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 Lomechusa and Atemeles 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 (Hlasmosoma, Pachylomma, Eucharis, &c.), and Pelodera 
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 helvolus in Cape Colony, 
and which I described as Doryloxenus cornutus. This little insect has 
got shortened tarsi and tibize covered with bristles, with which it 
probably fastens itself on to the larve of the ant; the anterior tarsi 
instead of being provided with claws, possess an adhesive appendage. 
Possibly the little Brazilian Heiton guest Hcitochara fuscicornis, which 
W. Muller found on the egg masses of Hciton foreli, should be placed 
among the true parasites. A dipterous larva which Professor Kmery 
sent me from Camerun, and which he found fastened between the 
head and thorax of a big black Camponotus, can be regarded as half 
Keto- and half Entoparasitic. A third of the sponger was inside the 
ant and the rest of its body outside. Hctoparasites can also be found 
in the myrmecophilus Acarina, especially in the genera T’yroqlyphus, 
Discopoma and Antennophorus. 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 
oophilous, Wasm., however, sits on the ege-masses of the ants, it does 
not feed on them, but is fed by the ants licking the eggs (Syntrophie). 
Tyroglyphus wasmanni, Mon., which is often to be found in the nests 
of Formica sanguinea, 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 whole 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 
Antennophorus uklmanni, occupies a most extraordinary position. Janet 
observed it in France in the nest of Lastus miatus, and I have studied 
it in Hollandish Limburg with Lasius niger and flavus. 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 with its 
front feet, which are like antenne—hence its name ‘“‘antenne bearer ”’ 
(Antennophorus)—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. Ihave often seen them make desperate 
attempts to knock it off. The feeding of this guest is analagous with 
that of the bee louse, Branla coeca, with bees. The connection of 
Antennophorus with the ants is only a caricature of the genuine inter- 
course which exists between Lomechusa, Atemeles and Claviger, and 
their hosts. 
(Lo be concluded.) 
