370 



Journal of Agricultural Research 



Vol. X, No. 8 



slides from Washington. These slides bear the corresponding data which 

 follow the original description. The original description, however, states 

 that T. pallidus possesses two claws on the posterior leg of the male, 

 where in reality the material obtained from the National Museum shows 

 but one claw, and corresponds with the material in the writer's possession 

 from various parts of the United States. 



The matter has been taken up with specialists, and Dr. Banks has pro- 

 nounced it his T. pallidus after comparing material. Later the matter 

 was taken up with Dr. H. E. Ewing, who has very generously contrib- 

 uted to the placement of the species, and has come to the conclusion that 

 apparently the species is T. pallidus Banks. T. pallidus closely resem- 

 bles T. approximatus Banks and also T. assimilis Banks (3). The im- 

 portant characteristics from a 

 systematic standpoint, so far as 

 the male is concerned, are those 

 of the posterior pair of legs (fig. 

 2, C). 



SYSTEMATIC RELATIONSHIP 



The species of mite here fig- 

 ured is a member of the family 

 of mites known as Tarsone- 

 midae, a small family of much 

 biological importance. Accord- 

 ing to Banks (4), they are soft- 

 bodied mites, and in some ways 

 resemble the Tyroglyphidae, but 

 the females differ from them, 

 as well a from all other Acar- 



—Tarsonemus Pallidus: A, long tactile bristle and ina, in haviug bctWCen IcgS I 



and 1 1 a prominent clavate organ 

 of uncertain use. They are very 

 small mites, and the males and females vary greatly in appearance, and 

 might easily be taken for entirely different species. 



The family contains two subfamilies, Pediculoidinae and Tarsoneminae. 

 The subfamily Tarsoneminae includes but two genera, the species differ- 

 ing from those of the other subfamily in that the hind legs of the female 

 end in long hairs and the hind legs of the male are about as long as the 

 third pair. The two genera Scutacarus and Tarsonemus are represented 

 by a considerable number of species. Many of the species of Tarsone- 

 mus are of distinct economic importance. The genus Chironemus was 

 erected by Canestrini and Fanzago (7) for some soft-bodied mites found 

 in colonies on leaves after the manner of Tetranychus. The name being 

 preoccupied, the authors changed it the following year to Tarsonemus. 



Fig 



large clavate organ between the first and second legs: B, 

 tarsus of foreleg of the female: C, posterior leg of male. 



