PARACOROTOCA AKERMANI (waRREN). 353 



(1) The mnndibles in both larva and imago are entirely 

 edentulate ; they could be used as organs of defence and for 

 piercing prey, but would be quite unsuitable for cutting up 

 prey into small pieces for swallowing. 



(2) In both larva and imago the palpiger of maxilhi 1 is 

 very large, and its connection with the maxillary palp is so 

 wide that it has the appearance of being the basal joint of 

 the jDalp itself ; the deceptive aspect is further enhanced by 

 a similar distribution of bristles on both palpiger and palp. 



In the larva there are 3 joints to the maxillary palp, which 

 is normal, but in the imago there are only 2, although the 

 ordinary number is 4. By comparison with other Staphylinids 

 it would appear that the 1st joint of the palp of the imago 

 Paracorotoca has not separated from the palpiger, while 

 the typical 4th joint has disappeared. 



The lacinia is typical in the larva. In the imago the 

 lacinia carries a single, horizontally-placed, curved, chitinous 

 spine. 



(3) There is great reduction in the 2nd maxilla. Both in 

 the larva and in the imago the palpigers, the ligula and the 

 paraglossaj have fused into a small, median plate which in 

 the imago is slightly bilobed at the apex. The labial palps 

 are reduced to very small 1-jointed structures on the posterior 

 or ventral face. Submentum membranous in the imago. 



(4) A sucking pharynx of identical character occurs in 

 both larva and imago. This indicates that in both stages the 

 food is of a fluid nature. A termitophilous habit would 

 appear to render unnecessary the existence of cEecal glands, 

 these being completely absent in the larva and in the imago 

 of Paracorotoca; they are also greatly reduced in Termi- 

 tomimus. With the particular kind of fluid food provided 

 a proventriculus is also not required, and it has disappeared 

 completely in both genera. The number of Malpighian tubes 

 has been reduced ; for Staphylinids generally, 6 is given for 

 the larva and 4 for the imago, in Paracorotoca 4 occur in 

 the larva and apparently only 2 in the imago. 



(5) There is an excessive quantity of fat-tissue in the larva 



