1921] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 253 



before us (length 7 mm.), is generally buffy, the antennae dark 

 with annuli as in the adult, the pronotum with a homologous dark 

 paired patch which, however, sends a ray of the same color latero- 

 caudad instead of cephalad on each side, the mesonotum and meta- 

 notum dark in broad meso-proximal portion. In this stage arolia 

 are absent. 



HORMETICA Burmeister. 



1838. Hormeiica Burmeister, Handb. Ent., II, Abth. II, Pt. I, p. 511. 

 1865. Dasyposoma Brunner, Nouv. Syst. Blatt., p. 387. 



After considerable study of the problem, we are now convinced 



that Dasyposoma is a synonym of Hormetica; the genotype and other 



species referred to, representing immature individuals of Hormetica 



in the later instars, as discussed below. 



Hormetica ventxalis Biirmeister. 



1838. H[orme(ica] ventralis Burmeister, Handb. Ent., II, Abth. II, Pt. I, p. 



512. [Rio de Janeiro, [Brazil].] 

 1865. D[asyposoma] nigra Brunner, Nouv. Syst. Blatt., p. 388, p.. XIII 



figs. 57 A to C [d^, 9 ; Brazil.] 



Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1 large juv. cf . 



This specimen agrees closely with an immature female in the 

 same ihstar from Puerto Bertoni, Paraguay, recorded by R,ehn 

 as Dasyposoma nigra and apparently referable to Hormetica atlas 

 Rehn, which species is very closely allied to the present. 



Recent studies of a large series of both sexes, including adults and 

 immatures, of Hormetica apolinari Hebard, from Colombia, have 

 shown that in that species the early stages lacked pulvilli, the adults 

 having well-developed pui villi. Futhermore it was found that 

 Saussure 's Dasyposovia marmorata was based on the immature 

 condition of a species of Hormetica closely related to apolinari. 



The present material is, we believe, reierahle to Hormetica ventralis, 

 and it is highly probable that Brunner 's Dasyposoma nigra is 

 based on the immature condition of this species; certain it is that 

 the name is referable to this or one of the very closely related species 

 of Hormetica.'* The two immatures of Brazilian species at hand 

 also lack arolia though the surface of the tarsal joint between the 

 tarsal claws is swollen in this instar, apparently the last preceding 

 maturity. 



'^ Of these we have before us adults, representing both sexes, refeiTed to laevi- 

 gata Burmeister, atlas Rehn and scrobiculata Burmeister, which have been fully 

 discussed by Rehn, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc, XLIII, p, 341, (1917). 



