are to be called S. viridis of Say are founded upon the assumption that Wood and Bollman are correct in their identification of S. vivzdis. It must be remembered, however, that the species in question is based upon specimens presenting a most unusual type of coloration —that is, in having a green band down the back. ‘This at least appears to me to be the case from reading Say’s description, where he says the posterior segments are margined with yellow. Wood seems to me to have wrongly interpreted this statement,
SCOLOPENDRA. 23
since he supposed, although without grounds, that Say was referring to the posterior margin of the segments.
In the British Museum, however, there is a North-American specimen, without special locality, which agrees closely with Say’s description; and since this form has never to my knowledge been figured, I take this opportunity of publishing a coloured drawing of it for comparison with the specimen of S. viridis from San Andres in Mexico (Tab. II. fig. 27). The difference between the two is startling enough; but I presume, from the confidence with which S. viridis of Say has been discussed by those who have written upon the North-American species of Scolopendra, that this peculiar pattern of colouring is inconstant. Wood seems to have been well acquainted with specimens presenting it. |
I may add that in Abbot’s drawings of Georgian Aptera, vol. xv., there is a figure of a centipede agreeing almost exactly with Say’s description of S. viridis. It has the antenne deep greenish blue; the head and first segment deep olive-green, the rest of the segments with a green longitudinal median band and yellow sides ; the anal legs olivaceous, the rest of the legs from the patella to the claw also deep green, but the femur yellow like the maxillipedes. Abbot only appears to have seen one specimen, that was taken under a log in April. He says it is a rare species, the smaller members of the genus [? 8. parva, of Wood] being oftenest met with.
The Mexican examples before me that I here refer to S. viridis have been received from the following localities :—Ciudad (Forrer) (one specimen, 59 millim. long); San Andres Tuxtla (two specimens, identified by de Saussure as 8. tolteca) ; Omilteme (one example, 87 millim. long, anal leg 15 millim. long, with stout segments; brownish green in colour, with the hinder borders of the terga deeper green). Examples were obtained by Dr. Stoll in Guatemala at the following localities: Volcan de Pacaya (three specimens, 74, 52, and 42 millim. long); San Miguel Uspantan (one specimen, 43 millim.); Antigua (one specimen, 55 millim.); Guatemala city (four specimens, 75, 59, 47, and 45 millim.); and Quezaltenango (one specimen, 37 millim.).
The single specimen from Costa Rica measures 55 millim.
12. Scolopendra pachygnatha, sp. n. (Tab. II. figg. 3, 3 a, 5.)
Colour of trunk and legs uniform olive-green ; anterior end of body, with antennz, and posterior end of body ferruginous.
Head suborbicular, rather small, very weakly punctulate, not suleate. Antenne composed of 25 segments, whereof the basal 6 are naked. Mawillipedes with their coxal plate densely punctured and striate anteriorly, deeply suleate behind; dental plates prominent, longish, diverging, quadridentate; fentoral segments also basally coriaceous.
Terga smooth, scarcely punctured, from the second to the twentieth bisulcate, from the seventeenth to the twentieth marginate ; sterna smooth, conspicuously bisulcate.
Anal somite small: tergite not sulcate ; pleura densely punctulate, the process almost absent, very short, blunt, and tipped with many spinules; sternite narrow ; legs longish and slender, the width of the segments less than half their length, angular process on the femur scarcely apparent, tipped with 1 or 2 spines; femur
24 CHILOPODA.
internally armed with 6 or 7 spinules, 2 or 1, 3,2, and below externally with about 8 spinules irregularly arranged ; tarsi not spurred.
Tarsi of all the legs spurred.
Length 96 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Mezquital del Oro, Zacatecas (Buller coll.).
A single specimen.
The following species are unknown to me :—
Scolopendra occidentalis. Scolopendra occidentalis, Meinert, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. xxiii. p. 197 (1886) *,
Hab. Wust Coast of Mzxtico (Capt. Goff 1).
I cannot grasp the essential characters of this species from the diagnosis ; but, so far as can be judged, it would fall under the heading 6'° of the synoptical table given on pp. 18, 14, alongside of S. viridis, and it may prove to differ from S. viridis in having the anal legs long and slender, and the femora armed with 23 or 26 spines.
Scolopendra nicaraguensis. Scolopendra nicaraguensis, Bollman, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. no. 46, p. 198 (1893) *.
Hab. Nicaraeua (Bransford ').
This species is based upon a specimen 90 millim. in length, which, according to Bollman, is related to S. heros, Girard, but has the anal legs thicker and shorter, the anterior 15 dorsal plates immarginate, and the anal plate shorter and wider. It is also said to be distinguishable from S. pachypus, Kohlr., by having the anal legs less crassate.
If worth a separate title, this form will probably prove to be at most only a sub- species of S. azteca, the Mexican form of S. viridis.
[CORMOCEPHALWS. Cormocephalus, Newport, Trans. Linn. Soc. xix. p. 419 (1845).
Cormocephalus aurantiipes. Cormocephalus aurantiipes, Newp. loc. cit. p. 420.
This species, which is typically Australian, no member of the genus to which it belongs having been previously obtained from any part of either North or South America, has been recorded by Meinert [Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. xxiii. p. 206 (1886)] from Guatemala. Probably, however, this locality is erroneous; but if correct we may safely assume either that the specimen was accidentally introduced or has been wrongly determined. | |
PAROTOSTIGMUS. 25
PAROTOSTIGMUS, gen. nov.
I propose this new generic name for the American species of Centipedes which have hitherto been assigned to Otostigmus. A considerable number of these species have now been described, and they all agree amongst themselves, and differ from the Oriental members which belong to Otostigmus in the strict sense of the word, in having the anal pleure posteriorly truncate and the anal femora unarmed.
1. Parotostigmus denticulatus, sp.n. (Tab. II. figg. 10, 10 a-c.)
Colour (in alcohol) very variable, mostly of a greenish ochraceous tint with a bluish or reddish tinge of colour ; shining, sometimes strongly, with metallic lustre.
Body slender, attenuated anteriorly and posteriorly.
Head a very little wider than long, convex, finely punctured, without sulci.
Antenne short, composed of 17 segments, whereof the basal 2 are naked and the rest clothed with pubescence of a reddish tint.
Mazillipedes: coe lightly convex, mesially and longitudinally impressed posteriorly, faintly punctured ; prosternal plates wider than long, almost contiguous and parallel, bearing four sharp subequal teeth; femur with conspicuous sharply bifid tooth.
Tergites finely and closely punctured, from the sixth bisulcate, all, except the last, with unraised margins, laterally wrinkled and marked between the sulci with two shallow, longitudinal grooves, the wrinkling being especially conspicuous in the posterior portion of the body; finely granular, either thickly and irregularly, or more sparsely, indistinctly, and subserially.
Sternites smooth and shining, very finely punctured, not sulcate, but marked more or less distinctly with four, an anterior and posterior median and two lateral, impressions.
Anal somite: tergite with raised margins, not sulcate, mesially impressed posteriorly ; pleure thickly covered with larger and smaller pores, produced posteriorly into a smooth blunt process which projects a little beyond the lateral margin of the tergite, without trace of spines; sternite with converging margins, rounded angles, and straight posterior border, mesially impressed ; /egs without spines, of moderate length, the femur thicker distally than proximally, claw basally spurred ; tarsus unspined.
Legs: claws spurred, proximal tarsal segment with a single spine, first pair of legs with an anterior tibial spine ; in the posterior part of the body the legs are sometimes finely granular proximally.
Length up to 56 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Amula 6000 to 7000 feet, and Omilteme 7000 to 9000 feet, both in Guerrero (H. H. Smith).
Several specimens, found under rotting wood in clearings and in the forest.
Judged by the formation of the dorsal plates, the species of this genus may for con- venience be divided into two sections—the first comprising those in which the tergites, at least in the hinder half of the body, have elevated margins, and the second those in which all the tergites, except the anal, have simple margins. Into the former division fall Otostigmus scabricauda (Humb. & Sauss.) (=O. appendiculatus, Porat), from Brazil and Ecuador; O. inermis, Porat, from Buenos Ayres; 0. occidentalis, Meinert, from Hayti; O. brasiliensis, Meinert, from Bahia; O. sudcatus, Meinert, from Monte Video; O. kerviliei, Karsch, from Ecuador; and 0. spiculiferus, Pocock, from St. Vincent. Whereas to the latter section belong 0. limbatus, Meinert, from Buenos Ayres and Brazil, and the Mexican species above described.
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER.. Chilop., January 1896. E
26 CHILOPODA.
P. denticulatus differs from P. limbatus in being wrinkled and granular above, the latter being described as ‘ sublevis.”
RHYSIDA. Rhysida, Wood, Journ. Acad. Phil. v. p. 40 (1863).
The following synopsis will serve to show the diagnostic characters of the three Central-American species referred to Rhysida :—
a. Femur of the anal leg armed with about 7 strong spines, 3 of which are arranged externally in a longitudinal series on its lower surface (terga in the posterior half of the body at least with elevated margins). /ongipes, Newp. 6. Femur of the anal leg without spines. a’. Lateral margins of the terga in the posterior half of the body elevated (testibus Humbert & Saussure, and Meinert) . . . . celeris, Humb. & Sauss. b'. Lateral margins of all the terga, except the last, simple, aud un- raised 2. ee we ee ee ee ee ew ee ee emmarginata, Porat.
1. Rhysida immarginata. (Tab. III. figg. 1, 1 ac.)
Branchiostoma immarginatum, Porat, Bih. Sv. Vet.-Ak. Handl. iv. no. 7, p. 24 (1876) °.
Branchiostoma indicum, Kohlr. Arch. f. Naturg. 1881, 1, p. 67°. .
Branchiostoma gymnopus, Kohlr. loc. cit. °*.
Branchiostoma subspinosum, Témosvary, Term. fiizetek, ix. p. 65 (1885) °*.
Branchiostoma celebense, Haase, Abhandl. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 5 (1887), p. 86 (var. of immarginatum) °.
Branchiostoma ceylonicum, Haase, loc. cit. (var. of gymnopus) °.
Hab. Mexico, Ciudad in Durango (forrer); British Honpuras, Stann Creek, Belize (Robertson) ; GUATEMALA, near the city (Stoll); Nicaragua, Greytown (Janson) ; PANAMA, Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion).—ORIENTAL REGION.
This is, I believe, the correct synonymy of the species, to which are ascribed the Central-American examples. But seeing that others ‘may possibly hold a different view as to the correctness of referring the New World examples to the Old World species, the following description of the American examples has been prepared as a check upon the determination of them :— |
Colour olivaceous or ochraceous ; legs pale green or testaceous; shining.
Head wider than long, somewhat coarsely and sparsely punctured, not sulcate, covered posteriorly by the first tergite.
Antenne moderately long, composed of from 18-21 segments, of which the basal 2 and half the third are naked, and the rest pubescent.
Mawillipedes indistinctly punctured ; prosternal plates not large, wider than long, slightly diverging, with
convex border bearing four sharp teeth, of which the external is the smallest; femoral tooth large and subdentate.
Tergites smooth or at most lightly wrinkled, from the third or fifth bisulcate; margins simple and unraised.
Sternites smooth, without impressions and without sulci.
Anal somite: tergite without median sulcus, not impressed behind; plewre punctured throughout, produced into a longer or shorter stout process, which is terminated by two spines, without lateral or superior
RHYSIDA,. 27
spine ; sternite broad, a little narrowed posteriorly, with lightly convex sides and an emarginate hinder border ; legs long and slender, femur unarmed ; tarsus not spined, claw with basal spurs.
Legs: first to seventeenth or eighteenth with two tarsal spurs, nineteenth and twentieth with one tarsal spur ; first to the sixth with an anterior tibial spur ; the first with an anterior patellar spur.
Length 52 millim.
All the names given above in the synonymical list were applied to examples from different parts of the Oriental Region. The characters, however, upon which the so-called species were established do not seem to be reliable. The Banda form, ft. gymnopus, which has the anal femur unarmed and the pleure tipped with two spines, is identical with the Central-American examples here recorded ; and R. gymnopus is connected with the typical A. immarginata by means of R. ceylonica, which has a
few spines on the femur.
2. Rhysida celeris.
Branchiostoma celer, Humb, & Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. (2) xxii. p. 202 (1870) *; Mém. Mex. Myr. in Mém. Soc. Phys. Genéve, xv. p. 122, t. 6. fig. 16°; Kohlr. Arch. f. Naturg. 1881, 1, p- 69°; Meinert, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. 1886, p. 183 *.
Colour pale green or olivaceous, flavo-brunneous or ochraceous beneath; feet, except the posterior, and antenne flavo-brunneous.
Body tolerably slender or more robust, nearly smooth.
Head suborbicular, immarginate, its posterior margin more or less covered.
Antenne tolerably short, 20 (18-21) segments; except the first three segments, densely and shortly hairy, the
median segments long or longish. Prosternal teeth four on each side, arranged in pairs, somewhat blunt; coxal tooth almost smooth. Anal legs very long, slender, unarmed. Dorsal lamine, except the first four, marginate. Posterior pleure manifestly rough, thickly porous, produced into a smooth, sharp angle, which is terminated by
two spines. Last ventral lamina tolerably wide, narrowed and with rounded sides, posteriorly manifestly sinuate.
Length 70 millim. Hab. Norta America, Carolina }—Nicaracua, Polvon* (McMiel).—Antiuxs, Jamaica *.
Recorded originally from Carolina by Saussure, but subsequently from Jamaica and
Nicaragua by Meinert. This species is unknown to me, but, apparently differs from 2. ¢mmarginata in having
some of its tergites margined.
3. Rhysida longipes. (Tab. II. fig. 11.)
Branchiostoma longipes, Newp. Trans. Linn. Soc. xix. p. 411 (1845)'; and of later authors.
Hab. Mexico, Mazatlan (forrer).—AntiLLes.—E. InpIEs.
This species has a wide range in the tropics, being not uncommon in both the East
and West Indies. Since two or three good descriptions of 2. longipes have been published of late
years, it is unnecessary to redescribe it here.
28 CHILOPODA.
Fam. CRYPTOPIDZ, nov. (= Plutoniine + Cryptopine, Bollman, 1893.)
Body composed of 21 leg-bearing segments, as in the Scolopendride ; but with eyes absent and the tarsi of all the legs, except the last two pairs, undivided.
Containing Cryptops, Paracryptops, Theatops, and Plutonium.
THEATOPS. Theatops, Newport, Trans. Linn. Soc. xix. p. 409 (1845).
1. Theatops spinicauda. Opisthomega spinicauda, Wood, Journ. Acad. Phil. v. p. 86'; Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. xiii. p. 170’; Meinert, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. 1886, pp. 208, 209°.
Hab. Nortu America, Illinois !?.—Mextico, Acapulco 3.
This species, described originally from North America, is recorded by Meinert from Acapulco.
Fam. SCOLOPOCRYPTOPIDA, nov.
Body composed of 23 leg-bearing segments ; most of the terga nearly always bisulcate ; the sterna either not sulcate or weakly bisulcate.
Head without eyes, overlapping the first tergite, which is strongly sulcate.
Mazxillary cove without the distinct dental plates which characterize the Scolopendride.
Anal pleure, as in the Newportiide, furnished with a very long spiniform process.
Anal legs long and slender, the femur armed with only two spines; the tarsi as in the Scolopendride.
The legs from the first to the twenty-first pairs with the tarsi undivided.
Omitting for the present Scolopendropsis, of which the systematic position is a matter of doubt, this family contains but two genera, which may be recognized as follows :—
a. The seventh somite with a pair of stigmata. . . . . . « . . ScoLopocryprTops.
(Type miersii, Newp.) 6, The seventh somite without stigmata. . . . . . . . . . . Ovrocryrrors, Haase.
(Type rubiginosa, L. Koch.)
Up to the present time the first-named has not been recorded from Central America, being known only from Santa Lucia, in the Lesser Antilles, and Brazil.
OTOCRYPTOPS.—NEWPORTIIDZ. 29
OTOCRYPTOPS. Otocryptops, Haase, Abhandl. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 5, p. 96 (1887).
The well-established American species of this genus may be recognized by the following key :—
a. Margins of the head strongly raised; labial border almost straight ; the tergites not bisulcate, the posterior, including the anal, with raised margins . . . eee es . . . [seaspinosus (Say). ] 6. Margins of the head simple ; tergites bisuleate and with aed margins. a‘. Anal tergite with elevated side-edges ; labial border produced, but not distinctly dentate . . . . . .... . . . . .~ [gracilis (Wood). ] 6’. Anal tergite with rounded unraised edges. a’. Labial border produced and eee ; head wider ; claws
with strong basal spurs . . . . os . ferrugineus, Linn. 6’. Labial border straight or emarginate, not decay ddntate’ head narrower ; claws at most weakly spurred . . . . . . . melanostoma, Newp.
1. Otocryptops ferrugineus. (Tab. III. figg. 2, 2a-c.) Scolopendra ferruginea, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 12, p. 1063 *. Otocryptops ferrugineus, Pocock, Journ. Linn. Soc., Zool. xxiv. p. 463 *.
Hab. Mexico (Saussure), Omilteme 7000 to 9000 feet, and Amula 6000 to 7600 feet, both in Guerrero (H. H. Smith).—EcuapDor ; ANTILLES ?.
This species is also abundant in the West Indies and in the mountainous parts of Ecuador, but has not been recorded from the Southern States of North America. Mr. Smith’s specimens were found under rotting wood, about clearings and in the forest.
For the full synonymy of this common species reference may be made to my paper upon the Chilopoda of the West Indies (1. ¢.).
2. Otocryptops melanostoma. (Tab. III. figg. 3, 3 a-c.) Scolopocryptops melanostoma, Newp. Trans. Linn. Soe. xix. p. 406". Otocryptops melanostoma, Pocock, Journ. Linn. Soc., Zool. xxiv. p. 464.
Hab. Guatemaa, near the city (Stol/)—Braziu!; Antiuuzs, St. Vincent ?.
