i44 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Family EBTNCHOLOPHTDAE. 



Xo attempt has been made to refer the following species of Ehyncholo- 

 phus to any of tlie genera or sub-genera described in i-ecent yeai-s. Anthoi-s 

 are evidently at variance as to their application, and in one or two recently 

 published papers the confusion has been increased. It seems to me that 

 many questions of synonymy and priority must be definitely settled before 

 these names can be used with certainty. 



The first three species recordetl here have been referred to the genus 

 Aehorolophus by Dr. Berlese, either in the original descriptions or in lii. 

 This was diagnosed as a new sub-genus in his Monograph on Italian Mites 

 (2, Fasc. ux, n. 1), and Rhtftuhoiopmu nemorum is the type-species. It was 

 subsequently (4, p. 87) raised to generic rank, and applieil to a group of 

 species of which the first mentione<l is R. qui^uUinriii.i {Henn], but the earlier 

 reference must apply, consequently the name Aehorolophus, whatever may Ije 

 the fate of this genus, cannot l>e use«l for the ".B. rtibripts" group of species. 



Ehyncholophos araneoides (lieri.). (I'l. XXIII, fig. 28 a, b.) 



1910 AeJtoroii.'phias nranevides Berl. 14, p. :i49. 



An abundant species during the summer months on the limestone it>cks 

 at Malahide, usually in the up|)er part of the Orange IJchen zone. 



An active, bright-re«l coloure<l mile. Tlie iKKly is comparatively small 

 (length about lUOU^), and of a rather quadrate shape. The legs are robust 

 and very long, the first pair Uieasuring about 1460/i, not including the pro- 

 jecting part of the epiraera. The crista is mdimentar}*, consisting of a veiy 

 thin median rod, of which there is sometimes scarcely any trace in the adult 

 form. Both the anterior and posterior sensory hairs are present, but they 

 are not so distinctly enclosed in chilinous extensions of the median rod as 

 they are in other species. The most interesting feature of this species is 

 the presence of a pair of lanje, lens-like tubercles lying behind the true 

 eyes, close to the hinder margin of the cephalothorax. Hair vestiture 

 moderately dense, short, and liearing excee<iingly minute secondary hairs. 



The active nyrophal form was obe«r\-ed in great numbers, running on the 

 rocks during bright weatlier in May and June. When fully grown, it is 

 about 950;i in length by 614^ in breadth. The shape is subqua^lrate, and 

 the hairs are much more sparse than in the adulL The legs also are much 

 shorter, feeble, and of more uniform length. The prodorsal tubercle, which 

 is so conspicuous in the adult, is present, but is less developed. 



The l^les.'«, quiescent fonn of the nj'mph occurs between dry flakes in 

 the Orange Lichen zone. It is very similar in shape and size to the active 



