IIai.hicri' — The Acar/nu of //lo Seashore. 123 



• Family LAELAPTIDAE. 

 Laelaps dentatus sp. uov. (I'l. XXI, lit;-. G a, o.) 



A .species reiiiiukalile for its very elongate shape, the dentate anterior 

 corners of the sternum, and the armature of the last pair of legs in the male. 

 The female resemliles that of L. oh/o7if/)t,s Halbt. (25), but is narrower and 

 more elongate, and the peritreme is not joined with the pedal plates. The 

 ventral plates also are diffei-ently formed. Female (fig. 6 a) : Size rather 

 variable, averaging about 680/x in length, and 560^ in breadth. Shape, elongate 

 oval, with slightly marked shoulders, and the colour is yellowish, with darker 

 lyrate organs. Dorsal shield large, very minutely punctured, and with 

 indistinct scale-like markings ; side margin even. There are four double rows 

 of hairs ; frontal bristles small. Sternum large, its rounded end margin 

 reaching the third acetabula; front margin sinuate towards the corners. 

 Jugular plates well developed, placed on a thinner and larger chitinous base. 

 Tritosternum small and narrow, springing from a slightly crescentic basal 

 piece, at each side of which is a chitinous piece. Genito-ventral shield very 

 long and broad, gradually widening to beyond middle, and then narrowing 

 to end margin, which is straight ; four pairs of hairs. Metasternal plates very 

 minute. Anal plate triangular, broader than long, front margin as broad as 

 and lying close to margin of preceding shield. The metapodial plate encloses 

 last pair of acetabula, beyond which it projects on a pointed lobe. Inguinal 

 plates linear. Peritreme curved inwards towards the extremity, and it lies 

 free of the metapodial shield. 



Maxillary plate quadrate, four pairs of hairs ; lobes straight. Epistome 

 convex, armed with small sharp teeth. Fixed chela with four teeth, two of 

 which are terminal. Legs long and robust ; the lengths are about GlG/u, 418//, 

 384/i, and 550^. 



3Iale (fig. 6 b) considerably smaller than female, varying from 480/u to 

 550/t in length, and in breadth from 240/i to 280^. Ventral shield of usual 

 shape, almost reacliing end of body, reticulate, with a double row of nine 

 median hairs. The anterior side margins of the sternal part are distinctly 

 dentate (fig. 6c). Each chela is armed with a strong triangular tooth ; the 

 fixed one is strongly arched. The male appendage (fig. 6 d) projects by 

 about half its length beyond the apex of the segment, slightly sinuate, and 

 bent upwards at the extremity. Palps of usual type. Legs, lengths about 

 .52S;u, 440//, 33l)/(, and .")28/t; second pair a little stouter than the others, outer 

 margin of third segment (fig. (i e) with a rounded prominence at base, ventral 

 side with four hairs, Third segment (femur) of last pair of legs armed with 



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