For the rest of the synonymy, see Journ. Linn. Soc., Zool. xxiv. p. 464.
Fam. NEWPORTIIDA, nov.
Body composed of 23 leg-bearing segments, of which the terga are quadrisulcate and the sterna trisulcate, with traces of a median transverse sulcus; the posterior extremity of the sterna is defined by an arched transverse sulcus, the area thus defined being smooth and concealed beneath the anterior extremity of the following sternal plate.
Head without eyes, overlapping the first tergite.
Mazillary cove without distinct dental plates.
30 CHILOPODA.
Pleure of the anal segment coarsely porous; the process long, slender, and simple. Anal legs spinous, antenniform, the posterior tarsal segment being clawless and divided into many or few segments.
At present two genera only of this family have been established. They may be recognized as follows :—
a. The distal tarsal segment of the anal leg divided into many minute ill-defined segments. . . . . ..... . =. +. . . . SCOLOPENDRIDEs, Sauss. (Type mexicanus, Sauss.) 6. The distal tarsal segment of the anal legs divided into relatively few distinct, sharply-defined, long, cylindrical segments . . . . . Newport, Gervais. (Type longitarsis, Newp.)
SCOLOPENDRIDES. Scolopendrides, Saussure, Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1858, p. 546.
The following table will serve to show some of the differential characters of the species of this genus :—
a. Tibia of anal leg spined beneath ; spines on the inner edge of the femur apparently as large as those on the lower surface of this segment . .. . a . . « mexicanus, H.& 8. 6. Tibia of anal leg unarmed ; ; spines on the inner edge of the femur much smaller than those on the lower surface. a'. Terga not mesially carinate. a, The protarsus of the anal leg wider than the tarsus; the head transversely sulcate posteriorly ; patella of anal leg armed beneath with two spines; transverse sulcus of first tergite semicircular. . . . . . . [ernsti, Poc. — Venezuela 6’. The protarsus of the anal leg not , wider than the tapas: ; and St. Vincent. | head not transversely sulcate; transverse sulcus of first tergite ovate; patella of anal leg armed with one inferior spine... woe ee ee we we ew ww.) Lbrevipes, Poc.—Demerara. | 6. Terga mesially carinate ; spine-armature of anal legs as in S. ernsti; head not transversely sulcate; sulcus of first tergite part of a circle; protarsus and tarsus of anal leg approximately equalin width . . . . . . . . . . stolli, sp. n.
1. Scolopendrides mexicanus.
Scolopendrides mexicana, Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1858, p. 546°.
Scolopocryptops mexicana, Sauss. Mém. Mex. Myr. in Mém. Soc. Phys. Genéve, xv. p. 13], t. 7. fig. 48”.
Newportia mexicana, Humb. & Sauss. Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. p. 138°.
Hab. Mexico, Cordova !~3,
SCOLOPENDRIDES. 31
This species is unknown to me in nature, but trom de Saussure’s figures and descrip- tions the following differential characters may be made out :—
In the anal legs, the femur, patella, and tibia are subequal in length and, taken together, longer than the tarso-metatarsus; the femur, patella, and proximal end of the tibia are densely hirsute ; the upper inner edge of the femur is furnished with a row of four spines, the under surface with a row of four larger spines; patella armed beneath with a single median spine, and the tibia with three median spines; the proximal segment of the tarso-metatarsus is distally narrowed and passes into an indistinctly multi-segmented antenniform portion.
Nothing, unfortunately, is said about the arrangement of the sulci on the first tergite.
2. Scolopendrides stolli, sp.n. (Tab. III. figg. 4, 4 a-c.)
Colour pale eastaneous, the terga slightly infuscate.
Head elongate, narrowed anteriorly, its posterior border strongly convex, its posterior half marked with two fine parallel strie.
Antenne rather short, attenuate, hirsute at the base, pubescent elsewhere.
Cowal plate of the maxillipedes narrowed and produced forwards in tront, angularly excised.
Terga sparsely but noticeably punctured, the first marked anteriorly with an arched transverse groove, which reaches posteriorly to the middle of the plate, the area in front of and behind this groove marked with two parallel continuous sulci; the second only sulcate quite in front; the rest (7.¢. to the twenty-second) normally marked with four sulci, but in addition furnished with a median longitudinal keel.
Sterna with the usual median groove and the lateral posteriorly abbreviated groove on each side, the transverse groove obsolete.
Anal somite: tergum neither sulcate nor carinate, its sides elevated and parallel, its posterior border a little produced mesially ; plewre not closely punctured, the posterior process smooth, hirsute, moderately long, its apex slightly upturned ; sternum wide, nearly parallel-sided, its posterior border straight ; legs longish, about as long as the head and first eight terga; the femur, patella, and tibia subequal in length, the latter slightly the shortest ; the protarsal segment about half as long as the tibia, the tarsus about as wide as the protarsus, almost as long as the femur and tibia taken together; the femur compressed and cari- nate below, hairy, notched and sulcate above, posteriorly its inner edge armed with a few minute spinules, armed below with a series of 5 or 7 spines, of which the 4 posterior extend at equal distances throughout the greater length of the segment, the rest being inconstant (1 on one leg, 3 on the other) and placed at the anterior end ; patella also compressed below, armed in its anterior half with two spines, this segment also notched above posteriorly.
Rest of the legs hairy, the twenty-second pair long, very hairy, not spurred, with the tarsus completely divided ; tarsi of the rest incompletely segmented, armed below with one spur, the tibia armed distally with two or three spurs.
Length about 35 millim.; of anal leg 10 millim.
Hab. Guatemaa, Quezaltenango (Stoll).
This species, of which only a single specimen is known, may be easily recognized from S. mexicanus by having the inner edge of the anal femur and the lower edge of the tibia unarmed, and by the presence of two spines on the lower surface of the patella.
32 CHILOPODA.
NEWPORTIA. Newportia, Gervais, Insectes Aptéres, iv. p. 298 (1847).
Synopsis of the known species of Newportia (excepting NV. azteca).
a. The transverse sulcus of the first tergite evenly crescentic ; the longitudinal sulci not bifurcating in front. a’. Femur of anal leg with 3 ones inferior spines; patella unarmed... . . . . . . . [ pusilla, Poc.—St. Vincent, W. Ind.] 6’. Femur of anal leg with 4 long. spines ; +; patella internally armed with 2 spines. a’. Proximal tarsal segment of anal leg almost as long as the tibial; tarsus shorter and composed of a few segments (?complete) . . . . . . [monticola, Poc.—Chimborazo. | 6°. Proximal tarsal segment of anal leg about half the length of the tibial; the tarsus nearly as long as the rest of the leg, composed of 11 segments . . [longitarsis, Newp.—St. Vincent. ] b. The transverse sulcus of the first tergite distinctly angular ;. the longitudinal sulci bifurcating in front; femur of anal leg with 4 spiniform teeth. c’. Patella of the anal Jeg armed below with 3 spines in a row, unarmed internally, proximal tarsal segment only a little shorter than the tibia. . . . . . spinipes, sp. n.—Omilteme. d’, Patella of the anal leg either unarmed beneath or armed with only 1 spine; its inner surface armed with 1 or 2 spines. a’, Patellaof the anal leg unarmed beneath, the proximal tarsal segment only a little shorter than the tibia . [dentata, Poc.—Andes of Ecuador. | 6°. Patella of anal leg with one spine beneath, the proxi- mal tarsal segment about half the length of the tibia. rogersi, sp. 1.—Costa Rica.
1. Newportia azteca, Newportia azteca, Humb. & Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. (2) xxi. p. 158 (1869)'; Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. p. 137, t. 6. fig. 20 (1872) °.
Hab. Mexico, Cordova! 2.
This species may prove to be the same as that described below as WN. spinipes. In many structural points the two are evidently closely allied; but since Humbert and de Saussure say nothing about the spine-armature of the lower surface of the femur and patella of the anal legs, one is compelled to refer to the figure for information on this point: so far as can be judged, the four strong spines which project from the lower surface of the femur in J. spinipes, as well as in the other species of this genus (three in WV. pusilla), are represented by about two much smaller spines; and one cer- tainly has no right to assume without further evidence that the authors overlooked such
NEWPORTIA. 33
conspicuous structures as the four spines in WV. spinipes, nor that the artist intended to represent them by the two small spines he has figured. As for the patella, it certainly appears to be armed, as in WV. spinipes, with three spines; but the middle one of these, instead of lying in the same straight line as the first and third, appears to be placed higher up upon the inner surface of the segment. So that if the spine-armature of the anal legs in NV. azteca has been figured with even an approach to accuracy, we must conclude that WV. azteca differs from all the ‘species of the genus that have been established of late years. 2 |
2. Newportia spinipes, sp.n. (Tab. III. figg. 5, 5 a-d.)
Colour ochraceous, head and maxillipedes pale castaneous.
Body long, slender, and nearly parallel-sided.
Head about as wide as long, sparsely punctured and hairy, its margins not elevated, its posterior angles rounded, furnished posteriorly with two short anteriorly abbreviated sulci.
Antenne composed of 17 segments, whereof the basal three are sparsely setose and the rest densely pubescent, the apical segment not longer than the penultimate.
Masxillipedes conspicuously punctured and hairy ; cove with anterior border not produced, nearly straight, lightly excised in the middle line, and furnished on each side of the middle with one very short, very wide black tooth; the femur internally subdentate.
Tergites : the first marked before its anterior border by a strong angular groove, the area round the.apex of the angle depressed ; also furnished with two complete fine longitudinal sulci, which converge slightly in front of the transverse groove; posterior to the transverse groove the sulci bifurcate, the inner branches of each bifurcation running obliquely inwards to meet the angle of the transverse groove ; the second tergite the smallest ; from the second to about the tenth gradually increasing in size, from the tenth to the twenty-first subequal, twenty-second shorter and narrower, twenty-third still shorter and narrower ; the second to the twenty-second with two complete longitudinal sulci, the third to the twenty-first with an oblique posteriorly abbreviated lateral sulcus, all (except the anal) with simple unraised borders ; the prescuta distinct.
Sternites finely punctured, very long, longer than wide, much wider in front than behind, each largely over- lapped posteriorly by the one that succeeds it, the posterior third of the sternite sloped backwards and upwards and defined by a fine transverse bisinuate sulcus; each marked by fine longitudinal subparallel sulci, a median and two lateral, the median sulcus abbreviated anteriorly and posteriorly, the internal of the lateral sulci abbreviated anteriorly, and the external, abbreviated posteriorly, runs from a point on a level with the posterior angle of the preceding sternite and terminates before reaching the transverse sulcus.
Anal somite: tergite with lightly convex subparallel sides, margins strongly raised, ‘mesially impressed in its posterior half, the posterior border convexly produced; pleure furnished with many conspicuous pores, the posterior edge smooth, the process also smooth, slender, elongate, and tipped with a single spine ; a few small scattered spines near the posterior border of the pleura, the posterior inner edge of the pleura, on the inner side of the articulation of the anal legs, is chitinous and has a convex serrate margin ; sternite wider than long, narrowed posteriorly, its hinder border deeply and mesially emarginate; legs not hairy , the femur a little shorter but stouter than the patella, armed in the middle line below with four strong spiniform teeth, and externally and internally with many minute irregularly arranged spinules, the upper border furnished posteriorly with a median marginal notch, from which an abbreviated groove runs forwards ; the patella shorter than the tibia, armed below in its anterior two-thirds with three spiniform teeth and furnished externally and internally with a few scattered spinules, also bearing a superior posterior notch ; the tibia unarmed, except for a few minute spinules; the tarso-metatarsus composed of a proximal sobayiavisical segment, equalling the patella in length, and a distal, antenniform portion composed of about 13 distinctly defined cylindrical segments, this distal portion being articulated to the superior half of the posterior articular surface of the proximal portion ; tarso-metatarsus much longer than the femur, patella, and tibia taken together.
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Chilop., January 1896. F
34 _CHILOPODA.
Legs with claws furnished with two basal spurs; tibia armed distally with an anterior and an inferior spine ; tarso-metatarsus armed distally with a single inferior spine; the twenty-second pair of legs much longer and stronger than the twenty-first, with the tarso-metatarsus divided into two segments, whereof the proximal is longer than the distal ; tibia and tarsus unspined ; the tarso-metatarsus of the rest of the legs indistinctly bisegmented ; the femur, patella, and tibia of all the legs armed inferiorly with one or more spinules. In one specimen the femur in the anterior three pairs of legs is furnished with many spinules, and in the other the twenty-second and twenty-third pairs of legs are densely pubescent distally,
Length up to 46 millim.; of anal leg 15 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Omilteme 7000 to 9000 feet, and Sierra de las Aguas Escondidas 9500 feet, both in Guerrero (H. H. Smith).
Found under rotting logs, in clearings and in the forest.
3. Newportia rogersi, sp. n. (Tab. III. figg. 6, 6 a-d.)
Colour deep ochraceous, head and maxillipedes castaneous.
Body attenuated anteriorly and posteriorly.
Head marked with larger and smaller punctures, sparsely hairy ; a little longer than wide, with widely rounded posterior angles, marked behind with two very short longitudinal sulci.
Antenne composed of 17 segments; distal segments pubescent, basal two segments furnished with longer hairs.
Mavillipedes punctured like the head-plate; the coxe with the anterior border lightly produced and nearly straight, bearing on each side of the middle line one wide very short plate-like tooth ; femur not dentate.
Tergites smooth and shining ; the first marked with a strong transverse angular sulcus, the area around the apex of the angle depressed ; the area in front of this sulcus not longitudinally sulcate, the area behind it furnished with two longitudinal sulci, each of which bifureates in front, the internal branch running to the apex of the angle of the transverse sulcus, the external meeting this sulcus at a point one-third of the distance from the angle; second and twenty-second tergites bisulcate, third to the twenty-first quadrisuleate, as in Cryptops; all, except the anal, with unraised margins; prescuta distinct and bisulcate.
Sternites wider in front than behind, each, except the first and last two, furnished with three longitudinal sulci—a median, more or less complete, and on either side a lateral anterior, which does not extend beyond the joint of the legs ; each, except the twenty-first and twenty-second, overlapped by the one that is behind it, the covered portion marked by a deep, transverse, gently arched groove, the twenty-second without sulci.
Anal somite: tergite not sulcate, with raised lateral margins, posterior border convexly produced in the middle line ; pleura, except the superior portion and the process, furnished with very many larger and smaller circular pores, the process elongate, slender, pointed and simple, the posterior surface internally chitinous and serrate ; sternite narrowed posteriorly, with lightly concave posterior border; legs shorter, the femur, patella, and tibia subequal in length, the femur triangular in section, the posterior edge of the upper surface mesially notched, the superior internal edge furnished with about two rows of spicules, the under surface armed mesially with four enormous spiniform teeth ; the patella subcylindrical, the inner surface armed in front with a smaller spiniform tooth, there being a similar spiniform tooth in the anterior half of the inferior surface; femur and patella internally hairy ; tibia smooth, unarmed, and subcylindrical ; tarso-metatarsus composed of from seven to twelve segments, the first (proximal segment) about half the length of the tibia and about equalling in length the second and third, all the segments of the antenniform portion very distinct, each being wider at its distal than at its proximal extremity ; the tarso-metatarsus attenuate and a very little shorter than the femur, patella, and tibia taken together.
Legs distinctly hirsute ; tarso-metatarsus undivided and unspined ; claws spurred; tibia furnished with an anterior distal spine; the twenty-second pair only normally larger than the twenty-first, its tarso- metatarsus very indistinctly divided,
‘Length 32 millim. ; of anal leg 7:5 millim.
Hab. Costa Rica, Volcan de Irazu (Aogers).
NEWPORTIA.—GEOPHILUS. 30
This species is closely related to the preceding, but differs in the structure of its anal legs. Thus the proximal segment of the tarso-metatarsus is only about half the length of the tibia, while all its segments taken together are a little shorter than the femur, patella, and tibia of this appendage; the patella, moreover, is armed with only one spine beneath. In WV. spinipes, on the other hand, the proximal segment of the tarso-metatarsus of the anal legs is almost as long as the tibia, and all its segments taken tcgether are considerably longer than the femur, patella, and tibia; moreover, the patella is armed beneath with three strong spines.
Another species has been added to the genus Newportia whilst this paper was in the printer’s hands, This is WV. balzani, from Rio Apa, Paraguay, described by Sign. F. Silvestri in the Annali del Museo Civico di Genova, xxxiv. p. 767 (1895). From the description it is not easy to separate this species from NV. pusilla, Poc., except in so far as it appears that the latter has the anal tarso-metatarsus composed of ten segments, while in WV. balzani there are twelve subdivisions,
Order GEOPHILOMORPHA, nov. [= Geophilide of authors. |
There cannot be much doubt that this order will prove to be divisible into several families.
GEOPHILUS. Geophilus, Leach, Trans, Linn. Soc. xi. p. 884 (1845).
The Central-American species of Geophilus may be recognized by the following key * :—
a. Anal sternite wide, wider than long; anal pleure without pores; head
wider, with convex sides, maxille weaker, sides of the coxal plate largely
overlapped by the pleura, the line of their union lying obliquely inwards
and backwards . ...... CR ee oe oe ees, 2 SS. 6. Anal sternite narrow, parallel-sided; anal pleure porous; head long,
parallel-sided, coxal plate of maxillipedes wider, the line of junction
* There is little doubt that the characters mentioned under headings a and 6 of the above table are worthy of generic rank, and in that case G. aztecus is the only species of the five that will fall into the genus Geophilus, of which G. carpophagus, Leach, is the type. The rest of the species will, I suspect, work out to be referable to Mecistocephalus, Newp.; but in any case they already have the two names Pachymerium, C. Koch, and Polycricus, Sauss. & Humb.
