78 
Psyche 
[September 
on p. 32, that “the pleural plates of the segment [are] normal” is 
quite misleading. 
Finally, the ultimate pedal segment was reported to have a pair of 
spiracles, and in fact it has such spiracles (fig. 2, F). At the same 
time, there are mitigating circumstances. First, these spiracles occur 
only on the holotype : the paratype, otherwise identical with it, lacks 
them altogether. Secondly, the nature of the holotype’s spiracles 
clearly suggests them to be anomalous, in this case probably ontogene- 
tic freaks. Both are abortive, the left one more so than the right, and 
there is no evidence that either was ever functional. Both evidently 
lack a connection with the tracheal chain linking the more anterior, 
normal spiracles. 
Such spiracular anomalies are not unknown. Indeed, I have report- 
ed having found one in a cryptopid centipede, Scolopocryptops s ex- 
spin osa (Say) 5 . In this case anomalous spiracles were discovered 
on the 7th pedal segment, which normally lacks them, although in a 
related genus, Dinocryptops , the 7th segment normally has them. 
Thereby the old mystery surrounding the apocryphal family Azyge- 
thidae appears to be resolved. Azygethus atopus Chamberlin is a 
junior synonym of Orphnaeus hrevilahiatus (Newport), and Azyge- 
thidae falls as a junior synonym of Oryidae. In closing I cannot help 
but wonder what other chilopod names owe their raison d'etre to noth- 
ing more than to such sporadic, anomalous characters, and how long 
they will continue to obscure the real fabric of the system before 
their paroles are terminated. 
5 On the reappearance of a possible ancestral characteristic in a modern 
chilopod, Bull. Brooklyn Ent. Soc., 50 (5): 133-136, (1955). 
Explanation of Plate 10 
Azygethus atopus Chamberlin 
figure 1. Paratype. First maxillae: left two-thirds, with adjacent 
second maxillae, the setae deleted. A — lappet of coxosternum. B— -lappet of 
telopodite. C telopodite. D right medial lobe. E = coxosternum. F = hid- 
den continuation of coxosternum concealed beneath anterior edge of second 
maxillary coxosternum. 
Figure 2. Holotype. Posterior-most body segments: right side tilted 
slightly downward, setae deleted. A — tergum covering the postpedal seg- 
ments. B — tergite of ultimate pedal segment. C — Pretergite of ultimate 
pedal segment. D=Tergite of penultimate pedal segment. E = right ultimate 
leg. F = Spiracle and plate-like bulge of ultimate pedal segment. G = Coxo- 
pleuron. H — Parapretergite. I = Stigmopleurite of penultimate pedal seg- 
ment. J = Paratergite of penultimate pedal segment. 
