P'SYCHE. 



XEELUS ML'RIXUS, 



REPRESENTING 



FAMILY.* 



A NEW THYSANURAN 



By JL'STL'S WATSON' FOLSOM. CAMBRIDGE. .MASS. 



This species \v;is common in ;i green- 

 liouse at Cambridge in February and 

 March of t!iis year. It occurred onI\' 

 on the under side of wet stones among 

 " filmv ferns" (Hymenophvllaceae) 

 from Jamaica, and therefore may not be 

 indigenous. 



JVeelus mnrhiits is evidently nearly 

 related to the Papiriidae and .Sniynthu- 

 ridae, especiall)' the hitter, but diflers 

 in important respects. The antennae 

 closely resemble those of certain 

 Smynthuri having an unringed terminal 

 segment ; the superior claw is uniden- 

 tate, an apparently constant Sm3ntluiran 

 characteristic, as observed by Mr. 

 MacGillivray; and an approach to a 

 horizontal head is seen in .5". Diargiiia- 

 tics Schott.t On the other hand, as I 

 have not yet been able to find any 

 tracheae, Neelus may, like Papirius, 

 have none. The pseudonychia resem- 

 ble those of Tomocerus and the tubei"- 

 cles of the ventral tube are similar to 

 those of Tomocerus, Orchesella and 

 other genera. 



* Contributions from the Zoological Laboratory of the 

 Museum of Comparative Zoology, under the direction of 

 E. L. -Mark, No. LX. 



i Schott, Harald. Zur Systematik und Verbreiiimg 

 Palaearctischer Coilembola. Kongl. Sven. Vet. .\kad. 

 Handl. Bd. 25, No. 11 p. 25, PI. I. fig. 11. 1S93. 



We may present ;is follows the gen- 

 eric characters of Neekis as contrasted 

 with those of Smynthurus and Papirius. 



;Neei.i-s, n. gen. 



Head horizontal, broadly articulated. 

 Thorax longer tlian abdomen. Anal tuber- 

 cle inconspicuous. Ventral filaments repre- 

 sented by two rounded tubercles. Superior 

 claiv pseudonychiate. Denies ventrallv 

 toothed, apically two lobed. Eyes absent. 

 Tracheae apparently absent. 



Neelidae, n. fam. 



The following characters may collec- 

 tively l:'e considered of family value as 

 distinguished from tliose of .Smvnthuri- 

 dae and Papiriiilae. Head horizontal. 

 Thorax exceeding abdomen. Processes 

 of ventral tube tuberculate. Tracheae 

 apparently wanting. Eves absent. 



I am glad to take this opportunity to 

 thank Professor Mark, of Harvarti 

 University, for the valuable supervision 

 he has given me while studying this 

 sjjecies. 



Neelus murinus n. sp. (Plate S). — Gen- 

 eral color ochraceous-buff, in alcoholic speci- 

 mens ochraceous-orange ; when young, white 

 with a dorsal longitudinal median ill-defined 



+ veilXvs, stranger. The specific name, murinus, is 

 based upon the fancied resemblance to a mouse. 



