Clare Island Survey — Acurinula. 39 71 



devoid of hairs except for two pairs placed on the actual margins of the 

 plate. Anal shield triangular (breadth 140/i), pedal plates well developed, 

 enclosing the last pair of acetabula ; peritreme slightly waved, strengthened 

 in its outer side by a chitinous plate which is prolonged well beyond the 

 last acetabula. 



The capitulum is transverse, end margin rounded, central part of the 

 maxillary plate produced, lobes small and straight, and tbere are four pairs 

 of hairs, one pair set further back near the lateral margin. Epistome hood- 

 like, indistinctly serrated; chelicerae, fixed chela with four teeth, two of 

 these much stronger than the others, and on the free chela are two strong 

 teeth placed rather close together. Palps small and slender, length about 

 260^, of the usual laelaptid type. Legs long and robust, length of last pair 

 528ju, An immature specimen occurred with the adult, it is small and 

 transparent (length 665^, breadth 358 fj). 



Laelaps (Hypoaspis) ovatulus sp. nov. (PI. VI, fig. 1*1 n, b.) 



This species is closely allied to the preceding in most of the details of its 

 structure, the following differences may be noted : — 



Female (PI. VI, fig. 17a). — The size is smaller (length about 550^, 

 breadth 297/.t), and the shape is more regularly oval. Dorsal shield similarly 

 sculptured, but narrower, leaving more of the body margin uncovered. 

 Sternal shield narrower in front, hinder margin rounded. The small jugular 

 plates are united by a porous chitinous plate. Peritreme not bordered 

 externally, post-stigmatic part continuous with the outer margin of the 

 pedal plates as it is in L. oblongus. The epistome is wide, but little produced 

 in the centre and very minutely serrated on its front margin. 



Chelicerae (fig. lib), fixed chela with two strong teeth and in front of the 

 distal one is a row of four or five minute, closely set teeth ; free chela with 

 two widely separated teeth. Legs comparatively shorter, basifemur of second 

 pair with a short, stout spine near the centre of its ventral surface, the 

 posterior tarsi are also less elongate. 



Locality. — Found in the flowers of Campanula on the sandhills at 

 Mulranny in September. 



Laelaps (Hypoaspis) acutus Michael. 



Mulranny, in nests of the ant Myrmica scabrinodis under stones. 

 September. 



Distribution. — Austria (Tyrol, in ants' nests, Michael). Probably widespread 

 in Europe, though Berlese says it has not been found in Italy (12). 



K 2 



