602 



THE PANORPOID COMPLEX, 111., 



Text-Fig.62. 



Basal portions of a, forewing, and b, hindwing of JMei'Ope tuber Newm., 

 enlarged, to show the true courses of M and Cu. (x 20). Lettering 

 as on p. 535. Note the presence of M5 in forewing, and the fusions 

 of M with Cui, and Cuo with 1A, in hindwing. 



those of Chorista forewing. In Comstock's specimen, M 4b had 

 an extra fork on the right side only. As this fork is only a 

 small one, and as Merope is clearly a type specialised by broad- 

 ening of the distal portion of the wings (in contrast with the 

 rest of Mecoptera) I have not counted this fork in as an arche- 

 typic character, although its presence in Comstock's specimen 

 might easily be claimed as an archaic survival. 



In conclusion, it is clear that Merope is an archaic type, in 

 so far that it still retains more than four branches of both Rs 

 and M 1 _ 4> thus combining the leading characters of the Panor- 

 pidae and Choristidae. But it is specialised along a line of its 

 own, by the intense narrowing of the basal portions of the wings, 

 by the broadening of the distal portions, by the widening of the 

 costal area, and consequent alteration of the form of the costal 

 veinlets, by the increase and density in the cross- venation, and 

 by the formation of the peculiar tubercle at the base of the 

 forewing. It is, in fact, a Scorpion-fly evolving into a cock- 

 roach-like type, resting with its wings nearly flat, instead of held 

 in a high roof-like manner, and probably much given to hiding 



