1973 ] 
Shear — Rhiscosomididae 
197 
quent collections of R. josephi are from the Douglas Co. region. 
Admittedly, the assignment of this species name is somewhat arbi- 
trary, but no harm is done by using it for the commonest species of 
southwestern Oregon. 
Description: Male from Canyonville County Park, Douglas Co., 
Oregon; length, 7.0 mm, width, 1.10 mm. Body of typical form, 
nonsexual characters as described for R. mineri . 
Anterior gonopods (Figs. 7, 8): anterior coxal processes short, 
sharply curved anteriad, termination complex, somewhat variable 
(compare Figs. 7 and 8), usually with large lateral tooth, smaller 
mesal teeth, small anterior tooth; lateral branch of process a broad 
flange embracing posterior coxal processes. Posterior coxal processes 
with anterior and mesal branches bent sharply posteriad at right 
angles, posterior branch much reduced. Telopodites typical. Ninth 
legs (posterior gonopods) typical of genus (Fig. 9). Coloration as 
usual. 
Female from same locality; size and structure much as in male, 
sixth segment not enlarged. Sternite of second legs with blunt exten- 
sion between coxae (Fig. 5), postgenital structure similar to that of 
R. mineri (Fig. 6). 
Distribution: Oregon: Coos Co., 8 mi east, 2 mi south of Alle- 
gany, Weyerhauser Co. Millicoma Tree Farm, company road 5000, 
Berlese of Pseudotsuga bark flakes on clear-cut slope, 20 November 
1971, E. M. Benedict, 2 ; Curry Co., 13 mi east of Gold Beach on 
road to Agness, elev. 600', Berlese of tan oak duff, 10 March 1972, 
E. M. Benedict, $ 22 ; Douglas Co., Canyonville County Park, 2 
mi east of Canyonville off Rt. 227, Berlese of duff, moss, wood, soil, 
elev. 1000', 6 November 1971, E. M. Benedict, c? cT? 9 , 2 mi north 
of Melrose, elev. 400', berlese of rotted wood and duff, 7 February 
1972, E. M. Benedict, $ , 0.7 mi west of Scottsburg, near Umpqua 
River, elev. 300', Berlese of rotted myrtle heartwood, 1 1 December 
1971, E. M. Benedict, 8 2 , Elliot State Forest, 1 mi south, 2 mi 
west of Ash, elev. 1 100', Berlese of mixed duff from conifers, bigleaf 
maples, 11 December 1971, E. M. Benedict, 2 , 2 mi southeast of 
Day Creek on Rt. 227, elev. 1000', berlese of oak and mad rone 
litter, 6 November 1971, E. M. Benedict, $ . 
Notes: Fig. 8, of the male from 2 mi southeast of Day Creek, and 
Fig. 7, of the described male from Canyonville County Park, though 
fairly close geographically, represent the extremes of variation in the 
termination of the anterior coxal process. Females are difficult to 
distinguish, except by locality (see Map 1) from those of R. mineri, 
as the postgenital structures are very similar (cf. Figs. 3 and 6). 