F2
36 CHILOPODA.
between it and the pleure nearly parallel to the long axis of the body, basal plate narrow, much narrower than the first tergite. a'. Anal tergite short and wide, covering the pleure infront. . . . . toltecus,H. & S. 6’. Anal tergite much longer, narrower, not covering the pleure in front ; pleure distinctly porous above. | a’. Coxe of maxillipedes scarcely punctured; posteriorlegs shorter, stouter, the segments decreasing in length distally ; under 30 mm. in length, and with fewer than 60 pairs of legs. . . . . . «ee +e) Stolli, sp. n. b°. Coxe of maxillipedes coarsely punctured; anal legs longer, the segments distally increasing in length; over 40 mm. in length, and with over 70 pairs of legs. a’. Anal pleure weakly inflated, and not extending forward on each
side of the anal prescutum . . . Loe . 2 « «6 Salvini, sp. n. 6°. Anal pleure strongly inflated and extending forwards on each side of the anal prescutum. . . . . 1 ee ee ee ee godmani, sp. n.
1. Geophilus aztecus. (Tab. III. figg. 7, 7 ac.) Geophilus aztecus, Humb. & Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. (2) xxi. p. 159 (1869)'; Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. p. 140, t. 6. fig. 21 (1872) *.
Colour ochraceous, legs testaceous, head and maxillary coxe pale castaneous, the tergites sometimes marked in the anterior half of the body with a median wide fuscous band which becomes progressively less distinct towards the hinder extremity.
Body attenuated posteriorly, hairy.
Head a little wider than long, about as wide behind as in front, its anterior and posterior borders straight, lateral borders evenly and lightly convex from angle to angle, punctured and hairy ; frontal suture not invisible.
Antenne short, clothed with shorter and longer hairs, stout, only a little attenuated ; the segments narrowed at the base, the apical segment subcylindrical, a little longer than the penultimate, abruptly narrowed and pointed at its apex. .
Cowal plate of mawillipedes wider than long, its sides strongly converging posteriorly, chitinous lines incom- plete, anterior border not dentate, lightly excavated, punctured and shortly hairy ; pleure embracing the sides of the sternite, conspicuous from below ; jaws short, largely overlapping the head at the sides, but scarcely overlapping it in front, the joint of the claw falling short of the anterior angles of the head, Prebasal plate just visible, but very short. Basal plate wide and long, as wide posteriorly and as long as the first tergite, its anterior border lightly concave, its lateral borders strongly converging anteriorly.
Tergites, including the first, but with the exception of a few of the last, bisulcate ; shining, sparsely hairy.
Sternites with a median longitudinal impression and a posterior transverse porous area.
Pleural prescuta larger than the tracheal sclerites which are in contact with the tergite.
Anal somite: tergite almost covering the pleura, a little wider than long, wider in front than behind, its sides gently converging posteriorly, with rounded posterior angles ; pleure not inflated, smooth, without pores, at least on their uncovered portion, bearing a few rounded pores beneath the edge of the sternite ; sternite wide, wider than long, with gently converging, lightly convex sides and straight or slightly
concave hinder margin; prosternal pieces distinct; legs about as long as those of the preceding somite, composed of six segments and armed with a claw, thicker in the male.
Numbers of pairs of legs 57 and 59.
Length up to 52 millim,
Hab. Mexico, Eastern Cordillera (Saussure 1 7), Omilteme in Guerrero 7000 to 9000 feet (H. H. Smith).
GEOPHILUS. 37
2. Geophilus toltecus. (Tab. III. figg. 8, 8 a-c.)
Arthronomalus toltecus, Humb. & Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1869, p. 159°.
Arthronomalus (Polycricus) toltecus, Humb. & Sauss. Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. p. 143, t. 6. fig. 23 *,
Colour testaceous, slightly darker anteriorly ; head and maxillipedes pale castaneous ; shining.
Body attenuated posteriorly.
Head sparsely punctured, marked posteriorly by two anteriorly diverging shallow sulci; rather wider in front than behind, with straight anterior and slightly convex posterior border, evenly rounded angles, and nearly straight sides ; nearly twice as long as wide; frontal plate distinct.
Antenne: of moderate length, clothed with shorter and longer hairs ; the segments much narrowed at the base ; apical segment ovate, slightly longer than the penultimate.
Basal plate narrow, but wider than long, narrower posteriorly than the first tergite, its sides strongly con- verging, mesially impressed ; prebasal plate invisible.
Mazxillipedes sparsely punctured and hairy; cowval plate mesially impressed, very nearly as long as wide, sides parallel, anterior border bearing two pointed teeth, without chitinous lines, the pleure, seen from below, very narrow ; femur slender, with a single internal blunt tooth, largely overlapping the head at the sides ; claw bearing a sharp basal tooth, only slightly overlapping the head in front, the joint being about on a level with the anterior angle of the head.
Tergites sparsely hairy, except the two first and the last two, bisulcate, some in the anterior half of the body, with two feeble impressions between the main sulci.
Pleural prescuta larger than the tracheal sclerites which are in contact with the tergites.
Sternites mesially impressed longitudinally, without distinctly defined porous area.
Anal somite: tergite about as long as wide, not covering the pleure posteriorly and laterally, narrowed posteriorly ; pleure furnished with about 30 larger and smaller, more or less scattered pores, the pores set more closely together near the sternite ; sternite narrow, longer than wide, its sides posteriorly converging, lightly impressed ; presternal sclerites distinct ; legs slender (in Q ), composed of six segments, a little longer than the preceding pair, the segments nearly cylindrical and furnished distally with a few | long hairs, not armed with a claw ; two anal pores.
Number of pairs of legs 51.
Length 40 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Eastern Cordillera and Orizaba (Saussure! *), Omilteme in Guerrero 7000 to 9000 feet (H. H. Smith).
8. Geophilus godmani, sp.n. (Tab. III. figg. 11, 11 a-c.)
Colour ochraceous ; head and maxillipedes castaneous.
Head longer than wide, its sides subparallel, lightly convex posteriorly ; posterior border straight, punctured, with two posterior longitudinal impressions.
Basal plate narrow, narrower in front than the head, its sides diverging posteriorly, a little wider than the head posteriorly, but much narrower than the first tergite; prebasal plate invisible.
Antenne setose, short, the segments nearly cylindrical and decreasing in length distally, the apical segment a little longer than the penultimate.
Mawillipedes very large, as wide as the first tergite, largely overlapping the head laterally and anteriorly by at least the length of the claw; cowal plate punctured with a median longitudinal impression ; chitinous lines absent, pleurze just showing at the sides, the anterior border bidentate, the jaws directed straight forwards, parallel, punctured, the femur armed internally with a tubercle; the claw armed with a distinct basal internal tooth.
Tergites bisulcate, smooth.
Sternites with a median longitudinal impression.
Anal somite wider than the one that precedes it; the tergite narrow, oblong, narrower than its prescutal piece, longer than wide, nearly parallel-sided, a little narrowed distally. Plewre large, inflated, considerably
38 CHILOPODA.
uncovered both above and below, closely porous throughout ; sternite small, narrow, parallel-sided, longer than wide ; /egs in female long, slender, longer than the preceding pair, without a claw.
Number of pairs of legs 73-75.
‘Length up to about 50 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Omilteme in Guerrero 7000 to 9000 feet (H. H. Smith).
This species and G. toltecus were taken in considerable numbers from beneath rotting logs at Omilteme. Until examined somewhat closely, the two appear identical ; but G. godmani may, in reality, be easily recognized by its much narrower anal tergite and larger and more inflated anal pleura, not to mention the greater number of its legs.
4. Geophilus salvini, sp.n. (Tab. III. figg. 10, 10 a-c.)
Colour testaceo-ochraceous, with a median dorsal fuscous band more or less clearly defined in the anterior half of the body, but gradually disappearing posteriorly ; head, antenne, and maxillipedes pale castaneous.
Body slender, a little attenuated posteriorly.
Head polished, somewhat coarsely punctured, considerably longer than wide, its sides nearly straight and sub- parallel, convex and somewhat abruptly converging before the anterior and posterior border, posterior border straight.
Prebasal plate invisible ; basal plate punctured, much wider than long, its sides straight and strongly con- verging, its posterior border narrower than the anterior border of the first tergite.
Antenne short and thick, nearly evenly thick throughout, sparsely hairy at the base, thickly hairy distally ; segments a little narrowed at the base, apical segment ovate and longer than the penultimate.
Mawillipedes shining, punctured ; coxal plate mesially impressed, only a little wider than long, nearly parallel- sided, without chitinous lines, the anterior border bidentate ; jaws long and somewhat slender, largely over- lapping the head ai the sides and a little overlapping it in front, the joint of the claw being about on a level with the anterior angles of the head, the femoral segment bearing a single internal distal blunt tooth, and the claw armed with a basal sharp tooth.
Tergites smooth, except the first and a few of the last bisulcate, the space defined by the sulci bearing a con- spicuous impression on each side of the middle line, giving the tergites the appearance of being quadri- sulcate ; prescuta nearly as wide as the tergites, and not sulcate.
Sternites with a deep median impression and, in the anterior half of the body, shallow impressions on each side.
Pleural prescuta larger than the tracheal sclerites, which are in contact with the tergites.
Anal somite: tergite large, about as wide as long, narrowed posteriorly, not covering the pleure; pleure moderately inflated, furnished below with large somewhat scattered pores; sternite narrow, about twice as long as wide, its sides gently converging posteriorly; prosternal pieces distinct; legs short, a little longer than the preceding pair, furnished with longer and shorter hairs, composed of six segments, and not armed with a claw.
Number of pairs of legs 71.
Length about 43 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Teapa in Tabasco (H. H. Smith).
5. Geophilus stolli, sp.n. (Tab. III. figg. 9, 9 a-c.)
Colour: body, legs, and antenne pale yellow; head and maxillipedes pale castaneous.
Body narrowed posteriorly.
Head parallel-sided, coarsely punctured.
Antenne narrowed distally, hirsute in their proximal half, much more closely and shortly hairy distally.
Maszillipedes sparsely hairy and punctured; coxal plate large, parallel-sided; its anterior border mesially rather deeply notched and weakly bidentate; the jaws largely overlapping the head laterally and in front, the joint of the claw, however, falling short of the anterior edge of the head-plate; the basal segment
GEOPHILUS.—CHOMATOPHILUS. 39
with a very small inner tooth, the two following segments unarmed, the claw with a distinct tooth at its base,
Basal plate rather large, its length greater than half its anterior width, sparsely punctured, mesially impressed.
Tergites : the first scarcely bisulcate, the rest conspicuously so, sparsely hairy at the sides.
Sterna mesially impressed, posteriorly porous.
Anal somite: tergite elongate, its sides converging posteriorly, not covering the pleure laterally. Pleure porous anteriorly above, below, and laterally, smooth posteriorly ; sternite narrow, narrower posteriorly ; legs a little longer than the pair that precede them, clawless, moderately robust, stouter in the ¢ than in the 2, and more densely hairy.
Number of pairs of legs—in ¢ 53,in 2 55.
Length up to 24 millim.
Hab. Guatemata, near the city (Stol/).
CHOMATOPHILUS, gen. nov, 1. Chomatophilus smithi, sp.n. (Tab. III. fig. 12.)
Body moderately robust, attenuated anteriorly.
Colour ochraceous, head and maxillipedes a shade darker.
Head elongate, narrow, a little longer than wide, narrowed slightly anteriorly, with lightly convex lateral margins and straight posterior margin, smooth.
Antenne moderately elongate, thick at the base, gradually narrowed towards the apex, the segments cylindrical, not longer than wide, the apical segment ovate, a little longer than the penultimate.
Prebasal plate invisible ; basal plate very wide, as wide anteriorly as the head, as wide posteriorly as the first tergite, with its margins converging.
Maszxillipedes shining, punctured ; the coxal plate large, with deep, distinct, chitinous lines, the anterior border straight, visible from above in the angle formed by the head and basal plate; jaws small and weak, entirely covered both laterally and in front by the head-plate; the femur short and unarmed, the claw moderately robust, curved, also unarmed.
Tergites smooth, lightly bisulcate, wider and about four times as long as the prescuta. Pleural prescuta large and round, much larger than the tracheal selerites which are in contact with the tergites.
Sternates finely punctured, flat, not sulcate, and without distinct porous areas.
Anal somite small; tergite triangular, as wide anteriorly as the one that precedes it; its sides rapidly con- verging posteriorly ; pleure small, without visible pores, almost covered by the tergite above, and very largely by the sternite below; sternite very wide, nearly twice as wide as long, considerably wider than that of the preceding somite, with its lateral margins and posterior angles convex and its posterior border straight, the pleure projecting posteriorly slightly beyond it ; legs short, a little longer than the preceding pair, the femur and coxa enlarged, the other segments moderately stout, cylindrical, pubescent, armed with a claw.
The rest of the /egs thicker in the anterior than in the posterior half of the body, where they are moderately long and slender.
Number of somites 81.
Length about 45 millim.
Hab, Mexico, Amula in Guerrero 6000 to 7000 feet (H. H. Smith).
A single example, probably a male. In its small and weak maxillipedes and large basal plate this new genus comes near Himantarium, but it differs from all known Geophilide in the remarkable width of the anal sternite.
40 CHILOPODA.
CHOMATOBIUS. Chomatobius, Humbert & Saussure, Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. p. 145 (1872).
1. Chomatobius mexicanus. (Tab. III. figg. 13, 13 a—d.)
Geophilus mexicanus, Sauss. Mém. Mex. Myr. in Mém. Soc. Phys. Genéve, xv. p. 390, t. 7. fig. 49 (1866) *.
Chomatobius mexicanus, Humb. & Sauss. Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. p. 145°.
Hab. Nortu America, San Diego, Texas (Mus. Brit.).—Mexico, Cordova }.
ORPHN AUS. Orphneus, Meinert, Nat. Tidschr. (3) vii. p. 17 (1870).
1. Orphneus brevilabiatus. (Tab. III. figg. 14, 14 a-d.) Geophilus brevilabiatus, Newp. Trans. Linn. Soe. xix. p. 436, no. 9 (1845) °. Geophilus lineatus, Newp. loc. cit. no. 10’. Geophilus bilineatus, Peters, Reise Mossam., Ins. p. 531, t. 23. fig. 4°. Chomatobius brasilianus, Humb. & Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. (2) xxii. p. 205 (1870) *; Miss. Sci: Mex., Myriop. p. 146, t. 6. fig. 24°. . Orphneus brasiliensis, Meinert, Nat. Tidschr. (3) vii. p. 20°; Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. 1886, p. 2327. Orphneus lividus, Meinert, loc. cit. p. 19°. Orya xanti, Tomosvary, Term. fiizetek, ix. p. 64 (1885) °. Hab. Mexico, Tampico in Tamaulipas (Richardson); Honpuras (Mus. Brit.?) ; Nicaracua, Polvon’; Panama’.—Braziu4, Rio Negro 5, This species is widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical parts of both FKastern and Western Hemispheres. | I have here added to the synonymy Chomatobius brasilianus, Humbert and Saussure.
NOTIPHILIDES. Notiphilides, Latzel, Die Myriop. Osterr.-Ungar. Monarch. i. p. 20 (1880).
1. Notiphilides maximiliani. (Tab. III. figg. 15, 15 ad.) Notiphilus maximiliani, Humb. & Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. (2) xxii. p. 205 (1870)*; Miss. Sci. Mex., Myriop. p..141, t. 6. fig. 22 (1872) *. Notiphilides maximiliani, Latzel, Die Myriop. Osterr.-Ungar. Monarch. i. p. 20 (1880)*; Meinert, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. 1886, p. 232°. Hab. Mexico, Campeche (Heller2), Teapa in Tabasco (H. H. Smith) ; GuaTaMaLa (Meinert * & Stoll)—Cotomsia ; TRINIDAD,
Widely distributed in the northern parts of the Neotropical Region. The British Museum also has specimens from Colombia and Trinidad.
COLOBOGNATHA. 4]
Class DIPLOPODA, Blainville.
Subclass CHILOGNATHA.
The known Central-American Diplopoda are referable to the following sections. On account of the diversity of opinion as to the value to be assigned to these sections, it is proposed in the following pages to designate them merely as “ groups,” setting aside the question as to whether they should take ordinal, subordinal, or superfamily rank :—
a. Mandibles degenerate or wholly suppressed ; labral area of head pointed ; eight pairs of legs in front of the legs of the seventh segment . . . . CoLoBOGNATHA. 6. Mandibles not degenerate; labral region broadly truncated and emar- ginate ; seven pairs of legs in front of the legs of the seventh segment. a’, Tergal plates furnished with three symmetrically disposed pairs of setze ; without scent-pores ; sterna not coalesced with terga. . . . CHORDEUMOIDEA. b'. Tergal plates without such setz ; more or fewer with scent-pores; sterna, except on a few of the anterior segments, invariably coalesced with the terga (at least in the known Central-American species). a’. Number of segments great and inconstant in the species; from the fifth or sixth to the penultimate with a pair of scent-pores ; phallopods of ¢ internal and derived from the posterior appendages ot the seventh segment. *, Stipites (lateral plates) of enathochilarium mesially in contact
proximally . . . . oS an . + « « . + Junorpea. Bb. es of gnathochilarium widely separated proximally. *, Segments 1-5 with a single pair oflegs . . . . . « « . SPIROBOLOIDEA.
* Segment 4 apodous, segment 5 with two pairs of legs. . . . SprrosTREProrpEa. 6°, Number of segments constant, 19 or 20; many without scent-
glands; phallopods external, derived from anterior legs of seventh segment . 2 1. 2 6 eee eee ee ee ee ee 6+) 6 POLYDESMOIDEA.
Group I. COLOBOGNATHA.
