Aug. 20, 1917 



Cyclamen Mite 



379 



It does not change in color in development as some mite eggs do, and the 

 resultant larva is pure white in color. The egg has a rather delicate 

 shell, and numerous shells may be found collapsed among the masses of 

 unhatched eggs and mites. 



THE LARV^ 



The female larva (fig. 3) is of a pale-white color, becoming, as it ma- 

 tures, a light yellowish white. The female has only three pairs of legs. 

 When the larva has just emerged from the egg and has stretched itself 

 out, it is a little less than 0.2 mm. in length. Soft, wrinkled, elastic 

 skin occurs on the dorsal side, between the head and the first two dorsal 

 shields and also between the two front and three posterior dorsal shields. 

 The head is rounded off and carries two 

 short lateral bristles. The first dorsal 

 shield is nearly three-cornered, and is 

 provided with two pairs of bristles, the 

 longer pair serving as touch bristles. 

 The second dorsal shield is square, and 

 shows on each side a short bristle which 

 stands out horizontally. The third dor- 

 sal shield is nearly round and has in the 

 center a pair of fairly long bristles. This 

 third dorsal shield is grown together 

 with the fourth, which carries a row of 

 four short bristles arranged horizontally. 

 The last, or fifth, dorsal shield is pro- 

 vided with four long bristles and covers 

 the end of the abdomen so that it is also 

 visible on the ventral side. 



The ventral surface (fig. 3) shows the 

 head, the neck, and the four epimera 

 which have grown together into a shield. 

 A very large part of the ventral side is 

 soft, wrinkled, and elastic. Both of the 

 epimera of the third pair of legs are three 

 times as long as wide and longer than the 

 pther free leg parts together. The point of the abdomen is, as has 

 already been noted above, covered by a thimble-shaped shield, which is 

 carried at the very tip and alongside the four long bristles. 



All six of the legs are very short ; each is composed of five free parts. 

 The sole of the first pair of legs consists of a suction cup and one small 

 claw, which appears cleft ; the soles of the last three pairs of legs consist 

 of a suction cup and two small claws. The claws are used on rough 

 surfaces, while the suction cups ser\^e as excellent adhering organs on 

 smooth surfaces. Such a sole with its claw is shown enlarged in figure 



Fig. 3. — Tarsonevius pallidus: Ventral 

 view of female larva. Much enlarged. 

 (Original.) 



