409] STUDIES ON GREGARINES WATSON 199 



along the edge of the septum. The length given for the larger associa- 

 tions is 188/i, for the smaller 118/*. 



In his general description, Ishii says "the protomerite in the satel- 

 lite is not infrequently hidden from view, being entirely embedded in the 

 deutomerite of the primite."* In his table of measurements, he says of 

 the satellite "protomerite absent." Later he mentions "the frequent ab- 

 sence of protomerite in the satellite." The figure of the larger associa- 

 tion (Fig. 71) lacks a protomerite in the satellite; the figure of the 

 smaller (Figure 143) shows a protomerite and the table of measure- 

 ments corroborates its presence. 



Absence of protomerite in the satellite is not one of the diagnostic 

 features of the genus Gregarina. If the protomerite had been absent 

 in rare instances, the sporont might have been a "sport", but its fre- 

 quent absence is, clearly enough, reason for removing the specimens 

 from the genus Gregarina. 



Absence of the protomerite of the satellite is the chief diagnostic 

 character of the family Didymophyidae, in which there is but one genus, 

 Didymophyes, and of this family only. Therefore this polycystid greg- 

 arine which lacks a protomerite in the satellite belongs to the latter 

 genus and I have (p. 133) designated it Didymophyes minuta (Ishii). Of 

 course, the determination cannot be absolute without the spores and epi- 

 merite, but if the specimens belong to any known genus, they must be- 

 long to the genus Didymophyes. 



Of the four hitherto described species in this genus, two have been 

 recovered from Coleoptera. The present species is the smallest to be re- 

 corded, by 67/x. (D. longissima Sieb.). 



The smaller associations which Ishii described and in which the pro- 

 tomerite of the satellite is present, belong, without doubt, to the genus 

 Gregarina, and the name G. minuta refers to them only. 



There is also either a confusion of species or an error in observa- 

 tion in regard to the species Gregarina crassa (Ishii, 1914:438). He il- 

 lustrates but one specimen and, in this one indistinct figure, it is impos- 

 sible to determine whether or not there is a protomerite in the satellite. 

 Since only one specimen is measured and but one drawn, no compari- 

 sons can be made between the specimens with and those without proto- 

 merites in the satellites and I am unable to determine the number of 

 species under consideration and the systematic position of the specimen 

 described. 



"This statement is construed to mean that the author did not see the proto- 

 merite of the satellite and inferred that it was embedded in the deutomerite of the 



primite. 



