448 Annals of the South African Museum. 



Length of maxillary palps about 1-4 mm. 

 ,, leg I about 2 mm. 

 ,, ,, II „ 2"6 mm. 

 ,, III „ 2-8 mm. 

 ,, ,, IV ,, 3 mm. 



This mite is one of the largest species of the genus, and is closely 

 related to EulaJis megalostoma Koenike, 1897 (22, 23), and Eulais 

 georgei Soar, 1901 (34), from which it differs especially in the 

 shape of the eye-plate, the maxillary palps, and the air-sacks. 



The real colour is unknown to me, being probably red, like that of 

 most Eula'is-sipecies, but decolorised by the alcohol. 



The shape does not differ from the usual Eulais-iorra, being flat 

 and broadly ovoid. 



The legs are rather short ; the fourth pair is nearly as long as the 

 body and without swimming hairs ; the first pair is much thickened, 

 .and possesses only a few swimming hairs. The claws exhibit the 

 usual appearance and are bifid, the ventral tip being short and 

 stout. 



Eyes. — The shape of the eye-plates places this mite in the group 

 ■of E. megalostoma Koen., and E. georgei Soar. E. purcelli n. sp., 

 however, differs very distinctly from both these species. The eye- 

 plate of each side (containing each two eyes) is short (0*2 mm.), but 

 the whole expanse of the eye-plates, measured from side to side, is 

 0'5 mm., for the length of the eye-bridge connecting the plates alone 

 amounts to 0*18 mm. This long eye-bridge is curved backwards 

 (fig. 1). The large hair-pores (fig. 1, h) are situated nearer 

 to the ends of the bridge than in E. georgei Soar — much as in 

 E. megalostoma Koen. ; but E. purcelli n. sp., does not possess 

 the four lens-like tubercles (c/., E. megalostoma Koenike (23), Plate 

 XX., fig. 1, r^, r^). The eye-lenses have the usual form. 



Maxillary Organs. — The maxillary plate (fig. 2) is very like that of 

 E. megalostoma Koen., with extremely large mouth-opening and large 

 ■oral fringe (" Mundsaum ") (fig. 2, h). The large, anterior, lateral 

 process (fig. 2, p)f) is still larger than in E. megalostoma Koen., and 

 directed more backwards. 



The pharynx is very thick, while the air-sacks are thinner and 

 shorter, with their hind ends but little curved (fig. 2, Is). 



The mandibles (fig. 3) show no very remarkable differences from 

 those of the two species mentioned above ; the posterior inner 

 process (fig. 3, st), however, is thicker and the inner side more 

 irregular. 



The maxillary palps (figured from the outer side in fig. 4) furnish 



