OCR Text |
Show 1 9 0 5 .] BRITISH MITES OP' THE FAMILY ORIBATIDAE. 5 6 7 The appearance of the living mite strongly recalled Serrarius microcephalus, but its chelate mandibles remove it from that genus. It also bears some superficial resemblance to Notaspis bipilis. Gen. N otaspis Warren. N otaspis m a c u lo sa , sp. nov. (Plate X X . fig. 1 .) Adult. Length 520 p. Colour light brown. Surface spotted, the spots being in the epiostracum and easily rubbed off. Cephalo-thorax very long and pointed, nearly | the length of the abdomen. Lamellae, long ridges, arising near the pseudostigmata, converging at first, and then extending parallel for J the length of the rostrum. Pseudostigmatic organs long and slender, very coarsely pectinated on their anterior border. Claws monodactyle. Abdomen long oval, somewhat truncated at each encl. Legs long and slender, with globular joints. Nymph and larva unknown. Three specimens were taken in moss from Nine Wells, Cambridge, in May 1905. The nearest allies of this fine species are among the minute forms of which N. splendens is the type. Like them, it has a peculiar habit of shaking its beaded legs as it runs. Its large size, spotted surface, and pectinate pseudostigmatic organs render its identification easy. N otaspis s c u l p t il is , sp. no v. (Plate XX. fig. 2 .) Adult. Length 330 fu. This mite has a close general resemblance to N. splendens, but, on careful examination, may easily be distinguished from that species by the peculiar design of the ridges on the vertex and notogaster. These are best understood from the figure, but may be described thus:- The lamellae arise from the pseudostigmata, converge sharply, and then continue forward and parallel. At the extreme point of convergence there is a faint translamella, and from its extremities ridges proceed backwards. On the notogaster there is a well-marked transverse ridge close to its anterior border; the ends of this ridge curve abruptly backwards, approach slightly, and then separate again. Pseudostigmatic organs long, rough and hairy. Nymph and larva unknown. Ten or twelve specimens were found in wet Sphagnum sent by Miss Heath, of Crayford, from the Devil's Punchbowl, Hindhead, in June 1905. This species seems to be allied to Eremaeus novus Oudemans. Subfam. N o th r in /E. Gen. N o th ru s C. L. Koch. N o t h r u s c r in i tu s , Sp. nov. (Plate XX. fig. 3.) Length 900 /u. Colour dark brown. Integument more fully chitinised than is usual in this genus. P roc . Z o ol. S o c .- 1905, V o l . II. No. X XXVIII. 38 |