696. 



PANORPA GERMANICA var 



The lesser spotted Scorpion-fly. 



Order Neuroptera. Fam. Panorpidae. 



Type of the Genus, Panorpa communis Linn. 

 Panorpa Linn., Fab., Lat., Curt. 



Antenna inserted near the base of the rostrum, approximating, 

 almost as long as the body, slender, filiform, pubescent, com- 

 posed of numerous oblong joints, 1st the stoutest, 2nd the 

 shortest, 3rd the longest, the remainder decreasing in length to 

 the apex (1, the base). 



Trophi attached to the apex of the rostrum (1*). 

 Labrum oblong, margined, rounded and pubescent (2). 

 Mandibles elongated, linear, terminated by 2 curved claws, inner 

 one the smallest (3). 



Maxillcc terminated by 2 long hairy lobes, a little curved and 

 rounded at the apex. Palpi longish, slightly pilose and 5- 

 jointed, 2 basal joints oblong, the following a little stouter, 3rd 

 and 4th elongate obconic, truncated, 5th subconical at the 

 apex (4). 



Mentum elongated, sides dilated and convex before the apex. 

 Labium oblong, a little narrowed at the base. Palpi much 

 shorter than the maxillary, triarticulate ? 2 basal joints pu- 

 bescent internally, 3rd curved a little, the apex ovate (5). 

 Head small, transverse-ovate : rostrum long stout tapering and ver- 

 tical : eyes lateral prominent and oval : ocelli Z, forming a triangle 

 in front of the head (1* the face, S;c.). Thorax oval, a little broader 

 than the head, ivith a deep suture across the middle ; collar short : 

 scutel and postscutel transverse-ovate. Abdomen suhcylindric at 

 the base, 8-jointed, the apex recurved in the males (7), 6th and llh 

 joints subcampanulate , 8th dilated, ovate and armed with lateral for- 

 ceps (7*) ; tapering in the female, the apex ovate -truncate and 

 furnished with 2 divaricating filaments, apparently triarticulate and 

 hairy (6). Wings alike, reticulated, long, narrowed at the base, the 

 apex rounded ; defiexed in repose, the inferior covered, these are <t 

 little shorter than the superior ; longitudinal nervures nv^nerous, as 

 well as the transverse ones towards the apex. Legs long but slender, 

 hinder the longest : coxae long : thighs li7iear : tibiae slender, ivith 

 fine long spurs at the apex : tarsi a little shorter, 5 -jointed, basal 

 joint long : claws curved, with long teeth beneath : pulvilli spongy 

 (8, a fore foot). 



Germanica Linn. — Curt. Guide, Gen. 737. 3. 



In the Author's and other Cabinets. 



Common and conspicuous as these msects are, nothing is 

 known of their metamorphoses ; tliis is very remarkable, and 

 it leaves one to imagine that their early stages are passed under 

 ground. I cannot think the larvae are aquatic; it is more pro- 



