277. 

 NYCTERIBIA LATREILLII. 



Order Omaloptera. Fam. Nycteribidae Leach. 

 Phthiromyiae Lat. 



Type of the Genus, Pediculus Vespertilionis Linn. 

 Nycteribia Lat., Fab., Mont., Leach, Sam.— Celeripes Mont. — 



Hippobosca Voigt. — Phthiridium Her., Olf. — Pediculus S> Aca- 



rus Linn. 



Antenncs none. 



Labrum "^ arising from the base of the head, horny slender 



Tongue and > and acute, the Mentum 9 convex and rather large 



Lip J (2 g). 



Maxillce? porrected, rigid and pilose (2 d). 

 Head resting upon the back of the thorax, to the anterior margin of 

 which it is attached at the point, a. Jig. 7, it is very small convex and 

 subovate (2). Eyes and Ocelli none? Thorax undivided, suborbi' 

 cular, with a groove down the middle to receive the head. Wings 

 none, but there is a narrow appendage ciliated with short strong 

 bristles, on each side at the base of the middle pair of legs (9). Ab- 

 domen conic-depressed, composed of 6 ciliated joints in the male, the 

 last joint hollow beneath, producing a style in the centre and termi- 

 nated by 2 incurved pilose lamince. Legs compressed, attached to 

 the sides of the thorax, the anterior pair inserted rather above. Coxae 

 short (8 a). Thighs broad ovate (b). Tibiae short, obovate, and 

 pilose, with robust bristles on the inside (c). Tarsi long, 5-jointed, 

 basal joint curved, as long as the tibice, 3 following obtrigonate, bth 

 very much dilated at the apex (d). Claws bent recurved or dilated 

 at the base. Pulvilli slender (8, afore leg). 

 Fig. 2 represents the head, in profile, the underside resting upon the 

 back, in repose ; the processes called maxillce and the trophi are in 

 their natural position. 

 Fig. 7 is the thorax, with a small portion of the abdomen, the spot at, 

 a, being the point of attachment of the head, and the insertions of 

 the coxce are marked by b, c and d, and at 9 are the ciliated appen- 

 dages, which may cover spiracles for breathing, organs for hearing, 

 or they may be the analogue of rudimentary wings. 



Latreillii Leach Zool. Mis. vol. 3. 56. 



Ochraceous, shining. Thorax suborbicular above, producing a 

 few hairs, the hinder part emarginate, punctured beneath, with 

 a channel down the centre ; the postpectus produced and finely 

 pectinated at the margin. Abdomen inclining to castaneous 

 sometimes to brown. Legs not longer than the body, producing 

 long brown hairs. Tibiae very much dilated. Tarsi with the 

 basal joint not longer than the tibiae. Claws black. 



In the Cabinets of the British Museum, Mr. Jenyns, and the Author. 



