(Cunliffe 191AA) but other factors must also be involved since 

 the plates of Egyptian average specimens are sometimes massive. 



In smaller, weaker, poorly nourished individuals, the color 

 is either pale or darker than usual, the scutal grooves are less 

 distinct, the adanal shields are more linear and have more rounded 

 iunctures (similar to those of R. appendiculatus ) , the basis capi- 

 tuli is ra^re linear, the legs ^e smaller, and other characters 

 are less distinctly pronounced. However, a definite trace of 

 the critical characters remains in all except exceedingly few, 

 obviously misformed specimens. 



Females are equally as variable as males. The above remarks 

 conc erning s cutal punctations also apply to the female except that 

 the larger punctations are less uniformly in rows but are scattered 

 even more indefinitely over the central area of the scutum. In 

 areas where males are lightly punctate, interstitial punctations 

 of females are frequently more dense. The elongate scutum, nor- 

 mally five-sixths as wide as long, narrows acutely posterior oi 

 the eyes: halfway from the posterior margin of the eyes to the 

 posterior angle the margin normally is obtusely angled, ^iia at 

 the posterior Doint there is a minute marginal expansion. Though 

 difficult lucidly to describe, this slightly undulating scutal 

 pattern forms a most distinctive picture after one has examined 

 laree series of specimens. This outline may be more generalized 

 in ^orly developed individuals, and its length-width ratio may 

 be more equal, but it is often maintained even in runts ana weak 

 individuals. The usually pronounced lateral grooves of the scutum 

 are additionally picked out by being inset with large punctations; 

 they extend about three-fourths of the scutal length; though m 

 lightly punctate specimens the lateral grooves are often less 

 definite. In the cervical areas, shat^reening or coarse puncta- 

 tions may occur and the scapulae usually have a group of large 

 punctations. /"Females of this species cannot be keyeo m Zumpt s 

 (195OA) revision, since the wrong section of couplet 21 appiies_^/ 



The immature stages have been described by Cunliffe (I9ia), 

 Theiler (mW7c"SSTtr(l9^6) , Feldman-Muhsam (1952A) , others 

 noted in RH-IARKS, above, amd in numerous other reports. 



NOTE: For further references to variation, related species 

 and subspecies, etc., see P.Et-iARKS, above. 



- 72A - 



