Page:Wood 1865 - The Myriapoda of North America.djvu/57

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
192
THE MYRIAPODA OF NORTH AMERICA.

racters; that of the latter is founded on an entirely distinct set—is, in truth, a description comparative not with the allied genera, but with those of the Iulidæ. In "Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist.," Mr. Newport described a genus Platops. His description has apparently not the slightest relation to that of M. Brandt; but Platops seems to be the same as Spirostrephon, from the fact that the type of the latter is one of Mr. Newport's new species. Mr. Gervais unites Lysiopetalum and Platops together, whether correctly or not I cannot say, not having seen enough specimens. Although with my present light it appears probable that they are one, yet, out of deference to the opinions of Messrs. Brandt and Newport, they are in this paper considered distinct.


Genus SPIROSTREPHON.[1]

S. lactarius.

S. brunneus, lineis rufo-brunneis tribus ornatus; scutis valde et arete carinatis; segmentis 59.

Brown, ornamented with three reddish brown lines; scuta closely and strongly keeled; segments 59.


Var. Nigro brunneus, haud lineatus.
Var. Blackish brown, not lineate.

Julus lactarius, Say, Journ. A. N. S., 1st series, vol. ii, p. 104.
Platops lineatus, Newport, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. xiii, p. 267.
Spirostrephon lactarius, Brandt, Recueil, p. 90.
Lysiopetalum lineatum, Gervais, Apteres, vol. iv, p. 133.
Cambala lactarius,"""p. 134; Exped. L' Amer. du Sud (Castelneau), Myriap., p. 17.
Reasia spinosa, Sanger, Proc. A. N. S., 1856, p. 109.
"Reana chinosa, Sceger," Gervais, Exped. L'Anier. du Sud (Castelneau), Myriap., p. 14.

Haud. " Julus lactarius, Say;" Gray et Newport.
Cambala lactarius, Gray, Griff., Animal Kingdom Ins., pi. 135, fig. 2.
"" Newport, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist, vol. xiii, p. 266.

The color in this species varies from a very light to a very dark brown. The ornamental lines are generally very distinct, but may be entirely absent, especially in those specimens which have a blackish tint.

The head is somewhat emarginate in its superior posterior border. The vertex is dark colored, convex, medianly obsoletely canaliculate, and copiously minutely distinctly punctate. The anterior aspect is rather narrow, lighter colored, and provided with numerous

  1. Brandt.