308 Mr. mee Donisthorpe’s 
live with their models, but do feed on them. These may 
be called Myrmecoid Myrmecophags. Some spiders, tiger- 
beetles, etc., may be given as examples. 
3. Mimicry of ants by other Arthropods, which both live 
with the ants, and also feed on them. These are the 
Myrmecoid Synechthrans. One of the best examples is 
the jet black Myrmedonia funesta, much resembling the ant 
with which it occurs. Wasmann has expressed his opinion 
that the object of this mimicry is to deceive the ants; but 
I am unable to agree with him, considering rather that the 
likeness protects the beetle from outside enemies; for 
the beetle when attacked by its host can always defend 
itself by powerful repugnatorial discharges. In common 
with other Myrmedonias, it curls up when disturbed, and 
looks like a fragment of earth, but this is its second line of 
defence. The insect is frequently found in the “runs ” 
of the ants, at the entrance and outside the nest, where 
its resemblance to an ant would be of value against the 
attacks of enemies other than its host. 
Some of the mimetic spiders and also bugs (Heteroptera 
of the genera Alydus, Myrmecoris, Systellonatus, Nabis, 
etc.) may belong to this group, at any rate during the times 
when they associate with ants as they commonly do. It 
is also possible that the species referred to prey on their 
ant models. 
4. Mimicry of ants by other Arthropods which are 
generally found in company with ants, or near their nests, 
but attack other insects, etc. These are partly Myrmecoid 
Synoeketes. Species of the genus Gonalopus are good 
examples, as they are very ant-like and often found with 
ants, but prey on small Homoptera. Some spiders, and 
the bugs mentioned in the last section possibly belong here, 
for it is not certainly known whether they feed on the ants. 
They are all very ant-like, especially in the larval stages, 
when their bodies are shaped like those of the ants. In 
Nabis, however, the resemblance is brought about in a 
different manner like that producing the likeness in Myrme- 
cophana. The sides of the base of the abdomen are white 
with a dark mark in the middle like the pedicel of an ant. 
Viewed in profile there is also an elevation like the ant’s 
scale. This species has been observed to suck the eggs of 
Lepidoptera, and other species of bugs in the neighbour- 
hood of ants [see Butler, Ent. Mo. Mag., 57, 80 (1921); 
and Donisthorpe, Ent. Mo. Mag., 57, 136 (1921)]. 
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