A study of some social beetles in British Guiana and of their relations to the ant-plant Tachigalia . iduals of all stages, running hither and thither over the wallsof the petiole, like certain species of the same genus (E. myrmeco-phila Reut. and dissimilis Mon.) and Cyphodeirus (C. albinosNicol), which are often abundant in the nests of ants. Like theants the Coccidotrophus pay no attention to these diminutive in-sects and are probably not even aware of their existence. Themites (Hypoaspis sp.) and Phorid flies (Aphiochieta scalaris)were more rarely seen. They probably breed in the accumulat
A study of some social beetles in British Guiana and of their relations to the ant-plant Tachigalia . iduals of all stages, running hither and thither over the wallsof the petiole, like certain species of the same genus (E. myrmeco-phila Reut. and dissimilis Mon.) and Cyphodeirus (C. albinosNicol), which are often abundant in the nests of ants. Like theants the Coccidotrophus pay no attention to these diminutive in-sects and are probably not even aware of their existence. Themites (Hypoaspis sp.) and Phorid flies (Aphiochieta scalaris)were more rarely seen. They probably breed in the accumulationsof refuse at the ends of the petiolar cavity and may thereforebe regarded as scavengers, like the mites and Phorids whichoccur in many ant-nests. Careful examination of the alimentary tract of the Coccido-trophus would probably show that the beetle harbors a numberof entoparasites, at least certain bacteria, but I could not find thetime to make such an examination when fresh material was avail-able and my alcoholic specimens are worthless for the purpose. 1921] Wheeler: Some Social Beetles 81. FIG. 12. HYPHOMYCETOUS PARASITE ON COCCI- DOTROPHVS SOCIALIS. From a drawing by Prof. Roland Thaxter. It seemed probable, nevertheless, that the beetle, living as itdoes in dark, moist cavities, might be infested with ectoparasiticfungi, especially of the group Laboulbeniales. I therefore re-quested Prof. R. Thaxter, the leading specialist in this group, toexamine a large number of the beetles. After carefully scrutin-izing their external surfaces he reports that he found no Laboul-beniales, but only a sterile Hyphomycete, growing on the elytronof one of the specimens. Referring to his work on the similarfungi of other insects he writes me as follows: The fungus onthe CoccidotropJuis probably belongs to the group spoken of atthe bottom of p. 237 in my first paper (1914), the most strikingform of which (Aposporella elegans Thaxter), found on thewings of a small fly from the Kamerun, is
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