150 THE entomologist's record. 



harm to their hosts, by devouring the brood of the latter, a greater 

 harm in fact than is brought about by any of the persecuted lodgers. 

 I can even prove that the voracity of LomecJnisa and Atemdes causes a 

 decrease among the worker ants, which is called Pseudogyna, and 

 brings about the deterioration of the ants' colony. 



The fourth class before mentioned is made up of parasites in the 

 true sense of the word. To these belong, for example, many small 

 Hymenoptera (Ela.vnoaoiiia, PacJnjlonniia, Eucliarh, &c.), and Felodera 

 janeti. Whereas these belong to the Entoparasites, others are Ecto- 

 parasites, which fasten themselves on the bodies of the ants or their 

 offspring. A little time ago Dr. Brauns discovered a new species of 

 the family Tachyporina in the nest of Dorylus helrolus in Cape Colony, 

 and which I described as Doryloxenus cornuUis. This little insect has 

 got shortened tarsi and tibite covered with bristles, with which it 

 probably fastens itself on to the larvae of the ant ; the anterior tarsi 

 instead of being provided with claws, possess an adhesive appendage. 

 Possibly the little Brazilian Eciton guest Ecitochara fuscicornis, which 

 W. Miiller found on the egg masses of Eciton fordi, should be placed 

 among the true parasites. A dipterous larva which Professor Emery 

 sent me from Camerun, and which he found fastened between the 

 head and thorax of a big black Ccuuponotiis, can be regarded as half 

 Ecto- and half Entoparasitic. A third of the sponger was inside the 

 ant and the rest of its body outside. Ectoparasites can also be found 

 in the myrmecophilus Acarina, especially in the genera Tyroylyphus, 

 Discopoma and Antennojihonis. Most of the myrmecophilous mites belong 

 to the genus Leolaps and are not parasites in the true sense of the 

 word, but feed on the dead ants and other refuse in the nest. Leolaps 

 oopJtilous, Wasm., however, sits on the egg-masses of the ants, it does 

 not feed on them, but is fed by the ants licking the eggs (Syntrophie). 

 Tyroylyplius vasDianni, Mon., which is often to be found in the nests 

 of Formica sanyuinca, lives as larva and pupa as well as in the perfect 

 state, on the dead bodies of the ants and other animal substances, but 

 when changing they are to be found on the ants' bodies on the masters 

 as well as the slaves. Very often this swarming of mites takes quite 

 gigantic proportions, each ant is covered by thousands of them, until 

 the Avhole nest appears to be covered with a grey crust, and finally the 

 entire colony is destroyed by this living disease. Less dangerous is 

 Discopoma comata, Berl., which according to Ch. Janet fastens itself 

 on to the ants when fully developed. Another myrmecophilous mite 

 AnUiinovhorm uldmanni, occupies a most extraordinary position. Janet 

 observed it in France in the nest of Lasias niid-tiis, and I have studied 

 it in Hollandish Limburg with Lasius niyey'diid flaviis. It sits generally 

 on the ant, in most cases on the underside of the head. It makes use 

 of this favourable position to tickle the sides of the ant's head Avith its 

 front feet, which are like antennae — hence its name "antennae bearer" 

 (Antcnnophorufi) — till the ant lets fall a drop of food which the parasite 

 licks up. The ants tolerate the impudent rascal simply because they 

 are unable to get rid of it. I have often seen them make desperate 

 attempts to knock it off. The feeding of this guest is analagous with 

 that of the bee louse, Braitla caeca, Avith bees. The connection of 

 Antennophoriis with the ants is only a caricature of the genuine inter- 

 course which exists between Lomechma, Atemdes and L'laviyer, and 

 their hosts. 



[To he condmlcd.) 



