LABIDURA. 95 



Madras : Madras {Oxford Mus.\ Trichinopoli {coU. Bolivar). 



A larva of Forcipula, sp., from Peradeniya, Ceylon (coll. Burr), 

 may perhaps be referred to this species. 



Kirby is probably right in elevating this form to specific rank, 

 as apart from the coloui*, the abdominal spines are of a different 

 shape. 



Genus LABIDURA, Leacli. 



Labidm-a, Leach, (1815) p. 118. 



Forficesila, Serville, (39) p. 39. — Type, Forficula riparia, Pall. 



Type, Forficula riparia, Pall. 



Body rather elongate and depressed. Antennae with from 20 to 

 36 segments; third segment near'y as long as the first, the fourth 

 and fifth short, as long as the second ; sixth to ninth each a 

 trifle longer, all cylindrical, the remainder gradually lengthening, 

 but even the apical segment is barely as long as the third. Pro- 

 notum more or less quadrate. Elytra always well developed, with a 

 carina usually well developed, but sometimes obsolete before 

 reaching the posterior margin. Wings well developed or rudi- 

 mentary. Scutellum concealed. Prosternum constricted before 

 the posterior margin which is truncate. Mesosternum quadrate, 

 truncate posteriorly. Metasternum not produced beyond the 

 posterior coxae, truncate. Legs rather long, slender ; first tarsal 

 segment long and cylindrical, longer than the second and third 

 united. Abdomen elongate, rather depressed, with no lateral 

 tubercles or spines. Last dorsal segment of cJ large, subquadrate; 

 narrower in the $ . Penultimate ventral segment of J narrowed, 

 subtruncate at the apex ; in the 5 bluntly triangular. Pygidium 

 concealed. Forceps of J with branches remote at base, elongate, 

 rather slender, variously armed ; in the 5 subcontiguous, straight. 



liange. Cosmopolitan. 



This genus includes several species, but owing to the great 

 range of variation of the typical species, the number of names has 

 been enormously multiplied. 



The genus falls into two groups ; one including the larger 

 species, riparia Pall., and beugalensis, Dohrn ; the other, the smaller 

 species, lividipes, Duf., tenuicornis, Borm., and nepalensis., Burr. 



Once it is admitted that the innumerable varieties from all parts 

 of the world are but different races of one and the same species, 

 the discrimination offers no difficulty. 



It is important to bear in mind the fact that the presence or 

 absence of wings, or rather their development or abbreviation, is 

 of no value whatever as a systematic character. In L. riparia, 

 specimens with abbreviated wings are very frequent, but this does 

 not serve to separate them, any more than the varying intensity 

 of the coloration. 



