natural, history

FAMILY PLATYRHACIDAEPlatyrbacus knudseni new species (Fig. 4)General color. including legs and antennae. dark brown, without lighter markings.Antennae cylindrical, of uniform thickness, reaching beyond middle of secondtergite.Collum only a little wider than head; lateral ends protruding in a rounded lobe;surface with numerous large tubercles.Second tergite wider than the collum and than the tergite following it. In the malethree rounded scallops or lobes at each lateral end; anterior and posterior marginsof keels smooth. with no projecting teeth. The ends of third and fourth keels similarbut on subsequent keels the lateral margin bears an increasing number of projectingtubercles. the number rising to seven or eight on the most posterior tergites. Surfaceof tergites with three transverse rows of of well separated large tubercles betweenwhich sre densely arranged smaller tubercles and granules.Last tergite with dorsal surface covered with tubercles and granules; the semicurlarcaudal margin bearing five or six stout setae.Gonopods of the male falling in the group in which the primary branches aresubdivided. the characteristic features being as shown in Fig. 4.Width of male. 7.5 mm; of female 8 to 8.5 mm.St.: L. 346. Guadalcanal. Honiara. in and under dry rotten wood and under stones,10 Oct. 1951 - I J. 3 ;.A species intermediate in size between P. gonethus and P. fallens. occurring atFulakora, from which it is distinguishable in the details of the male gonopods as shownin Fig. 4.The species is named for Mr. HARRY KNUDSEl'.FAMI LY STRONGYLOSOMI DAEOxidus sp.St.: L. 340 and L. 341. Guadalcanal. Honiara, 9 Oct. 1951 -- many females and immaturespecimens.In the absence of male specimens accurate determination of the species cannotbe made.CHILOPODAFAMILY SCUTIGERIDAEPhanothereua new genusA genus belonging in the "subtribe" Thereunemini of VERHOEFF in which tarsalspines are lacking on all legs and tarsal pegs are present on all but the last pairs ofJegs. Apparently nearest to Tachythereua with which it agrees in lacking hairs or hairpoints on the tergites but differs in having the dorsal spines or prickles single. notpaired (i.e. in having each normal spine accompanied by a more slender companion)210