THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST 239 



This species may easily be distinguished from all others by 

 the small and extremely short dilatation of the posterior tibia which 

 is limited to the basal third of the tibia. The apical two-thirds 

 of the posterior tibia in the female is slender and slightly spinous 

 along inner margin, while in the male it is gradually narrowing 

 and distinctly and coarsely spinous. The hind femora of the male 

 is greatly swollen and somewhat curved as in femorata Fabr. It is 

 a distinctly smaller species than femorata Fabr. 



It has been recorded from Costa Rica and Columbia. All 

 specimens examined are from the first mentioned country. 



Acanthocephala femorata Fabr. 



Cimex femorata Fabricius, Syst. Ent., p. 708, 1775. 



Rhinuchus nasula Say, New Harm. Indiana, p. 10, 1832. 



Metapodius bispinus Westwood, in Hope Cat., II., p. 15, 1842; 



Metapodius ohsciira Westwood, in Hope Cat., II., p. 15, 1842. 



Metapodius luctuosa Stal., CEv. Vet. Ak. Forh., p. 184, 1855. 



Of all the species this one shows the greatest variability, both 

 in male and female. The variations are most notable in the 

 general size of the bug and character of its posterior femora. The 

 posterior femora of the male varies from one extreme in being very 

 greatly swollen and prominently curved, to the other extreme of 

 being only normally swollen and almost straight. Innumerable 

 gradations between the two are to be found. The character of 

 the dilatation of the posterior tibia is, however, stable. 



This species has been recorded from all of the Southern States, 

 and is also known to occur in Mexico and Central America. 



Acanthocephala confraterna Uhl. 



Metapodius confraterna Uhler, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., 

 vol. XIV, p. 99, 1871. 



In general this species most nearly resembles the preceding; 

 especially is this so with the females. The character of the dila- 

 tation of the posterior tibia of the male is like that exhibited in 

 terminalis Dall. The posterior femora of the male are more slender 

 and not so curving as in femorata Fabr. The females are some- 

 what longer and narrower than in femorata Fabr. The species is 

 noticeably larger than terminalis Dall. 



The species examined are from Florida and Texas. 



