TOMASFPIS. 185 
24. Tomaspis lepidior, sp.n. (Tab. XI. figg. 19, 194.) 
Oblongo-ovata, leviter pubescens, capite et pronoto viridi- vel ceruleo-zneo, illo modico, metopidio haud pro- 
ducto, hoc longitudine sesquilatiori perdense subtiliter subrugose punctato ; scutello viridi-neo, leviter 
rugoso ; tegminibus nigris, margine interiori basali et maculis quatuor pone scutellum lineatim dispositis, 
duabusque pone medium ad suturam, rufescentibus, quatuorque preterea marginem attingentibus sat 
magnis dilute testaceis ; corpore subtus, capite et pectore antice fusco excepto, rufescente; pedibus piceis, 
genibus et femoribus tibiisque posticis plus minusve rufescentibus. 
Oblong-ovate, with fine yellowish pubescence ; head, pronotum, and scutellum dark, with metallic reflections ; 
pronotum very closely and subrugosely sculptured ; tegmina black, with the inner basal margins broadly 
rufescent ; just behind the scutellum there are four reddish spots in a line (two on each tegmen), the two 
inner ones being often almost confluent, and just behind the middle are two similar spots, answering to 
the two inner spots behind the scutellum; at the margins are four light testaceous spots (two on each 
tegmen, one before and one behind the middle); underside red, except the front part; legs pitchy, with 
the knees and the posterior femora and tibie, in part at least, rufescent. 
Long. 7-8 millim.; lat. max. 31-4 millim. 
Hab. Panama, Bugaba (Champion). 
A considerable series. This is one of the most distinct and pretty species among the 
smaller Cercopide. 
25. Tomaspis simulans. (Tab. XI. figg. 20, 20a.) 
Sphenorhina simulans, Walk. List of Homopt. Ins., Suppl. p. 183 (1858) *. 
Tomaspis fasciaticollis, Stal, Stett. ent. Zeit. xxv. p. 63 (1864) *. 
Hab. Mexico (Sallé!; Mus. Holm. and coll. Signoret 7), Pinos Altos in Chihuahua 
(Buchan-Hepburn), Rincon, Chilpancingo, and Acaguizotla in Guerrero, Teapa in 
Tabasco (H. H. Smith), Cuernavaca (Bilimek, in Mus. Vind. Ces.), Jalapa (Hége), 
Orizaba (Bilimek, in Mus. Vind. Ces.; H. H. Smith and Ff. D. Godman). 
This is a small species, with the ground-colour dark, with two distinct white or 
whitish-yellow bands across the tegmina, and one across the pronotum. It is variable, 
and presents four distinct forms :— 
a. Black or fuscous, with the light bands broad and distinct, and the head, the margins of the pronotum, the 
basal angle of the tegmina, and legs and underside more or less testaceous. This is the common form. 
6. Pronotal band very narrow; tegmina without light bands. This is the var. “tegminibus impictis” of 
St&l; it is not represented in our collection, but there is a specimen in the Vienna Museum labelled as 
presented by Stal. 
¢. Black, with the light bands much narrower, often reduced to mere lines or elongated spots of a clearer 
white colour; abdomen red; legs mostly red or black, with the posterior femora and tibie red. Size 
smaller. 
dad. Pronotum without white band. Size smaller. 
It is possible that one or two of these may belong to distinct species, but they can 
hardly be described without more material. 
Stal compares 7. fasciaticollis with T. bicincta (Say), and says it is closely akin to it ; 
but Say says of his 7. dicincta that it resembles Cercopis rubra and C. sororia, Germ., 
which are quite different insects. 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Rhynch. Homopt., Vol. II., August 1897. *24 