Number of segments large and very variable within the species, with eight pairs of appendages in front of those of the seventh segment. None of the anterior segments apodous, the first four bearing one pair of appendages each, the fifth, sixth, seventh, and following segments, except the last two, which are limbless, with two pairs*. Head with its labral region narrowed or pointed distally; mandibles degenerate or suppressed; gnathochilarium narrowed distally, the mouth-parts being suctorial or
* JT here adopt; at all events for the time being, the usual interpretation of the disposition of the appendages with reference to the segments, in preference to that put forward by Cook, who assigns a single pair ‘of appendages to the first five segments, and two to each of the following segments, regarding the gonopods of the male as derived from the posterior pair of the seventh and the anterior pair of the eighth,
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Diplop., November 1903. G
42 DIPLOPODA.
- semisuctorial. Terga from the fifth to the penultimate with a pair of lateral scent-glands ; pleural areas large, membranous or chitinized; sterna freely movable. Legs with coxal pouches. Both pairs of legs of 7th segment modified in the male, externally attached to distinct sternal plates lying in the same plane as those in front and behind, short and thick, consisting of six or seven segments, the posterior pair, constituting the phallopods, protected apically by the anterior pair.
Two families of Colobognatha are represented in Central America, viz. the Platy- desmide and Siphonophoride, which are diagnosed below. Further research, however, will probably reveal the existence in this area of a third family, the Polyzonide, which has representatives both in North America, South America, and the West Indies. In the structure of the gnathites the Polyzonide are somewhat intermediate between the Siphonophoride and Platydesmide, the mandibles being distinct and bisegmented as in the latter, whereas the gnathochilarium has lost the distinctness of its sclerites as in the former. From both they differ in the form of the head, which is triangular, with one or more pairs of eyes and a relatively narrow frontal area between the bases of the antenne. Siphonotus, which occurs in South America, has a single pair of ocelli; Polyzonium and Octoglena from three to four pairs in a subvertical series. Polyzonium has been recorded from Indiana and Tennessee ; Octoglena, which is said to be distin- guished from it by the emargination of the anterior tergite and the exposure of the eyes,
from Georgia [see Bollman, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. no. 46, pp. 117, 137, 154, 187 (1893) ].
Fam. PLATYDESMIDZ.
Head broadly cordate, narrowed in the labral region, the edge of which is bluntly pointed. Antenne lateral. Mandibles present, bisegmented. Gnathochilarium distinct, narrowed distally, but otherwise departing but little from the type characteristic of the Chilognatha, the lingual lobes and stipites with or without distinct terminal pieces; mentum large, L-shaped. Terga with median groove, two rows of tubercles, and large carine. Pleural area membranous. Penes perforating coxe of second legs.
Distribution. Mediterranean Region ; Central Asia (Amurland); Malacca, Sumatra;
United States; Central America.
PLATYDESMUS.
Platydesmus, Lucas, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. (2) i. p. 51 (1848) (type P. polydesmoides) ; and subse- quent authors. Piestodesmus, Lucas, Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1849, p. 598 (type P. moreleti). Characters as diagnosed below (p. 44). Distribution, Central America.
instead of from the two pairs of the seventh segment. The question must still be regarded as open; and Cook’s view may prove correct. But in a male specimen of Platydesmus perpictus I find 76 pairs of legs and 38 segments (excluding the last two) behind the phallopods, which gives two pairs of legs to each of the segments in question, as in other Helminthomorphous Chilognatha. Whereas, if Cook’s interpretation be adopted, this specimen has only a single pair on the last leg-bearing segment.
PLATYDESMUS. 43
The two species of this genus described by Lucas, namely, Platydesmus polydesmoides and Piestodesmus moreleti, were sufficiently distinct to justify fully at the time this author’s view as to the generic value of their structural characters, de Saussure’s statement to the contrary notwithstanding. The principal difference between the types of Platydesmus and Piestodesmus, apart from the much greater width of the body in the latter, lies in the form of the first tergal plate, which in Piestodesmus is greatly expanded in front so as to cover the head completely, whereas in Platydesmus it is widely excavated, leaving the summit of the head wholly exposed. The species described and seen by de Saussure seem in no respect to lessen the value of this structural character by supplying an intermediate stage between the two forms of the tergal plate in question. So far as this structure is concerned, Platydesmus mexicanus is a genuine Platydesmus, agreeing with polydesmoides and differing essentially from Piestodesmus moreleti. Nevertheless de Saussure’s union of the two is justified, and shown to be correct by the evidence furnished by the species in the Godman and Salvin Collection. Amongst the Diplopods collected at Omilteme by Mr. H. H. Smith, I find the two species of Platydesmus described below as P. hirudo and P. mesomelas, which, with P. marmoreus, serve to bridge over completely the interval between the extreme forms first named by Lucas.
I am unable to find any justification for Bollman’s statement (Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. no. 46, pp. 137 & 188, 1893) that the type of Piestodesmus differs from that of Platy- desmus in having two ocelli instead of one on each side of the head. Lucas describes the species as having two—that is to say, one pair of ocelli.
Bollman also states that the genus Brachycybe, H. C. Wood (Proc. Acad. Phil. 1864, p. 187; Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc. 1865, p. 230), agrees in all points with Platydesmus, except in being eyeless; and this feature he did not consider to be of generic value. Silvestri, however, kept the two distinct on account of it; but that a specific rather than a generic importance should be attached to the presence or absence of these organs is, in my opinion, established by the discovery of Platydesmus guatemalensis, which seems to differ from the typical and other species of Platydesmus only in this particular, apart, that is to say, from other characters of admittedly specific significance. Still I hesitate to follow Bollman and Brélemann in adding Brachycybe to the synonymy of Platydesmus. Bollman’s description of P. lecontei, the type of the genus, supplies no data justifying the separation of the two; but Brolemann’s diagnosis (Mém. Soc. Zool. Fr. 1900, p. 110, t. 57. figg. 69-77) assigns to this species two characters which are not’ found in any of the Central-American species of Platy- desmus available to me for examination. These are: (1) the reduction in width of the sternal areas so that even in the mid-region of the body the coxal segments of the appendages of the right and left side are mesially in contact; and (2) the presence upon the sterna of a cariniform tubercle, which projects forwards in the middle line.
G 2
44 DIPLOPODA.
Until intermediate forms come to light, I think it expedient to keep the two genera distinct upon this basis. They may be contrasted as follows :—
a. Sterna triangularly contracted between the crural acetabula, so that the coxe of the legs are in contact; furnished with a forwardly directed cariniform tubercle <6 ge ea ge a
b. Sterna not contracted between the crural acetabula, so that the coxe of the legs on the right and left side are separated; not furnished with a cariniform tubercle ©. 2 1 2 ee ee ee ee ww ew we we ee ee +) ~PhatypEsus.
BRACHYCYBE.
No species of Brachycybe have as yet been obtained from Central America. The probability of the existence of the genus in Mexico, however, is forcibly suggested by the record of B. lecontet from Georgia, Tennessee, and Arkansas, and of two others, B. rosea, Murray, and B. californica, Karsch, which may or may not prove identical with it, from California. The only representative of this group known to me, which appears to belong to Brachycybe, is a specimen from Corfu, identified by Verhoeff as Platydesmus typhlus, Daday. It is possible that all the Mediterranean species belong to Brachycybe and not to Platydesmus ; but if the gnathochilarium is constructed as in Dolistenus, this can hardly be the case.
Synopsis of the Species *. a. Head without eyes [first tergal plate as under 0] . . . . . guatemalensis, Brél. 6. Head with a pair of eyes. a‘. Anterior border of first tergal plate produced on each side into | a forwardly projecting shelf more or less covering the head, and separated from its fellow of the opposite side by a longi- tudinal cleft or an acutely triangular narrow notch. a’. Colour black, the keels yellowish.
a. First tergal plate completely covering the head, the edges of the laminz forming a straight transverse line . moreleti, Luc.
6°. First tergal plate not completely covering the head, the anterior edges of the two lamine diverging obliquely outwards, not forming a straight line . . . . . «. mesomelas, sp. n.
6°. Colour brown, marbled with yellow bands and spots.
a‘. In median dorsal line a pale stripe, which expands at intervals into four triangular patches; laminz of first tergite much smaller, separated by a triangular notch in the middle line . . . «© «© e+ + «© © «© ee « «marmoreus, sp. n.
b*. Median dorsal line dark with a pale interrupted band on each side of it, formed of square or oblong patches ; lamine of first tergite large, separated in middle line by anarrow slit . .... 0... eee ey perpictus, sp. n.
* Excluding P. polydesnoides,. Lucas,
PLATYDESMUS.
6’. Anterior border of first tergal plate widely emarginate, without any forwardly directed laminate expansion, anterior edge of the body of the segment uncovered in the middle line; head completely exposed.
a’. Evenly longitudinally banded above, the keels yellow, a narrow pale median dorsal stripe, the area between this stripe and the base of the keels uniformly black.
a’, Broader; sternal areas of segments in mid-region of body wider than length of two basal segments (excl. trochanter) of legs. . . . . < see ew
6°. Narrower; sternal areas of segments narrower than length of two basal segments (excl. trochanter)
6°’. Pattern variegated, not consisting of evenly alternating bands of black and yellow, median dorsal stripe broken up, keels not uniformly yellow.
a". Body wide, only about four times as long as broad; keels with one row of granules. . . . .. ,
6". Body narrow, at least six times as long as wide, both anterior and posterior row of granules extending almost to the extremity of the keels.
a*. Median dorsal band broken up into definite elongate triangular patches; anal tergum smaller; keels less granular ., . . er ‘
6°. Median dorsal band n not broken up into ) definite trian-
gular patches ; anal tergum larger, subquadrate; keels with granules in addition to those of the two normal YOWS . 2. 6 6 ew ew ew wee ee
45
hirudo, sp. n.
lineatus, sp. n.
mexicanus, H. & S.
triangulifer, sp. n.
analis, sp. n.
1. Platydesmus triangulifer, sp. n. (Tab. IV. figg. 4, 4 a-e.)
Colour: dorsal area of segments blackish with pale median band, which is not of even thickness throughout but is broken up at fairly regular intervals into six elongate triangular expansions, being broadest upon the sixth, fifteenth, twenty-fourth, thirty-fourth, forty-fifth, and fifty-second segments; where the expansion occurs the black is reduced in width and intensity, and slightly diverges from the middle line;
keel and lateral area of dorsal region of segments yellowish-brown, but the segments on which the median dorsal pale stripe is narrow ornamented with a much more clearly defined yellow spot between the median line and the base of the keel ; last tergal plate yellowish-brown ; head infuscate above, antenne
and legs yellowish.
Body moderately long and slender, about six times as long as broad (21: 3:5). Head with eyes. First tergite widely emarginate in front; the thickened anterior rims of the lateral keels widely separated in the middle line. T'ubercles on segments strong, those of posterior line about thirteen in number on each side, and extending right on to the keels. Last tergite relatively wide, but narrowed posteriorly, and surpassed by the keels of the preceding segment. Sterna of mid-region of body nearly or about as wide
as basal segments of appendages. Number of segments 56-58. Total length 21, width 3°5 millim.
Hab, Guatemala, Volcan de Acatenango (Sfol/).
46 DIPLOPODA.
2. Platydesmus analis, sp.n. (Tab. IV. figg. 3, 3 a-g.)
Colour marbled ; dorsal surface blackish in the middle, yellowish laterally, with a yellow spot in the centre of the fourteenth, twenty-second, thirty-second, fortieth, forty-sixth, and fiftieth segments ; the keels of these same segments yellow ; the rest of the keels deep brown with a yellow basal spot separated by a dark area from the yellow lateral portion of the dorsal surface ; at the posterior end of the body the keels and median area are yellower than on the anterior segments ; head, antenne, and last tergal plate infuscate; legs and sterna and infero-lateral area pale.
Body long and narrow, about nine times as long as wide (28:3). First tergite widely emarginate, with numerous granules. Both rows of tubercles on segments extending almost to extremity of keels and accompanied by others. Last tergal plate wide, its posterior extremity truncated and scarcely or only a little surpassed by the keels of the preceding segment. Sterna of mid-region nearly as wide as two basal segments. Number of segments 53-60.
Total length 28, width 3 millim.
Hab. GUATEMALA, t Guatemala city (StoJ/).
8. Platydesmus hirudo, sp. n. (Tab. IV. figg. 2, 2a-e; Tab. V. fig. 1.)
@. Colour black, with a narrow yellow dorsal line and yellow keels; head infuscate, last tergal plate blackish ; ventral surface and legs yellowish brown.
Body moderately broad, about or almost five times’ as long as wide (22:4°5). Head hairy, punctured, with two distinct ocelli; antenne moderately long, incrassate, the segments narrowed or constricted at the ‘base. Hirst tergite with its anterior border scarcely produced, widely emarginate, and only lightly convex on each side of the middle line, leaving the summit of the head entirely uncovered; with two rows of tubercles, its median area not quite twice as long as the elevated median area of the second. Of the two rows of tubercles on the rest of the segments, the anterior consists of from about twelve to fourteen and extends along the median line of the keels; the posterior is much shorter, consisting of only five or six and scarcely reaching the keel. -Sterne of the mid-region of the body rather shorter transversely than the length of the coxa and trochanter of the adjacent appendage. Last tergal plate oval, narrow behind, narrower than the keels of the preceding tergite, which project beyond it posteriorly ; furnished with six setiferous papille, the outer on each side remote from the rest.
Total length of large specimen, 9 , 27, width 5°5 millim.; ¢, 20, width 4 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Omilteme in Guerrero (H. H. Smith).
4. Platydesmus lineatus, sp. n. (Tab. IV. figg. 5, 5 a-g.)
Colour as in the preceding species, but with median dorsal stripe not so distinct, not evenly thick, with sinuous edge, expanding here and there in a way suggestive of what is seen in P. triangulifer.
Body relatively narrow and long, about six or seven times as long as wide (20:3). Head completely uncovered by the first tergite, which is widely emarginate but has its angles more rounded than in P.hirudo. Segments with two rows of tubercles, the anterior row extending to lateral margin of keel, the posterior consisting of about six on each side not passing on to keel. Sterna in mid-region of body a little narrower than length of two basal segments of legs (excl. trochanter), about as wide or a little wider than twice the length of the basal segment. Last tergal plate narrower than keels of preceding segment, which overlap it posteriorly. Number of segments 44-49.
Total length 20, width 3 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Volcan de Orizaba (Mus. Brit.).
5. Platydesmus mesomelas, sp. n. (Tab. V. fig. 2.) Colour as in P. hirudo, but without any yellow median dorsal stripe. Body broad, about four times as long as wide (20:5). Head and antenne as in P. hirudo, but the first tergal plate differently shaped, being much larger owing to the expansion of its anterior border over the head so
PLATYDESMUS. 47
as to conceal it partially from above; this border is somewhat deeply notched in the middle line and on each side of the notch it diverges obliquely outwards and forwards, being slightly convex. The granules of the posterior row on the terga extend farther on to the keels, being more numerous than in P. hirudo and about a dozen in number. Sterna of the mid-region of the body wider than in P. hirudo, their transverse length being about equal to the length of the coxa and trochanter of the leg.
Total length, ¢, 20, width 5 millim.; 9, 23, width 5 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Omilteme in Guerrero (/. H. Smith).
6. Platydesmus marmoreuws, sp.n. (Tab. V. fig. 3.)
Colour : head fuscous above, paler below; tergal plates dark yellowish brown, turning to paler yellow on the keels ; in the dorsal middle line a pale stripe which expands in its course into four triangular patches, and on each side immediately behind the posterior angle of each patch there is a pair of conspicuous yellow spots lying towards the base of two of the keels; last tergal plate yellow; antenne, legs, and sterna yellow.
Body rather wide, about four times as long as broad (14:34). Head with distinct eyes. First tergal plate covering the head, its anterior border developed into a right and left lamina with convex inner angles and separated by a short acutely triangular notch ; the anterior row of tubercles on this tergite lying nearly midway between its posterior and anterior borders. On the remaining segments the anterior row of tubercles extending along the middle of the keels, the posterior row stopping short at their base. Last tergal plate narrowly piriform, sublanceolate, much narrower than the keels of the preceding segment, which overlap it largely posteriorly and nearly meet in the middle line behind its apex. Sterna of the mid-region of the body wide, their width about equal to the length of the two basal segments of the legs. Number of segments 43.
Total length 14, width 33 millim.
Hab. Guatemata, Cholhuitz (Stol/).
This species has considerably larger lamine on the first tergal plate than P. meso- melas, and further differs in colour. In the latter respect P. marmoreus approaches
P. triangulifer.
7. Platydesmus perpictus, sp. n. (Tab. IV. figg. 1, 1 a-/.)
Colour marbled ; middle of dorsal area a rich dark brown extending to the base of the keels, but interrupted at tolerably regular intervals on each side of the middle line by conspicuous yellow patches, about nine in number, composed of spots of that colour upon two or three consecutive segments; keels mostly yellow, but those opposite the intervals between the yellow patches suffused with brown extending from the median portion of the segments, but often separated therefrom by indistinct paler spots; last tergal plate infuscate ; head infuscate above; antenne, legs, and ventral surface pale.
Body wide, about four times as long as broad. Head with eyes ; completely covered. rst tergal plate with its anterior border produced into a pair of large lamin, separated from each other in the middle line by a narrow longitudinal space. The two rows of tubercles on the segments extending nearly to the extremities of the keels. Last tergal plate narrowly oval, far surpassed posteriorly by the keels of the preceding segment. Sterna of the mid-region of the body very broad, wider than the two basal segments of adjacent legs, and about four times as broad as the length of the coxa. Number of segments in adult 47-65, more or less. .
Total length of type 25, width 6°8 millim. ; of a large specimen 30, with a width of 7-5 millim,
Hab. Guatema.a, Senahu (Champion), Cholhuitz (Stol0).
There is also in the British Museum a specimen of apparently the same species from Belize, British Honduras. .
48 DIPLOPODA.
The following species are unknown to me:—
8. Platydesmus moreleti. Piestodesmus moreletii, Lucas, Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1849, p. 599, t. 17. figs. 1-1 d*.
Colour: head fuscous, antenne testaceous; first tergal plate fuscous, the remainder fuscous with reddish keels ; legs testaceous.
