THAXTER. — 



MONOGRAPH OF TTIK LA MOl I.HKMACK.lv 



\:>,<) 



Ceratomyces Mexicanus Thaxtcr. Piute LXX, fig. 3. 

 Proc. Am. Acad. Arts and Sci., Vol. XXXVII, p. 43. June, 1901. 



Dark amber-brown. Perithecium with a slight submedian inflation; distally broad, the outer mar- 

 gin turning abruptly inward distally to the inconspicuous retraeted tip, which lies close al the ba ie of the 

 perithecial appendage, and is externally subtended by irregular inconspicuous papillate protrusions: 

 the basal cell of the appendage slightly divergent several times as long as broad; the external margin 

 straight, the inner strongly concave with a median blackish suffusion; the rest of the appendage slightly 

 curved, about eight or nine-celled, tapering slightly and diverging strongly above the basal cell. The 

 antheridial appendage and the receptacle much as in C. mirabilis. Spores 85 X 5 p.. Perithecia 100 

 475 X 110-125 \i, the appendage about 290 p, its basal cell 70 X 20 and 36 p. Total length to tip of 

 perithecium 550-G40 p. 



On the left inferior margin of the abdomen of Tropisternus nitidus Sharp, Sharp Collection, No. 

 1177, and of T. chalybeus Cast., British Museum, No. 772, Oaxaca, Mexico. 



The conformation of the tip of the perithecium in this species is not unlike that of C. Californicus and 

 C. Braziliensis, but it is readily distinguished by its long geniculate appendage, large size and dark color. 

 It is most nearly related to C. Braziliensis and to C. mirabilis. 



Ceratomyces mirabilis Thaxter. 

 Additional material of this common and widely distributed species has been examined from the 

 following sources. Paris Museum on Tropisternus sp., South America, Nos. 4a and 48; No. 50 from 

 Mexico. Berlin Museum No. 1056 on T. "umbrinus", Para. Dr. Sharp's Collection No. 1180 on T. 

 nitens Cost., Cayenne; No. 1182 on T. ebenus, Rio de Janeiro; No. 1183 on T. nigrinus Sharp, Brazil; 

 No. 1184 on T. lateralis Fabr., Brazil; No. 1186 on T. xanthopus Sharp, Mexico; No. 1185 on Pleuro- 

 liomus obscurus Sharp, Duefias, Guatemala. On Tropisternus sp. San Fidelio, Brazil and Eustis, Florida. 

 The characters of the species appear to be decidedly constant and it is most readily distinguished by the 

 external hunch which subtends the tip of the perithecium, and is usually bent in against the base of the 

 appendage. 



Ceratomyces confusus Thaxter. 

 This species which is closely allied to C. mirabilis, although much rarer, seems to be quite constant 

 in its characters. It usually occurs near the tip of the abdomen on its right inferior margin. It has 

 been found again on several Tropisterni in Lake Eustis, Florida. 



Ceratomyces ansatus nov. sp. Plate LXIX, figs. 4-5. 



Perithecium in general resembling that of C. conjustis, larger, the anterior and posterior rows of 

 wall-cells consisting of about thirty-five cells, the anterior forming a slight ridge below the tip on the left 

 side; the free tip shorter more broadly papillate, the perithecial appendage stouter, conspicuously inflated 

 above its base, erect; the distal portion more or less strongly curved outward and sometimes ending in a 

 few fine hyaline branches; the whole often sickle-shaped, its basal cell more or less opaque strongly con- 

 cave on its inner side. Receptacle as in C. confusus, but the blackened portion extending up beyond the 

 base of the appendage and forming a free finger-like distally rounded projection, the appendage set be- 

 tween this and the base of the perithecium as in a socket. Appendage relatively small and narrow, usu- 

 ally short and terminated by a tuft of slender hyaline branchlets. Total length to tip of perithecium 425- 

 475 [i. Perithecium to tip 325-350 X 75-80 p, its appendage 220 X 36 p. Receptacle to tip of its projec- 

 tion and including foot 175-200 p. 



On Tropisternus sp., Museum of Comp. Zool., No. 1336 (Type) San Fidelio, Brazil. On T. strio- 

 latus Lee, Eustis, Florida. 



This species which is closely allied to C. confusus and C. Floridanus, appears to be characteristic of 

 the striped Tropisterni, and is found on the inferior surface of the abdomen on the left side. It seems 



