275 



scarcely as long as the 3 succeeding segments combined, rostral plate obtusely 

 pointed at the tip. Urosome much shorter than the anterior division, last segment 

 not attaining the length of the preceding one. Caudal rami comparatively short 

 and of uniform width throughout, setae of outer edge closely juxtaposed, and, like 

 the dorsal seta, issuing in front of the middle, medial apical seta distinctly jointed 

 at the base, and not attaining half the length of the urosome. Anterior antennae 

 rather stout, with the setae of the anterior edge short and thick, last joint about 

 the length of the 3rd. Posterior antenna? with the outer ramus somewhat dilated 

 in the middle and carrying 3 comparatively short seta?, one apical and one on 

 each side. Mandibular palp comparatively large and densely hairy, with 5 thickish 

 setae, the innermost arising from a digitiform process. 1st pair of legs with the 

 outer ramus about half the length of the inner, and rather coarsely built, last joint 

 armed with 4 spines, but without any seta?; apical claw of inner ramus almost 

 attaining the length of the whole ramus and turned up at the tip in a hamiform 

 manner. Natatory legs remarkably short and stout, with no setae on the outer 

 ramus, the latter coarsely built, with the spines exceedingly strong; inner ramus 

 in 2nd pair of legs normally developed though only carrying a single apical seta, 

 in the 2 succeeding pairs quite rudimentary. Last pair of legs rather small, distal 

 joint short, with 5 thickish seta? ; inner expansion of proximal joint extending 

 beyond the distal joint, and subtruncate at the end, which carries 4 strong setae. 

 Ovisac of moderate size and oval in form. 



Male differing considerably from the female in its external appearance, 

 having the anterior division of the body somewhat dilated in the middle, whereas 

 the posterior is very slender and narrow. Rostral projection rather small and 

 conical in form. Anterior antenna? strongly built, with the last joint of the prox- 

 imal part globularly dilated, and the terminal part unguiform. 1st pair of legs 

 slightly differing from those of the female as regards the outer ramus, the distal 

 joint of which is comparatively larger, with an additional short seta inside the tip. 

 Natatory legs remarkably strong, with the outer ramus much larger than in female, 

 inner ramus in all of them well developed, though much smaller than the outer- 

 Last pair of legs each reduced to a narrow rim carrying 4 setae, inside which is 

 another very small bristle. 



Colour dark reddish brown. 



Length of adult female 0.97 mm , of male 0.84 mm. 



Remarks. The present species is the type of the genus Platychelipus, 

 and in some characters seems, indeed, to differ conspicuously from the typical 

 species of Laophonte? especially as regards the female. The male, however, ex- 



