The Male Genital Armature of the Dermaptera. 427 



the same as that figured by Zacher under the name D. conradti. 

 The inetaparameres are unusually broad at the base, rapidly 

 narrowing to a finger-like point, with an acute epimerit (PI. V. 

 figs. 12 and 15). The virga is short and hard, and on one side of 

 my specimen has assumed a position out of the plane of the mount, 

 and so cannot be seen clearly, but it is clear on the other side ; it 

 is strong and black, each branch inflated before the tip. In the 

 preputial sac around the virga is a chitinous fibrous structure. 

 The whole form of the genitalia agrees well with Zacher's figure 

 except that of the virga, which is difficult to see, and Zacher 

 expressly states that his specimen, prepared by Verhoeff, is very 

 obscure. 



The peculiar virga, digitate metaparameres, and the presence of 

 the epimerit justify Zacher in the erection of the sub-genus Para- 

 diplatys for it. 



The genus Diplatys, as restricted by Zacher, is probably to be 

 confined to those forms having narrow, acuminate metaparameres, 

 with an inner tooth, and the virga with an inflation at the 

 base, and the branches short ; such are D. macrocephahes Beauv.,* 

 D. raffrayi Borm., and D. riggenbachi Burr, all Ethiopian species. 

 In the Indian D. lefroyi Burr, which resembles the above African 

 species in the inflated last abdominal segment of the male, and 

 basally dilated, arcuate forceps, we have a similar general form, 

 but the branches of the virga are extremely long ; the genital 

 armature of the Indian, D. rufescens Kirby, is very similar, with 

 long virga, but there is no basal inflation ; also, the Indian D. 

 gladiator Burr has a long virga, and not very dissimilar metapara- 

 meres, and the virga has apparently a pair of basal dilations. 



Zacher makes a separate sub-genus for the Ethiopian species, 

 which he identifies as D. tethiops Burr, but which I consider D. 

 conradti, where the virga is very long, and not inflated at the base. 

 But as the general form of the metaparameres is the same, and 

 the very long virga is found equally in Indian and African species, 

 as also the basal dilation, I suppress Zacher's proposed sub-genus 

 Verhoeffiella, as, if we accept it, we are obliged to erect a whole 

 batch of fresh genera or sub-genera. 



We may group those species with narrow, toothed, acuminate 

 metaparameres, as follows : — 



* Cf. Zacher, 1911, figs. D 1 and E 1 . 