Head with prominent eyes. Antenne short and thick. Jirst tergal plate large, its anterior border produced into a right and left shelf-like plate, forming a straight, transverse, anterior border and separated from each other by a narrow longitudinal triangular notch. Body broad, less than three times as long as wide (14:5), the two rows of tubercles on the terga subequal in extent, both passing nearly to the distal extremities of the keels. Posterior tergal plate narrow and piriform, pointed posteriorly. Sterna of mid- region of body wide, exceeding in width the length of the two proximal segments of the legs. Number of segments 41.
Total length 13°5-14, width 4:5-5 millim.,
Hab. Mexico, Tabasco (under stones) (Morelet 1).
9. Platydesmus polydesmoides. Platydesmus polydesmoides, Lucas, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1843, p. 52, t. 3. 1. figg. 1-8 *.
Colour : head fuscous above, pale below; antenne pale ; body yellowish, spotted with reddish-brown upon the sides, clear yellow in the median area.
Body rather narrow, about five times as long as wide. yes present. First tergal plate widely emarginate in front, leaving the head entirely uncovered. Posterior row of tubercles on terga only extending to base of keels. Last tergal plate narrowly piriform, surpassed posteriorly by the keels of the preceding segment.
Number of segments 44, Length 21, width 4 millim.
Hab. GUATEMALA}.
P. polydesmoides is nearest to P. triangulifer and P. lineatus, but, so far as coloration is concerned, apparently differs from both. Neither description nor figure is sufficiently detailed to admit of its inclusion in the key to the species (anted, p. 44).
Humbert and de Saussure also record it from Cordova, Mexico, but whether rightly or wrongly it is impossible to decide.
10. Platydesmus mexicanus.
Platydesmus mexicanus, Humb. et Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1869, p. 156°; Miss. Sci. Mex., Myr. p. 103, t. 2. figg. 5, 5 d-e’.
Colour deep brown, keels not pale, except in young; median dorsal line pale and expanding at intervals into seven yellowish triangular patches, as in P. triangulifer and P. marmoreus, the keel on each side opposite the posterior angle of the patches also yellow; antenne yellow.
Head with eyes. Body very broad, only a little more than four times as long as wide. First tergal plate emarginate in front, without any lamine, leaving the head entirely uncovered and the anterior edge of the median or cylindrical part of the segment visible. Posterior row of tubercles on segments not extending on to keels. Last tergite narrowly piriform, overlapped posteriorly by the keels of preceding segment. Number of segments in adult varying from 41-60.
Total length of adult 26, width 6 millim.
Hab. Muxico, Kastern Cordillera ', Sierra de Agua °.
PLATYDESMUS. 49
So far at least as pattern is concerned, this species resembles P. triangulifer, except in the colouring of the keels. In P. triangulifer these are pale, with those on each side of the body opposite the widest portion of the pale median triangular patches dark, exactly the converse obtaining in P. mexicanus. ‘The latter, moreover, is a much broader-bodied form, resembling P. perpictus in this particular.
11. Platydesmus guatemalensis. Platydesmus guatemalensis, Brélemann, Mém. Soc. Zool. Fr. 1900, p. 112, t. 7. figg. 78-82".
Colour: variegated reddish-brown and yellow ; a median dorsal band formed of alternating yellow and brown rectangular patches, each patch extending over two adjacent segments ; an exactly corresponding series of spots upon the keels, the intervening area of the segments deep brown; ventral surface pale.
Head without eyes. Body broad, almost four times as long as wide. Segments of substantially the same form as in P. mexicanus, furnished with two rows of tubercles, which become gradually effaced upon the keels. Sterna broad in the middle of the body and separating the legs widely. Number of segments 47.
Total length 15, width 4 millim.
Hab. Guatemata (Rodriguez ').
This species differs from all the Central-American forms known to me in the absence of eyes and also in colour. In the latter particular, as well as in proportions, it stands nearest to P. perpictus; but Brélemann’s statement that the segments of P. guate- malensis resemble those of P. mexicanus enforces the conclusion that the first tergite is widely excavated in front and not laminate as in P. perpictus. Reference may be made to Brolemann’s paper for admirable figures of generic characters of Platydesmus.
Another genus of this family, namely Andrognathus [Cope, Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc. 1869, p. 182; Bollman, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. no. 46, p. 187 (1893)], hitherto known from North America, will probably be found to extend at least as far south as Mexico, since the one species yet discovered occurs both in Virginia and Tennessee. This genus, unknown to me, is referred by Bollman and, following him, by Silvestri to the Platydesmide. It may be at once distinguished from Platydesmus by the suppression of the terminal process on the stipites and lingual lobes of the gnathochilarium, the absence of tubercles on the dorsal area, the large size of the keels of the fifth segment, and the pedunculated pores.
Fam. SIPHONOPHORIDE.
Head piriform, with a narrow pointed labrum. Mandibles obsolete; gnathochilarium with its sclerites indistinguishably fused, narrow and pointed distally, and forming with the labrum a pointed rostrum. Eyes absent. Antenne lateral. Somites with thick chitinized pleure. Sternal areas compressed ; basal segments of legs almost in contact in the middle line. Penes perforating coxe of second legs,
Iistribution. Neotropical and Oriental Regions.
Of the two genera that have been referred to this family, one only, Siphonophora, BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Diplop., November 1903. H
50 DIPLOPODA.
has been hitherto discovered in Central America; the other, Siphonocybe, nov., is, however, represented in the Neotropical Region, as is testified by the presence of the typical species, 8. hartii, Poc., in Trinidad [Ann, & Mag. Nat. (6) xv. p. 375 (1895)]. Hence it may be inferred that the genus also occurs at least in the southern parts of Central America and merely awaits discovery. It may be distinguished from Siphono- phora by the presence of a tubercular prominence or keel, bearing the pore, on each side of the somites.
SIPHONOPHORA. Siphonophora, Brandt, Bull. Acad. St. Pétersb. i. p. 179 (1836) ; and subsequent authors.
Characters as above. Distribution. Neotropical and Oriental Regions.
Synopsis of the Central-American Species known to me.
a. Rostrum short, much shorter than the head, which is wide and rounded ; anterior border of first tergal plate lightly emarginate . . . . . . . globiceps, sp. n. b. Rostrum long, subequal in length to the head, which is narrowly piriform ; * anterior border of first tergite deeply emarginate.
a‘, Antenne distinctly incrassate, a little surpassing the rostrum . . . . brevicornis, sp. n. :
b. Antenne long, considerably surpassing the rostrum, and _ scarcely Incrassate. 2 6 1 ew eee ee eee ww ww ew ee COrnULA, SP. TL
1. Siphonophora cornuta, sp. n. (Tab. V. figg. 4, 44.)
©. Colour a uniform yellowish-brown. |
Head narrowly piriform. Rostrum long, about equalling the head in length. Antenne long, when extended overlapping the extremity of the rostrum almost by the length of the two terminal segments; the segments relatively long, the fifth as long as wide, the basal segments nearly as thick as the distal: hence the antenne are but slightly incrassate. First tergal plate with its anterior border deeply emarginate. Number of segments 91-100.
Length of large specimen 40, width 1°5 millim.
Hab. GuatEMata, Volcan de Acatenango, 1200 feet above the forest, Volcan de Agua (Stoll).
2. Siphonophora brevicornis, sp. n. (Tab. V. figg. 5, 5 a.) Colour as in S. cornuta. Head, rostrum, and first tergal plate also as in that species; but the antenne much shorter, only a little surpassing the rostrum, and very decidedly incrassate. Number of segments in 9 up to 74. Length of large 9 21, width 1 millim. Number of segments in ¢ 55. Length 13 millim.
Hab. Guatema.a, Volcan de Agua (Stol/).
A specimen from Omilteme in Guerrero (#H. H. Smith) is doubtfully referred to this species. It has 59 segments, and measures 12 millim. in length.
sh Ra a
SIPHONOPHORA. 51
Amongst the examples from the Volcan de Agua there are numerous smaller individuals which, provisionally at all events, I regard as immature females. They measure up to 15 millim. in length, and have as many as 58 segments; and differ from the type in having the rostrum narrower at the base and the head more constricted in front of the antenne.
3. Siphonophora globiceps, sp. n. (Tab. V. figg. 6, 6 a.)
2. Colour pale yellowish-white.
Differing from the two preceding and the following species in the subspherical head, which is much more abruptly constricted in front of the antennal sockets, and in the shortness of the rostrum, which is much shorter than the head and narrower at the base than is S. cornuta, S. brevicornis, and S. meaicana. Antenne short and strongly incrassate distally. Number of segments 71.
Length 21, width barely 1 millim.
Hab. GuatTeMELA, Purula (Stoll).
The following species I have not seen :—
4. Siphonophora mexicana. Siphonophora mexicana, Humb. et Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1869, p. 155"; Miss. Sci. Mex., Myr. pp- 105, 106, t. 2. figg. 7, 7a-m”.
In the length of the rostrum, the length and shape of the antenne, and the emargination of the first tergite, this species seems to resemble S. brevicornis. But the typical example, which is a male, differs essentially from the male of S. brevicornis in its much larger size, measuring 29 millim, in length, and in possessing 102 segments.
Hab. Mexico, Eastern Cordillera! ?, Sierra de Agua near Orizaba ?.
Group II. CHORDEUMOIDEA.
Number of segments varying from 26 to 32, constant in the genera. Mouth-parts of the normal Chilognathous type: stipites widely separated posteriorly ; lingual plates large; promentum triangular, not always separated from mentum. Head not tucked under the first tergal plate, which is hollowed behind for its reception. Tergal plates furnished with three pairs of stout or slender sete issuing from tubercles. No scent-glands. No pleure. Sterna free. First, second, and fourth segments with one pair of legs ; third apodous; fifth and sixth with two pairs, there being seven pairs of legs in front of those of the seventh segment. No true phallopods ; first pair of legs of seventh segment greatly modified in male ; posterior pair also modified and more or fewer of the preceding or succeeding appendages as well. Penes perforating cox of second legs.
Fam. CRASPEDOSOMIDA.
Segments 30. Eyes (when present) forming a compact triangular cluster.
Distribution. Holarctic, Mediterranean, and Sonoran Regions.
H 2
52 DIPLOPODA.
CLEIDOGONA.
Cryptotrichus, Packard, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc. xxi. p. 189 (1883) (nomen przocc.) (type C. cesio-
annulatus, Wood). Cleidogona, Cook and Collins, Ann. New York Acad. Sci. ix. p. 41 (1895).
Eyes well developed, forming a triangular patch on each side of the head. Antenne very long; third segment longest. Mandible with 12 pectinate lamella. Gnathochilarium with triangular promentum; segments without keels ; setiferous tubercles relatively small. Eighth legs of male consisting of two pairs of processes, the posterior articulated to the base of the anterior. Ninth legs of male 5-jointed, the two basal segments large, the three distal segments small, armed with a claw and forming a hook. Tenth and eleventh legs of male with coxal pouches ; coxa of eleventh with conical processes. Segments 30.
Distribution. Eastern United States ; Central America.
1. Cleidogona godmani, sp.n. (Tab. V. figg. 7, 7 a-e.)
Colour: segments brown, mottled with pale spots, which are sometimes restricted to the area round the setiferous tubercles ; median dorsal line also pale; posterior border of segments and also the overlapped anterior border pale bluish-grey ; head and antenne infuscate; legs pale, distally infuscate.
Head hairy ; eyes composed of about 26 ocelli. Segments smooth and shining, but very finely coriaceous, with an obliquely longitudinal crest above the infero-lateral angle ; lateral setiferous tubercles larger than the rest, except at the posterior end of the body, where the three are subequal. Sterna with vertical anterior crest terminating in a downwardly directed spike. Anal tergite with lightly emarginate posterior border bearing a pair of long setiferous papille ; two tubercles near the middle of its dorsal surface; anal valves with three marginal sete in their upper half. Anal sternite semicircular, with two long sete.
Leg of ninth pair in male with the basal segment long and divided into two subequal sclerites by a distinct joint, which appears to be absent in the other known species of the genus; its inferior edge lightly convex, with a basal triangular enlargement; its dorsal edge correspondingly concave, with an anguli- form process near the proximal end; second segment fusiform, its upper edge lightly, its inferior edge more strongly convex, especially in its distal half; terminal finger-like process consisting of three segments, whereof the distal is much the longest. Leg of eighth pair stout basally, with two strong, posteriorly directed, subconical prominences; the terminal portion slender, of nearly even width throughout, recurved at an obtuse angle of about 100°, and abruptly narrowed and subhamate at the apex ; its posterior aspect furnished with a distinct hyaline membranous fringe with frayed edges.
Length about 20 millim. Hab. Mexico, Omilteme in Guerrero 8000 feet (/. H. Smith).
2. Cleidogona stolli, sp.n. (Tab. V. figg. 8, 8 a-c.)
Very nearly allied to the foregoing species, which it resembles in colour, but smaller, and differing essentially in the secondary sexual characters of the male. Leg of ninth pair in male with basal segment much shorter than in C. godmani and undivided, with a larger, more quadrate, inferior basal prominence, a more strongly convex inferior edge, and a somewhat sharp constriction near its middle. Eighth leg with its basal half relatively much thinner than in C. godmani, and without the large prominences, its terminal portion more nearly the same width as the basal, narrowed and pointed apically when seen from below - and recurved at a right angle, the hyaline membrane bordering its posterior side not fimbriated.
Length about 15 millim.
Hab. GuateMaLa, Volcan de Agua (Sto/¢).
CLEIDOGONA. 53
The following species is unknown to me:— -
3. Cleidogona mexicana. Craspedosoma mexicanum, Humb. et Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1869, p. 153; Miss. Sci. Mex., Myr. p. 59, t. 1. figg. 15, 15 a-1 (1872) °. Cleidogona mexicanus, Cook and Collins, Ann. New York Acad. Sci. ix. p. 52, t. 6. figg. 105-109 (after Humb. & Sauss.) *.
Hab. Mexico, Eastern Cordillera !.
C. mexicana was apparently based upon a single female specimen. It may prove to be the same as the form described above as C. godmani; but the difference in the locality, apart from other considerations, forbids the identification of the two, though there is nothing in the description of C. mexicana to prove their distinctness.
Group III. IULOIDEA.
Mandibles well developed. Gnathochilarium with the stipites enormously developed, expanded proximally and forming a long junctional suture in the middle line behind the oval or triangular promentum which separates the lingual lobes. Number of segments large and variable. Terga from the fifth or sixth with a pair of scent-pores. Pleure suppressed. Sterna united in pairs and usually fused to the adjacent terga. Third segment apodous. Phallopods in male formed of the posterior pair of appendages of the seventh segment; the anterior pair of this segment, and also sometimes the posterior pair of the sixth, modified as accessory sexual or copulatory organs. Legs of the first pair also modified. Seminal ducts terminating in a distinct penis behind the bases of the legs of the second pair,
Species belonging to two families of this group have been recorded from Central America, namely, the Iulide and Paraiulide. ‘The former differ from the latter in having only four rows of mandibular pectinations; the legs of the first pair not enlarged, but with their terminal segments suppressed, those of the second leg normal in form; and the gnathochilarium unmodified in the male. In the female there are no distinct genital sclerites, and the appendages of the second pair are unmodified. It is probable, however, that the species referred to Judus belong in reality to Paraiulus.
Fam, PARAIULIDA.
Mandibles with 9-10 rows of pectinations. Sternum of third legs attached to tergum of fourth segment. First and second segments with one pair of legs, third apodous, fifth and sixth with two pairs.
3. Legs of first pair very large, forming a couple of powerful six-jointed clawless claspers ; those of second pair reduced in size and number of segments, palpiform (? sometimes suppressed), and attached to a large sterno-coxal plate, of which the posterior vertical side is hollowed for the reception and protection of the penis. Sternum and legs of the seventh pair unmodified. Gnathochilarium with promentum large, widely separating the lingual lobes, which are crescentically curved round it on each side.
Q. Legs of first pair but little modified in size and shape; those of second pair sometimes suppressed, some- times retained as a pair of juxtaposed, clawless, reduced limbs. Generative orifices protected by a pair of large chitinous sclerites.
Distribution. North and Central America.
54 DIPLOPODA.
Only one genus of this family has been recorded hitherto from Central America. But amongst the representatives from this country that I have had an opportunity of examining there may prove to be material for two genera based upon secondary sexual characters of the female; and, so far as the North-American forms are concerned, the species known to me from descriptions and actual specimens suggest the possibility of establishing one or more genera distinct from Paraiulus. But the material at my disposal is not sufficiently extensive to permit satisfactory diagnoses, especially as two of the species (namely P. pennsylvanicus, Brandt, and P. obtectus, Bollman) have been made the types of two as yet uncharacterized genera, the former being named Piyoiulus by Cook |[Ann. N. York Acad. Sci. ix. p. 6 (1895)], and the latter (which has been twice, in two separate papers, described as a new genus) Pseudoiulus by Bollman [Ann. N. York Acad. Sci. iv. p. 32 (1887)]. Pseudotulus was afterwards by its author discovered and stated to be based upon an immature stage. Nevertheless the name will have to be adopted if, in the future, it be found that the adult of P. obtectus, for which the Bloomington specimens may be regarded as representing the types, be generically distinct from Paraiulus olmecus.
PARAIULUS.
Parajulus, Humb. et Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1869, p. 155; Miss. Sci. Mex., Myr. p. 93 (1872) (type P. olmecus).
Paraiulus, Latzel, Myr. Oest.-Ung. Mon. i. p. 55 (1884).
Parajulus, Bollman, Ann. N. York Acad. Sci. iv. p. 82 (1887).
? Pseudojulus, Bollman, loc. cit. (type P. obtectus, Bollm.).
? Ptyotulus, Cook, Ann. N. York Acad. Sci. ix. p. 6 (1895) (type P. pennsylvanicus, Brandt).
The four Central-American species of which the genitalia are known have the
following features in common :— 3g. Sterno-coxal sclerite of second legs furnished with a pair of juxtaposed forwardly directed processes ; the rest of the appendage retained as a four-jointed limb widely separated from its fellow of the opposite side ;
posterior pair of appendages of seventh segment (phallopods) triramous. Q@. Appendages of second pair retained. Genital orifices strengthened with a pair of large sclerites.
