Greenish-brown, with three longitudinal stripes of deep green; head anteriorly shortly pilose, impressed with a median longitudinal line, and in front of the eyes a curved one on each side, and another transverse between the eyes; antennæ and mandibles ferruginous; scuta roughened with numerous spines, strongly imbricate, with the angles rounded, the margins elevated but thin, and the spines more pronounced than in C. coleoptrata; sides generally tinged with rufous; femora each with a single deep green ring; tibiæ and tarsi biannulate; last pair of feet in the male scarcely ¼ longer than the body (in female twice longer); first metatarsal joint nearly four times as long as the second, about equalling the five following conjoined; ventral surface yellowish; sterna medianly canaliculate.
Selista forceps, Rafinesque, Annals of Nature, 1st No., 1820, p. 7.
Cerm. coleoptrata, Say, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1st series, ii.
"" Lucas.
"" var. Floridensis, Newport, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist, xiii, p. 95.
" Floridana, Newport, Linn. Trans, xix, p. 353.
Scutigera Floridana, Gerv., Apt. iv, p. 225, et Tabl. Myriap. (Exp. dans L'Amerique du Sud, part. Sept.)
Cermatia forceps, Wood, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci., vol. v, new series, 1863, p. 12.
In specimens preserved for some time in alcohol, all traces of the original color are lost, the whole animal turning to a testaceous hue. The coloration of a very large fresh female before me is as follows:
The general tint is a very light olive-brown; the median stripe is black, continuous, strongly defined, and extending from between the eyes to the posterior border of the penultimate scutum, where it abruptly terminates. The lateral stripes are black, strongly defined, interrupted, and extending from the eyes to the posterior border of the last scutum. The interruptions are so arranged that most of the scuta present three blotches on each side. The anterior portion of the head has two stripes converging anteriorly to the median line. In front of these there is a sub-round marking prolonged anteriorly. Most of the femora are provided with a very incomplete greenish black annulus, which is, however, complete on the last pair. The tibia and tarsi are biannulated. The dorsal stomata are bordered with brilliant white.
Authorities differ as to the validity of this species. I have never seen C. coleoptrata, and therefore cannot offer an opinion.
Hab. United States, east of Rocky Mountains.
Sub Ord II. HOLOTARSIA.[1]
Tarsi 3 articulati. Antennæ vix elongatæ, 14-40 articulatæ. Oculi simplices, interdum multi, interdum nulli.
Tarsus 3 articulate. Antennæ scarcely elongate, 14-40 articulate. Eyes simple, sometimes numerous, sometimes wanting.
- ↑ Brandt, Receuil, p. 26.
