ORTHOPTERA 



269 



Family HEMIMERID^ 



This family includes a single genus, Hemtmerus, of which two spe- 

 cies have been found in equatorial West Africa. 

 These are blind, wingless insects, of the form 

 shown in Figure 308. They are remarkable 

 in that they exhibit an intra-uterine de- 

 velopment. Hansen ('94), whose account is 

 all the information we have on this subject, 

 thinks that the yoimg are connected with the 

 walls of the maternal passages by means of a 

 process from the neck of each ; about six yoimg 

 were found at a time inside the mother, the 

 largest one being next to the external opening. 

 The species described by Hansen was found 

 living on the body of a large rat; it nms 

 rapidly among the hairs and apparently also 

 springs. 



In an early account of one of the species of 

 Hemmierus this insect was described erro- 

 neously as possessing two lower lips, and for 

 that reason was placed in a distinct order, the 

 Diploglossata, which is no longer recognized. 



Although these are exotic insects, they are 

 mentioned here on accoimt of their exceptional 

 manner of development and mode of life. 



Fig. 308. — Hemimerus 

 han s eni . (From 

 Hansen.) 