Synopsis of the Species, based upon characters mostly observable without dissection. Males.
a. Inner (admedian) rami of anterior pair of appendages of seventh segment slender, attenuate, and apically pointed . . . . . ~ . . « . . stylifer, sp. n. b. Inner (admedian) rami of anterior pair of appendages of seventh segment stout in the basal half, slender in the distal, with the inner edge straight, the outer concavo-convex, and the apex blunt. a’. Legs of first pair only moderately inflated in the middle of their length . olmecus, H. & S. 6’. Legs of first pair strongly inflated in the middle of their length. a’. Apex of admedian branch of anterior pair of seventh segment with a
PARAIULUS. 55D
notch and spiniform process at the distal end on the inner side;
posterior branch of posterior pair forming a broad lamella curved
forwards apically; sterno-coxal plate of appendages of second pair .
shallowly emarginate behind . . . . . «©. 1. 1. we ss «@mulensis, sp. n. 6°. Apex of admedian branch of anterior pair of seventh segment without
notch and spine; posterior branch of posterior pair slender, styliform ;
sterno-coxal plate of appendages of second pair deeply emarginate
behind. 2. 2. ew eee we ee ee ee ew ww. aztecus, SP. 1.
Females.
a. Genital sclerites unjointed, inferiorly acuminate, not protected in front by a vertical unpaired plate, but succeeded by a T-shaped plate. . . . . amulensis. 6. Genital sclerites bisegmented, protected in front by a vertical unpaired plate expanding at its inferior extremity ; no separate T-shaped sclerite behind. a’. Distal segment of genital sclerites slender and ine below the extremity of the anterior plate . . . . oe . 2 « « olmecus. . Distal segment of genital sclerites short, thick, obtuse, not projecting below the extremity of the anterior plate. a’. Pores less than their diameter from the sulcus; caudal process long
and distally narrowed ; third tergal plate inferiorly produced . . . aztecus. 6°. Pores at least twice their diameter from the sulcus; caudal process triangular; third tergal plate not inferiorly produced. . . . . . stylifer.
1. Paraiulus amulensis, sp.n. (Tab. V. figg. 9, 9 a-d.)
Q. Colour: segments yellow above, with median dark central line; lateral surface fuscous above, yellow below ; head and anterior segments blackish; anal segments yellow; legs yellow.
Head smooth ; eyes forming a large triangular patch. Antenne with segments from the second to the sixth decreasing progressively in length. irst tergite with a single ridge above its lateral angle. Segments smooth and shining to the naked eye, but in reality finely striolate, the striole running longitudinally ; anterior half of segments transversely grooved in front; posterior half longitudinally and obliquely grooved nearly up to the pore, which is well behind the transverse sulcus; the latter deep. Sterna smooth. Anal sternite broadly triangular ; anal tergite furnished with a long and very acute caudal process. Second segment with its lower portion on each side produced inferiorly and inwardly in front of the generative apparatus. The latter consisting of a pair of large vertical plates, lightly convex in front, rounded above, with fairly straight outer margin, and acuminate below ; the proximal half of the inner border of each in contact with that of its fellow of the opposite side, its distal half obliquely diverging so that an angular space is left between the two sclerites, the distal portion of the outer margin directed obliquely inwards, and where it meets the obliquely outwardly directed inner edge arises a short acuminate process projecting outwards and downwards. Behind these sclerites lies a transverse plate about six times as wide as long, with an anterior median angular notch and slightly recurved external angles, (Text-figg. 3, 3a, p. 56.)
3. Like the female in colour, sculpturing of tergites, &c.
First tergite very wide laterally, without ridge above marginal groove. Second segment of mandible with two subequal prominences. Genital organs: legs of first pair massive, especially the penultimate and ante- penultimate segments, the former nearly as thick aslong; the latter broad at the base, narrowing distally ; distal segment small and shortly pedunculated. Legs of second pair with the median processes expanded at the distal end externally, the groove for the penis on the basal plate widely and shallowly concave, the palp longer than the median processes. Anterior pair of copulatory feet of seventh segment with their inner branches proximally clavate, the inner edge fairly straight, the outer strongly convex proximally,
56
DIPLOPODA.
concave distally, the apex slightly expanded and notched on the inner side; posterior pair of copulatory feet furnished with three branches—an outer, long and flagelliform ; an inner, divided into two processes (an external short, an internal long, lightly geniculated and bent abruptly outwards at the apex); and a posterior, which is elongate, nearly parallel-sided, and curves downwards and forwards beneath the extremities of the other two. Number of segments about 50-51.
Length up to about 35 millim. Hab. Mexico, Amula in Guerrero (H. H. Smith).
Fig
2.
Explanation of Figures.
. 1. Dwarfed appendages of second segment and genital sclerites of Paratulus aztecus, 9: a, anterior plate ; v, proximal segment of sclerite of vulva. 1a, Inferior aspect of genital sclerites of same: a’, vertical and, a”, horizontal portion of anterior sclerite ; v, distal segment of sclerite of vulva.
g. 2. Dwarfed appendages of second segment and genital sclerites of Paraiulus stylifer, 2: lettering as in
fig. 1. 2a. Inferior horizontal portion of anterior plate of the same. . 3. Dwarfed appendages and genital sclerites of Paraiulus amulensis, 2: v, sclerite of vulva. 3a. Inferior aspect of genital sclerites of same: v, extremity of sclerite of vulva; , horizontal portion of
posterior plate.
2. Paraiulus aztecus, sp.n. (Tab. V. figg. 10, 10a, 8.) Colour like that of P. amulensis.
Structure of segments &c. practically the same as in P. amulensis, but the pore close to, considerably less than
its diameter away from, the transverse sulcus, which is slightly sinuous at the spot.
In sexual characters this species differs greatly from P. amulensis. The ventrally produced area of the second
3.
tergite is not so thick, its posterior border being more obliquely cut away ; the ventral border of the third produced to almost the same extent, and embracing the genital apparatus behind; a distinct triangular space, revealing the genital apparatus, between the produced area of the two segments. Genital apparatus very distinct; it consists in front of a broad vertical plate narrowed inferiorly and longitudinally excavated ; where it reaches the lower surface of the body it expands right and left and posteriorly into a transverse plate lying backwards in a horizontal plane, with emarginate posterior border, suboval lateral borders, and a deep median impression. This plate forms a complete partition between the two vulva-sclerites, besides protecting them below and in front; the vulva-sclerites are thick, massive, and formed of two | segments, of which the inferior is the stouter and rounder of the two.
Genital organs : legs of first pair thick, like those of P. amulenss; of the second pair also very much as in that species, but the groove for the seminal ducts on the sternal plate much more deeply emarginate, and the lateral expansion longer and narrower. Inner branches of anterior pair of gonopods of seventh segment much less expanded proximally, with the distal extremity narrow and not notched internally.
PARAIULUS. of
In the posterior pair of gonopods the posterior branch is short and styliform, the anterior ends distally
in two vertically directed prongs, of which the outer is longer and subfiliform apically, Number of segments 48.
Length 31 millim. Hab. Mexico, Omilteme iu Guerrero 8000 feet (H. H. Smith).
3. Paraiulus stylifer, sp.n. (Tab. V. figg. 11, 11 a.)
2. Colour as in the preceding species, but the yellow more dominant.
Pores in mid-region of body more than twice their diameter from the sulcus. Caudal process shorter, triangular, but surpassing the valves,
Sexual characters much resembling those of P. aztecus, but with the inferior angle of the third tergal plate not produced inferiorly. Genital sclerites protected from before by a large vertical suboblong plate, not narrowed inferiorly, and with a vertical groove-like impression on each side of the middle line ; inferiorly this plate expands to the right and left, and is carried backwards in a horizontal plane beneath the bisegmented genital sclerites, the horizontal plate forming a pair of oval expansions separated in the middle line behind by a deep and wide notch.
3. Sexual characters. Legs of first and second pairs much as in P. amulensis. Inner branches of copulatory feet of seventh segment slender and pointed ; the outer branch of the second pair shorter and more strongly curved than in the other species; the anterior branch broad, ending in two processes, of which the inner forms a long and strong inwardly directed spike; the posterior branch long and apically curved forwards, much like that of P. amulensis, Number of segments 46.
Length 25 millim.
Hab. Guatemata (Stoll).
The following species are unknown to me :—
4. Paraiulus olmecus. Parajulus olmecus, Humb. et Sauss. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1869, p. 155°; iid. Miss. Sci. Mex., Myy. p. 95, t. 5. figg. 1, la-g (g 2) (1872) °.
@. Colour as in preceding species. Pores a little behind the sulcus. Genital plates formed upon the same plan as in P, aztecus and P. stylifer; the median unpaired plate described as quadrate with four deep emarginations, one dorsal, one ventral, and one on each side, suggesting the form of the letter X ; the vulval sclerites themselves are widely separated and bisegmented, the distal segment being short, relatively slender, and projecting conspicuously below the level of the median sclerite, so as to recall somewhat in form the terminations of these plates seen in P. amulensis.
3. For details of the posterior appendages of the seventh segment, reference must be made to the original figures, which clearly show the difference between these limbs and those of the three forms described above. Of the anterior pair the inner branch is proximally thicker even than in P. amulensis, while the distal half terminates as in P. aztecus, but curves more outwards ; the legs of the first pair appear to be considerably thinner than in either of the three species described above. Number of segments 46-48,
Length 27 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Moyoapan in the Eastern Cordillera? 2.
5. Paraiulus tarascus. Julus tarascus, Sauss. Mém. Soc. Phys. Genéve, xv. p. 378, t. 7. fig. 52 (1860) *. Parajulus tarascus, Humb. et Sauss. Miss. Sci. Mex., Myr. p. 98 (1872) *.
Hab. Mexico, district of Angangueo, Michoacan. BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Diplop., November 1907. 1
58 DIPLOPODA.
This species was based upon a single female specimen. Subsequent examination proved it to possess the characters of the genus Paraiulus, and provoked the remark that it might be referred to the same species as P. olmecus. ‘The uncertainty in this verdict leaves both specific names in an unsettled state, and it is a matter for regret that with the type-specimens available for comparison, no definite conclusion was arrived at. If the two forms are the same, the name farascus, having nine years’ priority, must supersede ol/mecus.
6. Paraiulus filicornis. Julus filicornis, Sauss. Mém. Soc. Phys. Genéve, xv. p. 377, t. 5. figg. 388, 38 a—-d (1860) , ? Julus filicornis, Humb. et Sauss. Miss. Sci. Mex., Myr. p. 92 (1872) °.
Hab. Mexico, Vera Cruz! 2, Cuernavaca ?.
It must be regarded as doubtful whether the specimens from Cuernavaca are specifically the same as the type from Vera Cruz.
From the description it appears that this species, whether one or more is of no great moment, was based upon an immature (Pseudoiulus) stage of Paraiulus.
In the case of the Cuernavaca examples the size, form, and coloration are said to be the same as in P. olmecus, and the statement that the first legs of the male are shorter and thicker than the others excludes the species from Judus and places it in the same category as the immature form of Paraiulus. Moreover, since in other particulars the immature male of the latter genus does not appreciably differ from Julus, and since the immature female resembles Judus in all respects, no further justification need be - sought for the assumption stated above.
The only structural character mentioned which sharply differentiates the Cuernavaca specimens from the types of P. olmecus, P. amulensis, P. aztecus, and P. stylifer is the position of the pores in front of the sulcus.
The description of the type from Vera Cruz enumerates no features opposed to the view that the specimen was an immature Paraiulus.
Number of segments in Vera Cruz specimens 47, length 28 millim.; number of segments in Cuernavaca specimens 43-44, length 20-23 millim.
7. Paraiulus rasilis. Julus rasilis, Karsch, Zeitschr, ges. Naturwiss. (3) vi. p. 17 (1881) ’.
Hab. Mexico, Puebla !.
It is not possible by the description to differentiate this species from any of the foregoing. The statements that the segments are longitudinally sulcate up to the pores, which are situated behind the complete transverse sulcus, and that the caudal process is straight, subacute, and surpasses the anal valves, coupled with what is said ‘yegarding the appendages of the anterior somites, forcibly suggest that the types were immature males and female of some species of Paraiulus. Number of segments 48. Length 27 millim.
RHINOCRICUS. 59
Group IV. SPIROBOLOIDEA.
Resembling the Iuloidea in general form and structure, but chiefly distinguishable by the following features :— The stipites of the gnathochilarium are widely separated proximally by a large undivided triangular plate, the mentum. None of the anterior segments are apodous; segments 1-5 bearing each a single pair of legs, the 6th with two pairs. No penis is present in the male. The copulatory apparatus is completely retractile.
Fam. SPIROBOLIDA.
Since the known genera of Spiroboloidea are referred to a single family, the characters of the latter are those of the higher group.
RHINOCRICUS.
Spirobolus (Rhinocricus), Karsch, Zeitschr. ges. Naturwiss. (3) vi. p. 68 (1881). Rhinocricus, Pocock, Journ. Linn. Soc., Zool. xxiv. p. 485 (1893) ; Myriopoda in Max. Weber’s
Zool. Ergebniss, &c. pp. 889 & 391 (1894).
Type, Spirobolus (Rhinocricus) parcus, Karsch.
In 1892 I selected as the type of the genus Lhinocricus the species named parcus, which is unknown to me. Since R. parcus was based upon specimens from the island of Porto Rico, it is probable that the species resembles in al! essential characters those that are referred to Rhinocricus in the following pages, especially those included under the headings subordinate to 6! in the analytical key. It is not known whether the apical segment of the antenna in &. parcus has many or only a few sensory papille. This important feature should, if possible, be ascertained before a generic or subgeneric value be assigned, as it probably will be assigned, to the character in question.
The Central-American species of Rhinocricus known to me have the following features in common :—
Setiferous pores on labrum 242. Eyes widely separated, each consisting of a subcircular cluster of ocelli. Lateral portion of first tergal plate widely rounded and not extending inferiorly so low as the inferior portion of the second. More or fewer of the segments bearing rear their anterior border, which is concealed by the preceding segment, a pair of depressions of unknown function, known as scobine. Each scobina consists of a short usually transversely crescentic groove, behind which there is an area of varying extent covered with very fine transverse striae. The phallopod of the copulatory apparatus consists of two segments, the distal of which terminates in two processes, the smaller and slenderer of which is the seminal style, while the stouter, which is laminate at least apically, is the guard. The median unpaired
sternal or anterior plate of the coleopods is large and subtriangular, with its apex projecting inferiorly as low as the inferior end of the anterior or proximal of the two lateral paired lamine.
Synopsis of the Species examined.
a. The normal sulcus defining the posterior portion of the terga obsolete
dorsally, and replaced by a secondary sulcus which lies in front of the
pore; distal segment of phallopod very short and stout, the seminal style
slender, and the guard not shorter than the rest of the segment. . . . omiltema, sp. n. a‘. The normal sulcus defining the posterior portion of the terga strong or weak
12
60 DIPLOPODA.
dorsally, but never replaced by a secondary sulcus lying in front of the pore; phallopod, where known, with its distal segment long and slender, the guard of the seminal style much shorter than the segment.
b. Scobina unspecialized, the extremities of the groove defining the impres- sion turned outwards, i. e. away from each other; the striz of the striate area very coarse, hardly more numerous and hardly finer than those of the adjacent area of the terga; the longitudinal striz of the posterior portion of the segment extending at least as high as the pores.
b'. Scobina specialized, the extremities of the groove incurled towards each other, thus forming a crescentic or subcrescentic impression ; the striz of the striate area very fine and numerous ; longitudinal grooves of posterior portion of segments not extending halfway up to the pore.
c. Sensory papille on apical segment of antennz very numerous, variable in number, and close-set.
d. Scobina very small and not extending posteriorly as far as the middle segment of the body; infero-lateral edge of first tergal plate not widely rounded, subangular, its anterior border slightly cut away .
d'. Scobina large, extending posteriorly past the middle segment of the body ; infero-lateral edge of first tergal plate evenly rounded.
e. Sternal plate of anal segment very short, longitudinally convex, and not or hardly longer than the sternal area of the preceding segment, its posterior border straight and transverse; dorsal area of the segments irregularly tubercular in front . . . .
e'. Sternal plate of anal segment at least twice as long as the sternal area of the preceding segment, its posterior border angular or strongly convex; no tubercles on dorsal area of the segments.
f. Antenne much longer than head; legs and antenne dark, at least in their basal half . 2 2. 6. 1 6 we ew ee eee f’. Antenne shorter or at least not longer than head; legs and antenne uniformly pale. g. Colour crimson; sternal plate of anal segment with convex posterior edge, and marked in front with a transverse groove. g'. Colour red, banded with green (? black) ; sternal plate of anal segment with angular edge and no anterior groove . . c'. Sensory papille on apical segment of antenne few in number (4-5) and widely spaced.
h. Scobinze very wide, each about twice as wide as the area between them on the middle segments of the body; inferior horizontal area of second segment with a deep transverse groove behind the thickened anterior edge. «6 + + ee ee ew ee
h'. Scobine narrower, separated by a space which is not less than twice the transverse diameter of each; inferior horizontal area of second segment shorter, without any transverse groove behind the thin upstanding anterior edge.
olivaceus, Newp.
rogerst, sp. N.
marci, Sp. D,
rigt, sp. Nn.
aposematus, sp. 0.
tristani, sp. n.
scobinatus, sp. n.
