May, 191 1. The Irish Naturalist. 81 



NEW IRISH APTERYGOTA. 



BY PROF. GEO. H. CARPENTER, B.SC, M.R.I. A. 



During the year 1910, I received from Mr. James Strachan 

 of Ballyclare, Co. Antrim, a springtail and a bristletail, 

 both of which are additions to the known Irish fauna. 

 The latter has indeed been probably introduced by 

 commerce. The former, however, is doubtless indigenous, 

 and apparently represents a species new to science. Students 

 of Irish insects are much indebted to Mr. Strachan for 

 having brought these interesting creatures to light. 



THYSANURA. 



LEPISMATIDAE. 

 Thermobia domestica (Packard). 



Specimens of a " fish-insect," evidently distinct from 

 the " silver -fish " Lepisma saccharina (Linn.) commonly 

 found in houses, were received in November from Mr. 

 Strachan. At first I believed the specimens to belong to 

 the Mediterranean Ctenolepisma lineata (Fab.), but examina- 

 tion of their structure shows that they are rather small 

 examples of Thermobia domestica (Packard), another 

 lepismatid whose original home is probably the Mediter- 

 ranean region (Escherich, '04), but which has become widely 

 disseminated by artificial introduction in Great Britain, 

 Europe, Asia, and North America. The genus Thermobia 

 can be recognised by the elongate maxillary palps, which, 

 in T. domestica, have six segments, whereas the usual 

 number in the family is five. The feelers, legs, cercopods, 

 and ovipositor are also of- exceptional length in T. 

 domestica. 



Application to Mr. Strachan for information as to the 

 probability of the introduction of the species, drew from 

 him some interesting notes on its occurrence and habits 

 which I am glad to have the privilege of quoting here. 

 He writes : — 



" This insect occurs on the premises of a paper-mill in 

 Ballyclare. I have observed it for over five years, but took 

 little notice of it until lately when I became interested in 

 the stiucture of the scales from similar insects. T. 



A 



