﻿TRÄGÅRDH, CONTRTBUTIONS TO THAUMATÖXENA. 1-1 



Besides the mouthparts, which allthough remarkable in 

 shape, do not, as I have endevoured to prove, differ much 

 essentially from those of the Stethopaihidce, the shape of the 

 thorax and the abdomen forms a very striking feature of 

 Thaumatoxena. 



Both are undoubtly adaptions to its termitophilous life, 

 as exactly amongst the myrmecophilous Phoridce (a family 

 most closely related to the Steihopathidce) there occurs a genus 

 Aenigmatias^ Meinert [A. hlattoides Mein) which has nearly 

 the same shape, there being no constriction either between 

 the head and the thorax or between the thorax and the ab- 

 domen and the thorax being well developed, allthough the 

 wings are reduced. 



In Thaumatoxena the adaption in shape is far more 

 complete and offers a splendid example of what Wasmann 

 calls »Trutztypus» which is defended against any attacks 

 from the hösts by the unassailable shape of the body. It 

 is indead of a great interest to behold, how in two so diffe- 

 rent orders of insects as the coleoptera and the diptera the 

 same biological agents have produced two forms which exhibit 

 such an amazing conformity as Thaumatoxena and the genus 

 Trilohitideus Raffr. (Wasmann 1. c. p. 617—620, Tal. 31, 

 Fig. 162). 



In Thaumatoxena there is however a pair of rudimentary 

 wings on the mesothorax, the solid construction of which 

 seems to oppose strongly the view of their being reduced 

 and modified dipterous wings. But then we must bear in 

 mind that in the family of Termitoxeniidce, another group 

 of termitophilous diptera, the wings exhibit a far more aber- 

 rant shape. Moreover the type of dipterous wings from which 

 it would be less difficult to derive the rudimentary wings of 

 Thaumatoxena certainly is that of the Phoridce with their 

 two dark, thick, approximate veins meeting on the front 

 margin near its middle and besides these only with very 

 fine veins. 



To conclude, the structure of the feet, with its two 



^ Entomologiske Meddelelser K0benhavn. 1889—90. Bd. II. p. 212 

 —126. tab. IV. 



