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150 



EHTJS T CHOPHOEA. 





A polymorphic insect and very abundant throughout the United States and Centra 



1 



America, often occurring gregariously on 



the flowers of various trees and shrubs. 



The sexual characters are similar to those of B. pulchellus . The numerous forms 

 described by Chevrolat (the types of which I have seen) are connected by intermediate 

 examples and they cannot be maintained as distinct ; he, apparently, was unacquainted 

 with the wholly black variety. It may be observed that the two black spots along the 









sides of the prothorax are always placed at some distance inwards from the margin 

 and are never longitudinally confluent, and that the disc is without definite transverse 

 impression, characters separating B. 13-punctatus, in all its varieties, from B. deltoides, 

 B. cariniventris, &c. The var. femoralis, abundant in Mexico and Guatemala, is one 



of the most striking forms. Say states that the present species is found on the wild 

 cotton or milkweed (Asclepias sp.) ; and Riley 26 says that he has bred it from the 

 * ' cocklebur." 































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For convenience of reference, the various forms may be grouped und 

 headings, thus : 



1. Rufous above, the prothorax with five, and each elytron with four, spots; legs black. 



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\R. I3-punctatus, auct.l 



Mexico 



2. As in 1, but with the two subapical spots on the elytra united into a common, large 



* 



transverse patch, and the two near the middle of the suture also more or less coalescent. 

 [R. pulchellus, Riley, nee Gyll.] (Figg. 21, 21 a, ? .) — United States, Mexico 

 (Coahuila). 



3. As in 1, but with the subapical markings on the elvtra obliterated and the other three 



spots (the one near the middle of the suture usually excepted) small or inconspicuous. 













[R. elegans, Chevr.] 



c? 



Mex 







4. As in 1, but with the two spots near the middle of the elytra coalescent, often extending 



along the suture to the base or connected posteriorly with the common (subconical, 

 oblong, or transverse) subapical patch. [R. comiculatus, Chevr.; inter punctatus, Salle 





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(Fig. 23.)— Mexico 



5. As in 4, but with the black markings larger, those on the elytra sometimes coalescent or 



condensed behind into a curved subapical fascia. [R. graphicus, Duges, in litt. ; 

 venus/us, Mus. Brit.] (Fig. 24.) — Mexico, Costa Rica. 



r 



6. As in 4, but with the femora and tibiae partly red. — Mexico. 



7. As in 5, but with the black markings at the base of the prothorax coalescent. [R. implicates, 



Gyll."*, nee Chevr.] — Mexico, Costa Rica. 



8. As in 4, but with the ferruginous markings on each elytron reduced to a posteriorly 





abbreviated median vitta. 



] 



) — Panama. 



9. As in 5, but with the black markings on the elytra condensed into a very large, elongate- 



subtriangular, common patch extending from a little below the scutellum to the apex and 







* The « type » of this insect communicated by Dr. Sjostedt is evidently JR. saucius, Gyll. j it Dears no 

 locality-label. B. implicatus, Chevr. =R. deltoides, Chevr. 







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