THE EARWIGS OF CEYLON. 67 



nre very faint or almost obsolete, and sometimes extremely difficult to 

 distinguish ; they are simply Psalis without wings, or Anisolahis with well 

 developed elytra. They are always shining-blackish in colour. Psalis is 

 barely distinguishable from Lahiditra. The forceps of Psalis are conical 

 as a rule, and never so varied in shape as in Lahidura. The females of 

 Apterygtd't and Forjicula cannot be distinguished. The males differ in the 

 shape of the forceps alone. Lahia is very difficult to distinguish from 

 certain species of Spongophora — a genus that is not represented in the island 

 as far as we know yet. Plutylalia is only discriminated from SparoMa, 

 another genus not yet recorded from Ceylon, by the absence of lateral folds. 

 Anisolahis are invariably black, are very dark-brown in colour. In Ecliinosoma 

 the bofiy is either quite round or nearly so, that is, cylindrical and not a' all 

 depressed. Small specimens of EcTiinasoma and Brackyh his are very much 

 alike to look at, but tbe former genus has always the elytra and wings well 

 developed. Forcipula can be recognised at a glance by its great size, and the 

 very long and slender toothed forceps, as w^ell as by the prominent spines 

 upon the sides of the abdomen, 



NEOLOBOPHOEA, Soudd. 



Medium-sized insects. Elytra rudimentary, wings absent; forceps of the 

 ^ long and slender ; abdomen cylindrical, convex. Tubercles of second and 

 third segments developed. Small scutellum visible between the elytra at 

 the base. 



Neolohophora, Scudd., 1875, Ent. Notes., IV., 36, Proc. Bost. Soc. N. H, 

 xvii., 2U2. Porm., 1900, Forf. 22, 



This genus may Ve recognised by its slenderness, elongated forceps, absence 

 of wings and rudimentary elytra. It is very closely allied to OjnstJwcosmia . 

 On the strength of the scutellum it is often removed to the neighbourhood 

 of Pygidicrana, but it more naturally falls iu near the first-mentioned 

 genus. 



NEOLOBOPHOEA TAMUL, sp. n. 



Fusco-testacea, glabra, nitida. Elytra longiora quam latiora, parallela, 

 formam efficientia triangnlorum duorum, apicibus truncatis alting?ntibus, 

 eicut in quibus'^am Chelidnris ', scutello patente. Ali-< nullis. Abdomen 

 convexum, ultra medium panllo dilatatum, segmento ultimo valde attenuate, 

 declivi, segmento penultimo dorsali inermi. Forcipis crura, ^ , basi contigua 

 subdeplanata, dehinc diveigentia, ovatoarcuati, gracillima, intus medio, 

 denticulata. ^. 



Long, corporis . . 9 mm. 



„ forcipis 5 mm. 



HEAD convex, darkish-testaceous, eyes black, not very prominent. 

 Antennae with nine segments, pale, testaceous near the base, becoming 

 darker towards the apex, all the segments being elongate and pear-shaped, 

 each segment, after the first, being somewhat longer than the last. 



