268 
COLEOPTERA. 
MYRMECOPHILOUS INSECTS. 
In a publication, dated 1894, Wassmann enumerates nearly 
1,200 insects which live in some degree of association with ants, and 
over one hundred living in connection with termites. The former 
are the 4 ‘ Myrmecophilous 5 5 insects; they possess a special in¬ 
terest chiefly on account of the fact that a large proportion of them 
are not inimical to the ants in whose nests they live, but they play an 
important part in the economy of the nest and are deliberately fed and 
maintained by ants. The ant community is much like the human com¬ 
munity ; it has species of insects that it domesticates, feeds, tends and 
preserves on account of the food it derives from them ; there are others 
which live in harmony with them, are tolerated but are not known 
to have any value to the ants ; there are insects hostile to the ants 
themselves, but which, nevertheless, maintain themselves in their 
nests ; and there are parasites which live in the bodies of ants. 
The same applies to termites but far less is known of them since 
they are tropical insects and have been far less studied. It is probable 
that the ‘ ‘ termitophilous insects ’ ’ are as varied and numerous as the 
myrmecophilous insects and there is here a great field for observation 
and research in this country. 
Comparatively little is known of myrmecophilous insects in India ; 
Wroughton, Rothney and others who investigated Indian ants, found a 
number of species and Wroughton has also found termitophilous 
insects ; but the number recorded and the observations made covers 
only a very small part of the ground. We have here endeavoured to 
condense from Wassmann’s Kritisches Verzeichniss not only the 
groups found elsewhere but the recorded Indian species. 
Escherich describes three Termitophilous Thysanura, of the 
Genera Assmuthia and Platystelea from India (Zool. Anz., p. 743). 
Myrmecophila among Orthoptera is the sole recorded genus : Wrough¬ 
ton and Aitken record M. acervorum, Panz. var flavocincta , Wassm. 
in the nests of Plagiolepis longipes , Jerd. This little insect is 
one of the Myrmecophilince (Gryllidse). Wassmann (Zeitsch. Wiss 
Insecten-biol. I, p. 334), describes Myrmecophila prenolepidis found 
in Bombay by Assmuth, running with the ants (Prenolepis longicornis) 
which were moving their nest at the beginning of the rains. The same 
Myrmecophila occurs with the same ant in Brazil. Two other species 
of Myrmecophila are known to live with Pheidole Wro'ightoni and with 
Camponotus compressus . The author states that Myrmecophila lives 
with one ant species in its nymphal instars and with another when full 
grown. 
Among Neuroptera , a single Psocid is recorded. Some Eutermes 
live in a friendly manner with species of Termes and are thus Termito¬ 
philous. In Hymenoptera , we have first the ants living in a social way 
with other ants ; thus a small ant may make nests by tunnelling in the 
