PARACORcrrOCA AKERMANl (wARREN). 317 



than the thorax and extend straiglit backwards in line with 

 it (fig. 2). 



The inflation of the abdomen involves the ventral and 

 lateral surfaces and not the dorsal surface (text-fig. 2). The 

 abdominal tergites are mostly narrow, transverse bars juxta- 

 posed to the thorax. 'J^hey are not wuder from right to left 

 than would be normal for a beetle of the size of akermani. 

 On the other hand the upper, transverse, chitinous bands, 

 really the abdominal sternites, are relatively much larger 

 than would be normal for a beetle of the present size. Thus 

 the inflation is not like that of a queen white-ant Avhere 



Text-fig. 2. 



n Sp. 



A 



Diagrams of transverse sections of the abdomen of typical beetle 

 (a) and of Paracorotoca (b). T. Tergite. S. Sternite. 

 Sp. Spiracle. 



the tergites and sternites do not share in the enlargement of 

 the abdomen, but remain as isolated structures on the greatly 

 expanded intersegmental membrane. 



Akermani is an active insect notwithstanding its rela- 

 tively huge abdomen, and the movements of the insect must 

 be greatly facilitated by the disposition of the parts of the 

 body. On each side of the series of abdominal tergites there 

 is a conspicuous longitudinal ridge (fig. 3), and these two 

 ridges i*est on a bridge formed by the two elytra, which are 

 furrowed and roughened in such a manner as to fit on the 

 surface of the thorax without slipping, and thus the bridge 

 possesses a considerable stability and firmness (PI. XVI, 

 fig. 19, El.). By the upturning and forward extension of the 

 abdomen the centre of gravity of the whole body comes to 