RHINOCRICUS. 61
i. Transverse sulcus, at least on anterior fourth of body, conspicuously pitted at least as high up as the pore. k. Transverse sulcus obsolescent above the pores; only pitted up to the pores in the anterior fourth of the body; olive-black . smithi, sp. n. k', Transverse sulcus strong and complete dorsally, pitted through- out in the anterior half of the body; segments transversely banded with red or yellow . . . . «1 e ww ee .) «Gurocinctus, sp. 2. ?. Transverse sulci not pitted. J. Elliptical area of scobinze small, narrower than striate area, and separated from the anterior edge of the segments by a space exceeding their transverse diameter in length; median and posterior area of segments smooth and polished . . . . . stollt, sp. n. I’, Elliptical area of scobine large, as wide as the striate area and close to the anterior border of the terga; at least the median area of the terga coriaceous. m. First tergal plate encircled with yellow; tergal plate and
valves of anal segment bordered behind with yellow . . . atoyacus, sp. n. m', First tergal plate, and tergal plate and valves, not bordered with yellow . 2 2 2 ee we ew ew ee ew ee «Salleanus, sp. n.
1. Rhinocricus rogersi, sp.n. (Tab. V. figg. 12, 12a, b.)
Colour (in alcohol) rich olive-green, obscurely banded transversely, the segments ferruginous or yellowish-red beneath ; legs yellowish ; antenne pale olive-green banded with yellow.
Head smooth, shining ; sulcus mesially obsolete ; eyes consisting of five transverse rows of about thirty ocelli, separated by a space equalling at least four diameters. Antenne slightly shorter than the uncovered portion of the head, distally attenuate; sixth segment nearly as long as wide, narrower than the fifth but not longer; seventh much narrower than fifth or sixth. Segments smooth, shining, feebly striolate ; the first with a short inferior lateral groove, its anterior border projecting just below the level of the eyes, obliquely cut away inferiorly, so that its lateral border is not so evenly and widely rounded as in the other species. Second segment not striate laterally below; posterior portion of its infero-lateral edge projecting convexly below the level of the anterior portion, striolate ; posterior portion longitudinally grooved for a short distance inferiorly. Transverse sulcus strong laterally, extending over the dorsum as a shallow groove on all the segments except the anterior and posterior four or five, on which it is obsolete. Longitudinal groove behind pore very weak. Scobinew feebly developed, visible from the seventh or eighth to the fifteenth or sixteenth segments; the two transversely oval, quite close to the anterior edge of the segments, separated by a space equalling at least six times their transverse diameter, the ‘striate area triangular. Anal segment: tergite scarcely covering summit of valves, the process rectangular. Valves with margins compressed, prominently convex; sternite triangular, its angle obtusely rounded.
Copulatory feet and phallopods of male as in figures (Tab. V. figg. 12a, 6). Number of segments 43-44,
Length about 80 millim.; greatest width 8; width at anterior end 7, width at posterior end of penultimate segment 6°5 millim.
Hab. Costa Rica (Rogers),
This species is remarkable for the feeble development of the scobina and for the more angular shape of the lateral portion of the first tergal plate.
62 DIPLOPODA.,
2. Rhinocricus aurocinctus, sp.n. (Tab. VI. figg. 1 a-h.)
Colour (in alcohol) of posterior area of segments yellow or red, anterior area also yellow or red, intermediate area deep olive-green, hence, when extended, the body appears to be narrowly banded with yellowish- red, when coiled to be broadly banded with that colour on account of the exposure of the yellow of the anterior area of the segments ; first segment completely encircled with yellowish-red; anal segment deep olive-green, except the tip of the caudal prolongation which is yellow; antennz and legs fusco-olivaceous, obscurely banded with yellow.
Head smooth. Antenne much shorter than head, thinner, slightly attenuate; sixth segment slightly longer than wide, narrower than fifth; seventh small. First tergite evenly rounded laterally, without any emargination above the eye. Infero-lateral edge of second nearly horizontal, thickened in front of the sulcus. The remaining segments smooth above or weakly punctulated ; the transverse sulcus very strongly developed and conspicuously pitted in the anterior half of the body, complete but less strongly pitted over the dorsum of all the segments except the second, sometimes the third and the penultimate. Scobine strongly developed, extending from about the ninth to about the fortieth segment, and on the segments of the mid-region of the body consisting of a pair of semicircular depressions, with the floor of the depression slightly raised, and succeeded by a triangular striated area ; space between the depressions, which are close to the border of the terga, less than twice the transverse diameter of either. At the posterior end of the body the scobine are smaller and wider apart. Anal segment: tergite produced into a narrow caudal process overlapping the summit of the valves, the margins of which are much less prominently convex than in R. rogersit, while their edges are defined by a much stronger groove; anal sternite rectangularly pointed.
Copulatory organs and phallopods of male as in Tab. VI. figg. 1g, h. Number of segments 59-60.
Length of 2 110 millim., width 10-5, anterior width 8; length of ¢ 81, width 7°5 millim.
Hab. Mexico, Milpas in Durango (Forrer).
3. Rhinocricus stolli, sp. n. (Tab. VI. fig. 2.)
Colour olive-green, with a narrow darker transverse line along the posterior border of the terga; anterior portion yellow.
Head smooth. Antenne shorter than head, scarcely attenuate, sixth segment almost as wide as fifth; seventh small, First tergite widely rounded. Infero-lateral edge of second segment horizontal, long, thickened in front. Remaining segments smooth and polished ; anterior portion very finely striolate. Transverse sulcus absent on second segment, obsolete dorsally on the third and on the penultimate and antepenultimate, complete on the others. Scobine extending from about the ninth segment to the fifth from the posterior end, consisting of a pair of suboval grooves, well behind the border of the terga, from about four to six diameters apart; striolate area considerably wider and longer than the oval impression. A longitudinal groove behind the fovea on the posterior half of the body. Anal segment : tergite with a transverse dorsal groove, the caudal process elongate but not surpassing the summit of the valves, which are compressed and have strongly convex, prominent borders; sternite rectangularly triangular, large, with a transverse groove in its anterior half.
Number of segments 48.
Length 106 millim. ; width of median segment 12, of anterior tergite 10, of penultimate tergite 7.
~ Hab. Guatemara, Cholhuitz (0. Stoll).
-This species is chiefly remarkable for the small size of the elliptical area of the scobine as compared with the striate area, and by the relatively great length of the space between them and the anterior edge of the segments. ‘The edges of the anal valves are also more prominent and convex than in the other species.
4. Rhinocricus smithi, sp. pn. (Tab. VI. figg. 3 aS.)
Colour uniform olivaceous or brunneo-olivaceous throughout. Antenne shorter than head; sixth segment shorter and narrower than fifth; seventh segment small. First
RHINOCRICUS. 63
tergite widely rounded ; second with its infero-lateral edge produced in front into a rounded excrescence. Remaining segments striolate and punctulate; transverse sulcus absent on second segment, obsolete or almost obsolete dorsally on the others ; in the anterior fourth of the body deep and strongly pitted laterally up to the pore, the pits becoming gradually evanescent in the middle and posterior portions of the body ; a longitudinal groove behind the pore on the posterior segments; anterior portion of segments sparsely striolate. Scobine extending to about the fourth segment from the end, consisting of a pair of deep semicircular pits with raised floor close to the anterior edge of the segment and four or five diameters apart ; striolated area elongate, narrower than the impressions, less triangular than usual. Anal segment : tergite produced slightly beyond the summit of the valves, which have their margins deeply grooved ; sternite slightly acutely triangular.
Copulatory organs and phallopods of male as shown in Tab. VI. figg. 3e, f. Number of segments 60-62.
Length of 2 up to about 140 millim., width 13:5, of anterior tergite 9°5; length of ¢ 102 millim., width 10:5,
Hab. Mexico, Omilteme and Amoquileca in Guerrero (//. H. Smith).
5. Rhinocricus aposematus, sp.n. (Tab. VI. fig. 4 a-e.)
$. Colour (in alcohol) a washed-out red, when fresh probably brilliant blood-red throughout, with the anterior and inferior areas of the segments paler ; legs and antenne red like the head and body.
Antenne thick, clavate, third segment about as wide as long; the sixth much wider than long, and wider than the fifth, seventh also very wide. first segment nearly smooth; anterior portion of the others finely striolate tranversely, median and posterior portions finely striolate and coriaceous longitudinally. Transverse sulcus obsolete dorsally on the second segment, very weak upon the third and fourth, complete but weak upon the dorsum of all the segments, and evanescent at the posterior end of the body ; the longitudinal pore-suleus present. Scobinw extending from the eighth to about the sixth segment from the end; the pits oval, with the floor elevated, less than their transverse diameter from the anterior edge of the segments and separated by a space equalling about four times that diameter ; at the posterior end, where they dwindle in size, the distance becomes relatively greater; the striate area triangular, narrowed behind, as wide in front as the impression. Anal segment: tergite with very short but distinct caudal process, transversely grooved at its base; valves with lightly compressed margins, their summits projecting considerably beyond the apex of the caudal process; sternite widely and convexly rounded, with a transverse groove in its anterior half. Leys mostly nearly hairless beneath, a bristle on the cox and two or three spines on the tarsus; first and second legs, and in a lesser degree the third, with all the segments bristly below.
Copulatory apparatus and phallopods as in Tab. VI. figg. 4a—-e. Number of segments 44.
Total length 140 millim.; median width 15; width of first segment 12, of penultimate segment 11 millim.
Hab. Costa Rica, Santa Clara (J. Tristan).
6. Rhinocricus tristani, sp.n. (Tab. VI. figg. 5 a-d.)
3. Nearly allied to the foregoing, but differently coloured and much smaller.
Colour a darker red above, the median area of the segments from the dorsum to halfway below the pore deep olive-green, but the green gradually narrowing away below the pore, leaving the inferior portion of the segments yellowish-red; first segment green in the middle, bordered with red; upper half of head olivaceous ; antennee and legs clear yellow.
Antenne thicker than in 2, aposematus ; the second segment scarcely longer than wide, the fifth and sixth at least twice as wide as long; fifth and sixth granular. Segments sculptured and sulcate as in that species. Scobine also much the same, but the groove defining the elliptical impression incomplete in front and the floor more convex. Anal segment: tergite without groove at base of caudal process, which is apparently shorter on account of the lesser emargination of the two sides of the border, which converge to form the angle; margin of valves less compressed, their summits not quite covered by the tip of the caudal process ; sternite very distinctly and obtusely angular, without transverse groove in its anterior half,
64 DIPLOPODA.
Phallopods and copulatory apparatus as in figures (Tab. VI. figg. 5c, d@). Number of segments 44. Total length 67 millim., median width 10; width of anterior 7:5, of penultimate segment 6.
Hab. Costa Rica, Santa Clara (J. Zristan).
7. Rhinocricus rixi, sp.n. (Tab. VI. figg. 6 a-e.)
Allied to R. tristant and R. aposematus.
Colour (in alcohol) a nearly uniform dark mahogany-brown, perhaps nearly black when alive, on the posterior portion of the segments the anterior and inferior portions paler; legs and antenne ferruginous distally.
Antenne clavate, as in f. aposematus; the fifth and sixth segments very distinctly granular. Segments with sculpturing and sulci developed much as in R. tristani, but less densely striolate, the posterior half of the posterior area smooth and shining, its anterior half marked with faint irregularly arranged longi- tudinal grooves. Scobinew approximately as in I?. aposematus. Anal segment as in R. tristani, but with the caudal process more emarginate laterally, though less so than in R. aposematus.
Phallopods and copulatory apparatus of male as in figures (Tab. VI. figg. 6d, e). Number of segments 45.
Total length 111 millim.; median width 12°5; width of first 10, of penultimate segment 7.
Hab. Nicaragua, Chontales copper-mine (R. Riz).
8. Rhinocricus salleanus, sp. n. (Tab. VI. fig. 7.)
? Julus aztecus, Humbert et Saussure, Linn. Ent. xiii. p. 8331 (1859); Mém. Soc. Phys. Genéve, xv. p. 558, fig. 29 (1869).
? Spirobolus aztecus, Daday, Term. fuzetek, xvi. p. 108, t. 4. figg. 9-11 (1894).
9. Colour (in alcohol) apparently olivaceous, with the posterior border of the segments ferruginous ; legs and antenne ferruginous.
Head punctulate and finely striolate above. Antenne slightly attenuate apically, the sixth segment a little narrower than the fifth, slightly longer than wide ; seventh segment much narrower than the fifth. First tergite densely and coarsely coriaceous; the remaining segments with the median and lateral areas also densely and coarsely coriaceous; transverse sulcus very deep and strong both laterally and dorsally, not pitted, almost obsolete on the dorsum of the second and” penultimate segments, strong on the third and on the antepenultimate; pore-sulcus not distinct. Scobinew well developed, consisting of a pair of deep semielliptical grooves defining a smooth oval area which is close to the anterior edge of the terga ; distance between these impressions, at least on the anterior and median segments, not exceeding twice their transverse diameter; the striate area wide and convexly rounded behind; the posterior nine segments without scobina. Anal segment: tergite posteriorly angularly elongate, but not covering the summit of the valves; valves strongly compressed above ; sternite large, triangular.
Number of segments 57.
Total length 88 millim.; median width 7:5; width of first 6:5, of penultimate segment 5,
Hab. Mexico, Cordova (fide de Saussure).
The above-given description is taken from a single female specimen from Cordova in the British Museum, procured from M. Sailé, and purporting to be one of de Saussure’s original examples. The evidence for this statement, however, is negatived by the length of the specimen, which is 88 millim., with a width of 7°5 millim.; the largest out of a number of specimens collected by de Saussure measuring only 65 millim. The localities de Saussure gives for &. aztecus—namely, Vera Cruz, Cordova, Orizaba, &c.—suggest the possibility of his having described more than one species under one name. ‘This possibility and the discrepancy in size between M. Sallé’s example and
RHINOCRICUS. 69
those measured by de Saussure justify the view that this example should be regarded, at all events provisionally, as the representative of a distinct species.
Daday’s determination of this species must also be regarded as doubtful. The figure he published of the copulatory apparatus indicates, though it does not finally prove, that his specimen was specifically distinct from all those described above of which the males are known, the sternal plate being more hammer-shaped than in any
of the latter.
9, Rhinocricus atoyacus, sp. n. (Tab. VI. figg. 8 a-c.)
3. Colour (in alcohol): head olivaceous ; first tergal plate olivaceous, bordered with yellow, remaining segments deep olive-green with the posterior area yellow, anal tergite and anal valves also olive-green and bordered with yellow; legs yellow ; antenne olive-green banded with yellow.
Head finely striolate. Antenne not incrassate ; sixth segment about as wide as long and about as wide as the fifth ; seventh segment much narrower than the fifth. First teryite finely coriaceous, widely rounded laterally. Remaining segments coarsely coriaceous ; sulcus strong, complete and strong dorsally on all the segments except the second and penultimate. No distinct longitudinal sulcus behind the pore. Scobine extending to about the fourteenth segment from the end, consisting of a pair of deep crescentic grooves close to the anterior edge of the terga, on the median segments separated by a space which about equals their transverse diameter, more widely separated on the posterior segments ; the striate area semioval. Anal segment: caudal process short, not covering the summits of the valves, which are compressed dorsally ; sternite large, triangular.
Legs with a single seta on the underside of the segments; anterior legs without sete; coxe of third, fourth, and fifth legs with globular excrescences, larger on the third than on the fourth and on the fourth than on the fifth.
Phallopods and copulatory organs as in figures (Tab. VI. figg. 8 6, ¢).
Number of segments 57. Total length 66 millim.; median width 6; width of first 5, of penultimate segment 4:5.
Hab. Mexico, Vera Cruz, Atoyac (A. Dugés).
This species is very nearly related to #. salleanus, the male of which is unknown
to me.
10. Rhinocricus scobinatus, sp. n. (Tab. VI. figg. 9 a-e.)
Colour (in alcohol): head and first segments olive-green ; the rest of the segments with the posterior portion ferruginous, the median area deep olive-black, gradually thinning out inferiorly below the pore; infero- lateral portion of median area and anterior portion of segments pale olivaceous; anal segment also pale olivaceous; legs and antennz pale olivaceous or ochre-yellow.
Head punctulate and striolate. Antenne short, attenuate; sixth segment a little longer than wide, narrower than the fifth, seventh much narrower than the fifth. Jirst tergite coriaceous, widely and somewhat subquadrately rounded laterally. Second segment widely and transversely grooved beneath. Median and posterior area of remaining segments somewhat coarsely coriaceous; the transverse groove strong and complete dorsally on all the segments except the second and the anal segment. Scobine close to anterior edge of terga ; each exceedingly wide, consisting of a widely crescentic groove defining posteriorly a smooth area; the striate area much wider than long, with evenly convex posterior border; distance between the scobine equal to about half their transverse diameter; scobine present and of fairly large size on the penultimate segment, on which they are separated by a space about equalling their transverse
diameter. BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Diplop., November 1907. K
66 DIPLOPODA.
Anal segment: tergite with elongate somewhat pointed caudal process slightly surpassing the summit of the valves, which are strongly compressed in their upper half; sternite large and triangular.
Copulatory apparatus and phallopods as shown in Tab. VI. fig. 9 d.
Number of segments and measurements doubtful (specimen fragmentary).
Hab. Guatemata, Retalhuleu (0. Stol/).
This species is remarkable for the large size of the scobine and. for their extension on to the penultimate segment. In the deepness and dorsal completeness of the transverse sulcus and the coarse coriaceous sculpturing of the terga it much resembles R. salleanus ; but, apart from the scobine, differs from that species in having the first tergal plate much wider laterally and the inferior horizontal area of the second very distinctly longer. The caudal process also overlaps the summit of the valves.
11. Rhinocricus olivaceus, Newp. (Tab. VI. fig. 10.) Spirobolus olivaceus, Newport, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. xiii. p. 268. Julus olivaceus, Gervais, Ins. Apt. iv. p. 184 (1847); Voyage de Castelnau, p. 20.
@. Colour (dry specimen) deep olive-yellow ; posterior border of segments ferruginous; legs and antenne dark.
