564 IVAR TRÂGARDH 



The same nymphae, together with some maies and females 

 undoubtedly belonging to the same specie?, were foimd in the 

 présent collection, a fact which renders it possible at least to 

 discuss the systematic position of the species. 



The first thing that strikes us when examining the présent 

 species is the extraordinary resemblance of the female to that 

 of Laelogamasus simplex Berl. 



If we compare Berlese's drawing (1906, text-fig. 19, p. 114) 

 with my figure 85, we notice that in both the sternal shield 

 has 4 pairs of hairs in exactly the same places, a fact which, 

 as pointed out by Berlese, justifies the conclusion that in 

 both the metasternal or paragynial shields are fused with the 

 sternal shield, not, as is usually the case, with the third pair 

 of endopodal shields, which, on the contrary, in the présent 

 two species are free. 



Further, in both species the epigynial shield is rounded ante- 

 riorly, truncated posteriorly, and separated from the large ven- 

 tri-anal shield which covers almost the entire post-coxal part 

 of the belly, and has a médian rounded projection posteriorly. 

 Furthermore, the characteristic sculpture of the shields and 

 the shape of the bristles is the same. 



On doser examination we notice, however, some différences 

 which strongly oppose any attempt at referring the présent 

 species to Laelogamasus. Thus, in the maie of our species the 

 sterniti-metasternal shield is distinctly demarcated from the 

 ventri-anal one, whereas in Laelogamasus they seem to hâve 

 coalesced. I use the word « seem « on purpose, because Ber- 

 lese curiously enough, since he is inclined to regard the genus 

 as a primitive one, omits to tell us anything about this feature. 

 From the fact that he mentions only Trachygamasiis and some 

 Parasitus s. str. (1906, p. 76) as exceptions to the rule (1906, 

 p. 67» « Mas scuto unico in ventre protectus » we may, however, 

 safely infer that in Laelogamasus the sterniti-metasternal 

 shield is fused with the ventri-anal one. 



The mandibles of the maies exhibit further différences. Thoso 



