RIPEESIA SUBTERRANKA. 189 



RIPERSIA SUBTERRANEA (Newstead). 

 (PL LXVIII, figs. 11-17.) 



Ripersia subterranea, Newstead ; Ent. Mo. Mag., s.s., 

 vol. iv, p. 79, figs. 1-4 (1893). 



Adult female dark red-brown, changes to dark 

 purple in caustic potash. Form in life slightly pyri- 

 form, narrowed in front, and distinctly segmented. 

 Antennae (figs. 11, 11 a) constantly of six joints, the 

 last being much the longest; and the joints are 

 furnished with fine hairs; formula 6, 3, 2, 1 (4, 5). 

 Legs, like the antenna, comparatively short ; claw and 

 tarsi without clubbed hairs. Mentum (fig. 12) long 

 and somewhat pointed at apex, which has several fine 

 hairs. Spiracles (fig. 16) with a narrow flange. Anal 

 orifice (fig. 14) with six comparatively short hairs. 

 Anal lobes (fig. 14) indicated by one long and one 

 short hair. Hairs on dorsum between the antennas 

 (fig. 15) very long and slender. 



Long, 1*50 2*50 mm. ; wide, 11*50 mm. 



Second-stage female ovate, extremities nearly equally 

 rounded, convex above ; segmentation distinct, and 

 thickly farinose ; anal extremity with two very short, 

 white, waxy appendages, but these are frequently 

 wanting. Colour dark red-brown, legs yellowish. 



Habitat. On roots of Nardus stricta in the nests of 

 Formica flava, on the raised shingle beach at Ingoldis- 

 thorpe, near King's Lynn, Norfolk, where I discovered 

 them in August, 1892. 



Habits. The females are apparently viviparous or 

 ovoviviparous, as all the old adult examples contain 

 well-developed larvae. All the examples occurred on 

 the roots of the grass just below the crowns of the 

 plants (fig. 17), where they had secreted little patches 

 of mealy powder. All the plants harbouring the 

 coccids were found growing in ants' nests ; none were 

 found on grass roots in any other situation. Strange 



