EURYCNEMA HeROULanea, Charpentier. 37 



orders of insects left in which this mode of propagation has not 

 yet been described, viz., Coleoptera, Strepsiptera, and Aptera. 

 In Hymenoptera Parthenogenesis occurs amongst the Tenthre- 

 dinidse or Saw Plies, Oynipid-ae or Gall Flies, Chalcididre, and 

 certain Bees and Wasps. Amongst Lepidoptera there is per- 

 haps only the one well-established case of Solenobia, and 

 amongst Diptera that of Chironomus, amongst Thysanoptera the 

 case of Thrips, and amongst Neuroptera a doubtful case of one 

 of the Caddis Flies, Apataina. More common again are well- 

 established cases of Parthenogenesis amongst Hemiptera, viz., 

 in the Aphides or Plant-Lice, and Coccidee or Scale Insects. 



Description of the adult female : The total length of the 

 largest specimen, preserved dry, is 230 mm. (about 9 inches), 

 but all the measurements given below are taken from a very 

 perfect specimen preserved in spirit, measuring 204 mm. (about 

 8 inches), the total length in both cases being exclusive of the 

 antennae, but inclusive of the ovipositor. 



The head is oval and smooth, 13 mm. long, with three very 

 distinct ocelli, the antennfe being 27 mm. in length and consist- 

 ing of 26 joints. The prothorax is corrugated, without spines, 

 and only 11 mm. in length. The mesothorax is 39 mm. long 

 and spined. On its dorsal surface there are about sixteen spines 

 arranged in two irregular rows of eight each, laterally about 

 eight spines on either side, and ventrally two irregular rows of 

 about six spines each. The metathorax, 16^mm. long, is smooth 

 dorsally, but provided with a few blunt spines laterally and 

 ventrally. 



All the abdominal segments are smooth. The first segment 

 measures 12 mm., the second, third, fourth and fifth 14 mm. 

 each, the sixth 15 mm., the seventh 13 mm., the eighth 10 mm., 

 the ninth and tenth 7 mm. each. The ovipositor is large and 

 boat shaped, measuring 39 mm. and projecting beyond the last 

 segment by 19 mm. The styles are 12 mm. long: they are 

 narrow flat plates with a dorsal vertical ridge, appearing there- 

 fore X shaped in transverse section. 



The first pair of legs measures 112 mm., the second 90 

 mm., the third 122 mm. The femora of all legs bear spines 

 arranged in three rows, but the tibiae of the first pair of legs 

 are almost smooth, whilst those of the second pair are more 



R. A. Soc, No. 38, 1902. 



