PHYMATA. 49 
Fam. PHYMATIDA. 
Herr A. Handlirsch’s Monograph of this family is now in the press. He has 
examined specimens of all the Central-American species represented in our collection, 
and I have endeavoured to follow him wherever possible, the references to his work 
being taken from proof-sheets kindly forwarded. Two genera only are certainly 
represented within our limits, Phymata and Macrocephalus; a third, Agreuocoris, is 
recorded by Herr Handlirsch as from “ Mexico,” but, as he says, the insect is probably 
of eastern origin. One Phymata and seven Macrocephali are here described as new, 
the whole of these being unknown to him. 
The more important synonymy only of the Central-American species is mentioned 
below, it being given at length by Herr Handlirsch. | 
These insects, as noted by Prof. Uhler and other writers regarding Phymata erosa, L. 
= fasciata, Gray), bury themselves in the pollen of various flowers, and are thus 
easily enabled, by means of their raptorial front legs, to catch the small insects that 
come within reach, their habits being similar in this respect to those of many Mantide. 
They have been noticed to attack small Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, and Lepidoptera, as 
well as the larve of Tenthredinide, Aphides, &c. 
PHYMATA. 
Phymata, Latreille, Hist. Nat. Crust. et Ins. ii. p. 247 (1802) ; Laporte, Essai Class. Syst. 
Hémipt., in Guérin’s Mag. Zool. 1832, p. 14; Westwood, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. iii. p. 21 
(1843) ; Stal, Enum. Hemipt. v. pp. 131, 132 (1876); Handlirsch, Ann. k. k. naturhist. 
Hofmus. xii. p. 144 (1898). 
Syrtis, Fabricius, Syst. Rhyng. p. 121 (1803) (part.). 
Discomerus, Laporte, loc. cit. p. 14. 
I follow Herr Handlirsch in placing most of the Central-American Phymate under 
one variable, abundant, widely distributed species, P. erosa (J.inn.) (fasctata, Gray). 
The five other Central-American members of the genus appear to be much less 
variable ; they are all comparatively rare, one only of them, P. acutangula, Guér., 
having been found in any numbers. Our species may be separated thus :— 
a. Abdomen angularly or acutely dilated at the sides ; head short or moderately 
long. 
a’. Pronotum constricted at the sides between the anterior and posterior 
lobes, with the lobes also more or less emarginate; legs not annulate . erosa, L. 
b'. Pronotum strongly, subequally trisinuate at the sides; legs annulate. . handlirschi, n. sp. 
b. Abdomen strongly and acutely dilated at the sides; lateral angles of the 
pronotum acute; headlong . . . acutangula, Guér. 
c. Abdomen broadly and abruptly dilated : at the sides ; ‘head moderately long; ; 
legs annulate. 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Rhynch., Vol. IL. , April 1898. 7 
