216 VARROA. 



NOTE VIII. 

 ON A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF PARASITIC ACARI 



Dr. A. C, OÜDEMANS. 



(With 10 ügures). 



Varroa, no v. gen. 



This most remarkable genus probably belongs to the 

 subfamily of Laelaptinae. Though the male is unknown to 

 me, I do not hesitate to place it here, because the female, 

 concerning the dorsal and ventral shields, seems to be 

 nearest related to Hypoaspis myrmecophilus (Berlese) and 

 Hypoaspis Canestrinii (Berlese) which are provided too with 

 metapodial as well as with inguinal shields, a rare coin- 

 cidence; and concerning its being covered dorsally with 

 so numerous hairs, — to Hypoaspis arcualis (C. L. Koch). 



The reason why in my opinion the present mite belongs 

 to a hitherto unknown genus, is, that the mandibles in 

 the female sex lack the upper-jaw and have a fixed, not 

 a movable, under-jaw. I think it is not senseful to enlarge 

 at present the number of generic characteristics, for fear 

 the generic diagnosis will soon be changed. Therefore I 

 propose the following short diagnosis. 



Varroa^ nov. gen., like Laelaps C. L, Koch and Hypoaspis 

 G. Canestrini, but upper jaw of chelae wanting and lower 

 jaw fixed in stead of movable. — I think it is not quite 

 superfluous to remember here that in Laelaps C. L. Koch 

 the males have only styliform mandibles, while the females 

 are provided with cheliform ones, and that in Hypoaspis 

 G. Canestrini both sexes possess cheliform mandibles. There 

 is still another genus of Laelaptinae in which the man- 

 Notes from tlie Leyclen M;useuiri, Vol. XXIV. 



