Gr. H. F. Nuttall 
13 
Amputations through the basis capituli. 
Ten first-stage nymphs had the basis capituli cut through transversely 
on 15. iii. 1915. Only four survived this severe operation which was accom¬ 
panied by a considerable loss of coelomic fluid. 
Argas 
No. Cut across basis capituli 
50 Cut diagonally near base of palps, 
including a long piece of shaft 
and digits of chelicerae. 
51 Cut similarly to No. 50 but more 
basally. 
54 Cut similarly to the last. 
60 Cut across anteriorly, a good por¬ 
tion of cheliceral shaft being in¬ 
cluded. 
After effects on 2nd-stage nymph 
19. iv. 15. Found partly moulted, feeble. Exuviae 
were carefully removed and found palps absent; 
hypostome represented by a smooth stump; cheli¬ 
cerae digitless, the tip of one sheath toothed, the 
other rounded. 
19. iv. Found partly moulted, feeble, without capi- 
tulum, hypostome or palps, whilst two flattened 
digitless cheliceral sheaths protruded like fingers 
from a glove. 
5. iv. Moulted and died on 30. iv. Palp absent on the 
right side and reduced to a thin finger-like process 
on the left side; hypostome absent; chelicera of 
left side with its digit very small, the digits on both 
sides deformed (see Fig. 3 B and B'). 
1. iv. Found moulting, thin and weak; it was 
helped to free itself. The tick died on 28. iv. 
Whilst it possessed neither hypostome nor palps, 
the chelicerae appeared normal. 
Fig. 3. Argas persicus nymphs. (A) Capitulum of lst-stage nymph which had its hypostome and 
digits removed when in the larval stage (Argas 21); ventral aspect. (B) Capitulum of a 2nd-stago 
nymph which had its basis capituli cut across when in the first nymphal stage (Argas 54); dorsal 
aspect. (B') Ventral aspect of the same, showing absence of hypostome, one palp reduced to a 
finger-like process and the other absent, digits deformed. 
