THE a'NnA 



ALlGAZIiNE OF NATUEAL HISTORY. 



[NINTH SlCRllCS.] 

 No. 48. DECEMBER 1921. 



LIX. — On some Dipterous Lnrvce infesting the Branchial 

 Chambers of Land-crabs. By D. Keilin, Se. D., Beit 

 Memorial Research Fellow (from the Cluick Laboratory, 

 University of Cambridge). 



To the great variety of conditions under which Dipterous 

 larva3 of different kinds are found, Baylis (1915) * has added 

 an interesting record by his discovery of a novel habitat, 

 namely, within the branchial chambers of certain land- 

 crabs. 



The record is as follows : — 



(1) Of three specimens of a land-crab — Cardiosoma hirtipes 

 — from the Admiralty Islands [' Challenger ' Collection), 

 two were found to contain Dipterous larvae within their 

 branchial chambers. 



(2) A fragment of a Dipterous larva was found adhering 

 to the external surface of an example of the same species 

 from Christmas Island, near to the lateral opening of the 

 gill-chamber. 



(3) Two small Dipterous larva3 were found in the branchial 

 chamber of one of three specimens of a land-crab — 

 Gecarcoidea lalundii — from Christmas Island (collected by 

 Dr. R. Kirkpati'ick). 



* Baylis, H. A. (1915). " A parasitic Olignchseta and other Inhabi- 

 tants of the Gill-chamber of Laud-crabs," Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist, 

 ser. 8, vol. xv. pp. 378-383. 



Ann. (& Mag. N. HLhI. Ser. 9. Vol. viii. 39 