Head feebly striolate transversely and punctulated. Antenne long, a little longer than the head, with the sixth segment a little shorter and narrower than the fifth. Hyes composed of about 30 ocelli in 5 rows. First tergite not evenly rounded, somewhat angular (perhaps shrivelled from drying). All the segments dorsally striolate; the transverse sulcus strong and complete dorsally even on the second segment; the lateral strive on the posterior portion of the segments extending up to the pore; median area of segments laterally pitted and irregularly grooved transversely above; a conspicuous longitudinal sulcus in front of the pore and also behind it on the posterior portion of the body. Scobine but little differentiated, consisting of a transverse groove the ends of which are not turned inwards towards each other to form a crescent-shaped mark, but outwards parallel to the edge of the terga; behind the groove there are a number of coarse strize which follow its curvature. Anal segment with caudal process narrowed and surpassing summit of valves; valves marginally compressed, with convexly produced edge. Legs longish.
Number of segments 42.
Length 170 millim.; median width 15, extreme width 12,
Hab. Mexico, Oaxaca.
A single dried typical example in the collection of the British Museum.
At. olivaceus may be easily distinguished from the rest of the Central-American members of this genus, as well as from all other species known to me, by the undifferentiated condition of the scobinee. So far as this organ is concerned, the species is of considerable interest as showing the process of formation of the scobinze from normal transverse integumental grooves,
12, Rhinocricus marci, sp.n. (Tab. VI. fig. 11.)
. Colour (in alcohol) olive-green, with the posterior portion of the segments ferruginous; first tergal plate bordered with ferruginous ; anal tergite and valves olive-green, not bordered ; head olivaceous ; antenne olive-green, ringed with ferruginous ; legs olive-yellow, perhaps dark green and ringed with ferruginous when fresh,
RHINOCRICUS. 67
Head punctured; median sulcus deep, interrupted only for a short distance mesially. Antenne short,
slightly attenuate; second segment scarcely longer than wide, fifth nearly twice as wide as long, sixth narrower and not longer than the fifth, seventh about half the width of the fifth. irst tergite punctured, widely rounded laterally ; second with its inferior angle produced inferiorly, its lower horizontal area not transverse, scooped out. Anterior portion of remaining segments transversely sinuate in front, furnished behind dorsally with small anastomosing wart-like tubercles, which extend transversely across the segment from the level of the pores and encroach longitudinally upon the median portion ; the latter coriaceous with close-set punctures; posterior portion similarly coriaceous in front, the punctures becoming scattered posteriorly and leaving the hinder border smooth and polished; the infero-lateral ongitudinal striz of this portion not extending halfway up to the pore and absent upon the second, third, and fourth terga. Transverse sulcus weak dorsally but complete, except on the second and penultimate segments, and scarcely traceable upon the third and fourth. Scobine present, extending to the seventh segment from the end, consisting of a pair of semilunar or crescentic impressions close to the edge of the terga, separated by a space varying in different regions according to the size of the impressions, from two to four times their transverse diameter, or considerably more on the posterior segments. Anal segment: tergite with short, sharp, rectangular caudal process, not covering the summit of the valves, which have strongly compressed margins ; sternite very short, scarcely longer than the sternal area of the preceding segment, convex both longitudinally and transversely, and with its posterior border nearly straight and transverse.
Number of segments 44.
Total length 100 millim.; median width 11:5; width of first segment 9, of penultimate segment 7:5.
Hab. Nicaragua, San Marcos (£. Burns).
Differs from all the Central-American species known to me in the extreme shortness and longitudinal convexity of the anal sternite and the irregular tuberculation of the dorsal area of the anterior portion of the terga.
13. Rhinocricus omiltema, sp. n. (Tab. VI. figg. 12 a-c.)
Colour: segments uniformly black, not banded; legs and antenne yellow; head olivaceous, paler below.
Head finely striolate; sulcus very deep just above the labral excision; eyes large and subcircular. Antenne not incrassate; sixth segment rather wider than long, about as wide as the fifth, seventh narrower than fifth; four sensory papilla on the last segment. Body long, slender: first segment wider than second, and as wide as the median. First tergite widely rounded laterally ; second with its infero-lateral edge projecting below. Remaining segments coriaceous, irregularly and weakly suleate longitudinally ; transverse sulcus becoming evanescent above the pore, replaced by a secondary sulcus rising in front of the pore and extending right over the dorsum of the segments; sides of segment obliquely sulcate in front of the transverse sulcus; the posterior portion longitudinally striate half- way up to the pore on the anterior segments; on the median and posterior segments the striw extend only a short distance above the bases of the legs; a short longitudinal sulcus visible behind the pore. Scobine present, extending to about the fifteenth segment from the end, consisting of a pair of crescentic pits close to the anterior edge of the segments, separated by a space which is equal to about three times their transverse diameter ; striate area relatively long and triangularly pointed behind. Anal segment: tergite produced into a relatively long caudal process which covers and slightly overlaps the summit of the valves ; valves with margins scarcely compressed ; sternite large, triangular.
Number of segments 48.
Total length 41 millim.; median width 3; width of first segment 3:3, of penultimate segment 2-3.
Hab. Mexico, Omilteme in Guerrero (H. H. Smith).
This species differs from the remaining species here described under Rhinocricus in three striking characteristics, namely: the structure of the phallopods in the male, K 2
68 DIPLOPODA. \
the expansion of the first tergal plate, and the replacement of the transverse sulcus on the dorsum of the segments by a secondary sulcus lying in front of the pore. In this latter respect it resembles several of the species referred to this genus which have been described from the West Indies (see Journ. Linn. Soc., Zool. xxiv. pp. 499-505, 1893). The chief peculiarity about the phallopod is the shortness and thickness of the distal segment as compared with that of the other species of Rhinocricus here recorded, which does not exceed the length of the guard of the seminal style. A closely allied species has recently been made the type of a special subgenus, Eurhinocricus (cf. infra, p. 72, under &. diolleyi).
The following species of Rhinocricus are known to me only from descriptions and figures. ‘The scobine were not examined, or at all events not described in detail, and only in the case of the species recorded by Brolemann have the number of sensory papille on the antenne been mentioned and the structure of the gonopods illustrated. I have found it impossible on this account to include the species in the above-printed analytical key.
Only two of the species stand out as sharply distinguished from the rest, namely R. hagedussii of Daday and &. dugest of Bollman, which are characterized by the presence of a long caudal process.
14, Rhinocricus toltecus.
Julus toltecus, Sauss. Linn. Ent. xiii. p. 331 (1859); Mém. Soc. Phys. Genéve, xv. p. 554, fig. 27 (1860).
Spirobolus toltecus, Sauss. & Humb. Miss. Sci. Mex., Myr. p. 75.
Hab. Mexico, Cordova.
The distinguishing characteristic of this species appears to be the form of the anal segment, which is neither compressed nor attenuated, but is hemispherically rounded. The posterior border of the sternal plate is lightly convex, and that of the tergal plate also lightly convex, with a very short median dentiform caudal process overlying the compressed margins of the anal valves.
Number of segments 63. Length 88, width 6 millim.
In all the other species of this genus described by de Saussure and Humbert the posterior extremity of the body is compressed and the tergal plate of the anal segment is triangular dorsally.
15. Rhinocricus aztecus. Julus aztecus, Sauss. Linn. Ent. xiii. p. 3831 (1859); Mém. Soc. Phys. Genéve, xv. p. 558, fig. 29 (1860),
Hab. Mexico, Vera Cruz, Cordova, Orizaba, &c.
RHINOCRICUS. 69
_ As remarked above (p. 64) this species was based upon a large number of indi- viduals. The antenne are described as very short (“brevissime”) and strongly compressed. ‘The body is smooth, shining, finely shagreened or rather striolate. The transverse sulcus is strongly marked.
Number of segments 55 to 58. Length 63, width 6 millim.
16. Rhinocricus zapotecus. Julus zapotecus, Sauss. Mém. Soc. Phys. Genéve, xv. p. 559, fig. 30 (1860).
Hab. Mexico.
According to de Saussure, this species inhabits the same localities in Mexico as R. aztecus, to which it is so closely allied that the distinctness of the two was, to the describer, a matter of doubt. It was described as being more attenuated anteriorly, R. aztecus being parallel-sided, and larger, the total length being 93 millim., as compared with 65.
17. Rhinocricus totanacus. Julus totanacus, Sauss, Mém. Soc. Phys. Genéve, xv. p. 561, fig. 31 (1860).
Hab. Mexico, Orizaba.
Described as very nearly allied to &. aztecus, but larger and smoother, with a distinct though short caudal process and the transverse sulcus on the segments feeble and ornamented with close-set punctures. In both of these features it approaches £. smitht and &. aurocinctus, described above, but apparently differs from both in its more slender and cylindrical shape.
Number of segments 60. Length 100, width 8 millim.
18. Rhinocricus chichimecus.
Julus chichimecus, Sauss. Linn. Ent. xiii. p. 831° (1859) ; Mém. Soc. Phys. Genéve, xv. p. 562, t. 5. fig. 82 (1860).
Spirobolus chichimecus, Sauss. & Humb. Miss. Sci. Mex., Myr. p. 82.
Hab. Mexico.
Allied to &. aztecus, but very much larger, and with the inferior strie restricted to the area just above the base of the legs. Number of segments 49-50. Length 120, width 13 millim.
19. Rhinocricus brevicollis. Spirobolus brevicollhis, Voges, Zeitschr. wissen. Zool. xxxi. pp. 191, 192.
Hab. Mexico, * Mazatlan *,
Compared with &. zapotecus (Sauss.). The transverse sulcus of the segments is strong,
* The locality is given as “ Misatlan,” probably in mistake for Mazatlan or Misantla.
70 DIPLOPODA.
the area behind it being rugulose above and laterally and inferiorly sulcate. ‘The anal tergal plate does not surpass the valves, which have swollen margins. Number of segments 57-60. Length 90-110, width 6°5—7°5 millim,
20. Rhinocricus angusticollis. . Spirobolus (Rhinocricus) angusticollis, Karsch, Zeitschr. ges. Naturwiss, (3) vi. pp. 70, 71 (1881).
Hab. Mexico, Puebla.
Segments with strong complete transverse sulcus. Scobine extending from the 9th to the 36th. The posterior area of the segments finely punctuated and striolated, sulcate beneath. Anal tergal plate produced into a subcylindrical process, slightly surpassing the valves, which are convex with deeply compressed margins.
Number of segments 43. Length 70-80 millim.
21. Rhinocricus ferrugineus. Spirobolus ferrugineus, Daday, Term. fiizetek, xii. p. 130 (1889).
Hab. PANAMA.
Robust, anteriorly attenuate. Segments with distinct sulcus, densely impresso- punctate. Tergal plate of anal segment widely acuminate posteriorly, not surpassing the valves, which are strongly marginate.
Number of segments 45. Length 122, width 15 millim.
This species appears to be unusually broad as compared with its length. In this respect it evidently differs markedly from &. brevicollis, Voges, and others, and approaches nearest to £. chichimecus, Sauss., but, in view of the contractility of the body in these and other Diplopods, perhaps no great reliance should be placed upon the character in question.
22. Rhinocricus hagedussii. Spirobolus hagedussii, Daday, Term. fiizetek, xii. p. 130 (1889).
Hab. PANnaMa.
Slender, attenuated posteriorly. Segments lightly sulcate transversely, the posterior area smooth and polished above, sulcate nearly up to the pore laterally. Tergal plate of anal segment produced into an oblique depressed wide caudal process which far overhangs the valves. The latter compressed, not marginate.
Number of segments 52-53. Length 75-80, width 7°5 millim.
‘This species evidently differs from all those hitherto recorded from Central America in possessing a long caudal process produced considerably beyond the valves.
RHINOCRICUS. 71
23. Rhinocricus dugesi. Spirobolus (Rhinocricus) dugesi, Bollman, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. no. 46, pp. 190, 194 (1893).
Hab. Mexico, Guanajuato (Dugés).
FR. dugesi resembles RF. hagedussit in possessing a long caudal process, but, judging from the description, may be distinguished from that species by having the anal valves very strongly margined.
Number of segments 50. Length 55, width 5 millim.
24. Rhinocricus obesus. Rhinocricus obesus, Brdlemann, Mém. Soc. Zool. Fr. 1900, pp. 107, 108, t. 7. figg. 59-65.
Hab. Guatema.a (Rodriquez).
Judging by the shortness of the antenne, the large number of sensory papille, and other characters, this species appears to be related to &. tristant and R. aposematus, but certainly differs from both. The posterior borders of both tergal and sternal plates of the anal segment are transverse and scarcely produced, and the guard of the phallopod in the male is bent at right angles to the axis of the style, lying across it almost at a right angle.
Number of segments 45-46. Length 99-100, width 12°5 millim.
Under the name rubicundus, Brélemann has described what he believes to be a variety of &. obesus from Cariblanco in Costa Rica (Ann. Soc, Ent. Fr. 1905, pp. 376-378). It seems to differ from the typical form in having the segments more distinctly sculptured with striole. Length from 106-143, width from 13:5-17 millim.
25. Rhinocricus costaricensis. Rhinocricus costaricensis, Brdlemann, Aun. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1905, pp. 375-6, t. 10. figg. 26-28.
Hab. Costa Rica, Cariblanco.
Blackish, shining, with the antenne and legs yellow. Antennee very short and claviform, with many sensory papille. The posterior portions of the segments are shining and wrinkled along the sulcus, which is deep. ‘The caudal process covers but does not surpass the valves, which have prominent and compressed but not sulcate margins.
Number of segments 44. Length 81, width 9-4 millim.
Apparently allied to &. aposematus and R. tristani, but differing from both in colour and in the form of the gonopods. ‘The style of the phallopod is straight and very much shorter than the guard, which is very broad apically, with a somewhat rounded margin and a small dentiform process. The inferior portion of the sternal plate is narrow and linguiform.
(2 DIPLOPODA.
26. Rhinocricus nodosicollis, Rhinocricus nodosicollis, Br6lemann, Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1905, pp. 372-3874.
Hab. Costa Rica, Cariblanco (Lankester).
This species may be distinguished by a combination of the three following features, namely, the presence of only four sensory papille upon the terminal segment of the antenne ; a forward expansion of the first tergal plate to form a rounded lobe below the level of the eye; and the length of the caudal process, which projects considerably beyond the summit of the valves. The gonopods resemble somewhat those of RR. costaricensis, but the inferior portion of the sternal plate is less abruptly narrowed and there is no spiniform tooth upon the apical expanded portion of the guard.
Number of segments 38-39. Length 61-69, width 7-8°3 millim.
It is mainly by the structure of the first tergal plate that A. nodosicollis may be distinguished at once from those described above, which resemble it in having a small number of antennary sensory papille. Brdlemann apparently believed that the number of papille in these and other allied species was constant and always four. He even proposed to divide the genus khinocricus into two sections, named respectively Tetrarhabdi and Polyrhabdi, the former embracing the species with four papille and the latter those with many papille. But since four is not a constant number for the papille of the first group, the name proves to be ill-chosen. If a name be wanted, Oligorhabdi would be preferable. The character, nevertheless, is an extremely useful one for differentiating the numerous species of this difficult genus, and Brdlemann is to be congratulated upon its discovery.
27. Rhinocricus ocraceus. Rhinocricus ocraceus, Brélemann, Mém. Soc. Zool. Fr. 1900, pp. 124, 125, t. 8. figg. 115-119.
Hab. Istamus or Panama, Obispo (coll. Gazagnaire).
This species, which in all its characters appears to be a typical Ahinocricus, may be distinguished from the rest of the Central-American members of this genus known up to the present time by its very small size, the total length of the male being only 26 mm. and the width less than 3mm. It is also remarkable for the form of the anal segment, the valves of which are simply rounded and neither compressed nor margined, their summit being covered by an almost tuberculiform caudal process.
The scobine extend to the 28th segment, that is to say considerably past the middle of the body, which consists of 44 segments.
28. Rhinocricus biolleyi. Rhinocricus (Eurhinocricus) biolleyi, Brélemann, Aun. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1903, pp. 182-185, t. 1. fige. 1-6; op. cit. 1904, pp. 871, 372, t. 10. fig. 22.
Hab. Costa Rica, San José and Cachi.—Cocos I.
RHINOCRICUS.—OXYPYGE. 73
This species, the type of the subgenus Hurhinocricus of Brélemann, must be nearly related to the form described above (p. 67) as Rhinocricus omilteme. The number of segments ranges from 45-49 and the length from 34-47 millim. As in R. omilteme, there are only four sensory papille on the antenne, and the transverse sulcus of the segments is replaced dorsally by a secondary sulcus.
The subgenus Eurhinocricus rests upon the structure of the gonopods. One peculiarity, however, upon which Brélemann lays stress can hardly be given the importance he claims for it. This is the fact that the guard of the seminal style consists of two thick chitinous rods united by membrane. The guard may be seen to be constructed on a similar though not identical plan in such species of Rhinocricus as I. smithi and R. aurocinctus, two species which further resemble R. biolleyi and fi. omilteme in having only four antennary sensory papille, a feature formerly considered by Brélemann to be also peculiar to the subgenus Eurhinocricus.
Although &. biolleyi is closely allied to 2. omilteme, the two appear to differ at least in the shape of the sternal plate of the gonopods, the inferior process of this plate being much thinner in #. omilteme than in R. biolleyi. Judging, too, from the figures, the guard of the seminal style is longer as compared with the distal segment in the latter than in the former species.
OXYPYGE. Oxypyge, Silvestri, Boll. Mus, Torino, xi. no, 254, p. 4 (1896).
Differs from Zthinocricus in having the summit of each anal valve produced into a conspicuous backwardly- directed spine. Type, O. varicolor.
in spite of Brélemann’s opinion that the above-mentioned character upon which
Oxypyye is based is not of generic or even subgeneric value, I think the importance Silvestri attached to it may be reasonably admitted.
1. Gxypyge varicolor. Oxypyge varicolor, Silvestri, Boll. Mus. Torino, xi. no. 254, p. 4 (1896).
Colour variable, either wholly blackish or blackish with two dorsal rows of pale spots and yellowish legs. Eyes subcircular, consisting of about 30 ocelli. Anterior portion of seyments smooth ; posterior portion rugose, inferiorly