Speare: Massospora cicadina Peck 



75 



formed in the anterior portion of the abdomen which upon en- 

 largement and inflation pushed the genitalia to the position indi- 

 cated, and also pushed the intestine which normally in most 

 insects lies close to the ventral abdominal wall to a position upon 

 the dorsal wall. This sac becomes so large that it occupies the 

 greater part of the abdomen, and in the opinion of Mr. Snod- 

 grass it may act as an air reservoir in both sexes, and in addition, 

 in the male, have a resounding function for the stridulatory ap- 

 paratus. In any event a portion of the wall of this sac forms a 

 septum across the body cavity, effectually separating the genitalia 

 and other organs from the empty anterior portion of the abdomen, 

 and the fungus which lives entirely upon the softer tissues of the 

 insect's body is therefore limited in its development to the last 

 four or five segments of the body in which the genitalia and other 

 similar organs are concentrated. 



As the conidial and the resting spore conditions do not occur 

 simultaneously in the same individual and as the insects in which 

 conidia are formed present quite a different appearance from 

 those in which resting spores occur, it seems advisable to con- 

 sider each phase of development separately. 



Conidial Development 



Infected individuals showing the conidial stages of the fungus 

 appear in a way such as is illustrated on Plate 5, Fig. I. 2 Speci- 

 mens such as those shown, were usually found lying dead upon 

 the ground beneath trees, or in open roadways, although very 

 often a similarly afflicted cicada was observed flying around in an 

 unsteady manner, or crawling feebly about. Unfortunately no 

 specimens showing an earlier phase of the disease were collected, 

 and therefore while the method of formation of the conidia was 

 followed in several instances, an earlier stage homologous to the 

 " hyphal body " stage of other Entomophthorales was not ob- 

 served. 



The fungus thus confined in its vegetative growth to the softer 



2 In the specimens shown the wings and legs were removed artificially in 

 certain instances, in order better to expose the fungus mass for photographic 

 purposes, and in the individuals shown on Plate 5, Fig. 2, a portion of certain 

 of the abdominal rings was removed for the same purpose. 



