ORTHOPTERA 



FAM. BLATTID/E 



SUBFAM. ECTOBIN/E 



by R. SHELl-ORD 



WITH I COLOUKED PLATE 



HlattidiE form a famih' of the order Orthoplera characterised by the deflexed head. 

 ^^ the bodj- tj'pically flattened dorso-ventrally, the wintjs, when present, with the posterior 

 part capable of folding Hke a fan, the three pairs of legs differing but little from one 

 another and modifie<l for running, the coxse large and flattened. 



Characters. — The head is so carried that the verte.x is directed forward, the mouth backwaid 

 anil the front downward. It is joined to the thorax by a slender neck, in the thin integument of which 

 occur s<mie chitinised sclerites. The irons is separated from the ciypeus bj- a line angulate suture. The 

 mouth-parts are of a typically mandibulate type, but little use of them has been made in classification ; 

 the labrum is well marked off from the ciypeus by a transverse joint, it is orbicular or triangular in shape ; 

 the mandibles are toothed; the maxilla;, consisting of cardo, stipes, I aci a ia and galea, bear one pair of 

 five-jointed palpi ; the submentum is very large and forms the greater part of the under surface of the 

 head, the labium is deeply cleft and carries a pair of three-jointed palpi, the lingua is a large lobe lying 

 over the cleft of the labium. 



The antenna are long, slender and multi-articulate, usually ciliated; in some generate, g. Pseudo- 

 wops, Thyisocera. Hypnorna) the basal half of the antenna is incrassated and plumose(i). 



The eyes are usually large and reniform; they are placed on the sides of the head; in many genera 

 they are approximated on the vertex; m the cave-haunting Nodicola they are reduced or absent. Close to 

 the insertions of the antennae occur a pair of small circular areas, yellow in colour, known as the fenestra; 

 or ocelliform spots; in the males of Corydia and Polyphaga these are replaced by true ocelli. 



(i) In t!ii^ jjenus Pseiuio>iU'f>s this char.Tcter is confined to the female- sex. 



