INTRODUCTION 



The present catalogue of the Family Araeopidae (formerly Delphacidae) 

 forms Part 3 of Fascicle IV of the general Catalogue of the Hemiptera of 

 the World, which is devoted to the Superfamily Fulgoroidea. 



CHARACTERS OF THE FAMILY 



The Family Araeopidae is the largest family of the Fulgoroidea. The pres- 

 ent catalogue contains 137 genera and 1,114 species. This family includes 

 some of the smallest fulgoroids. Even the larger species seldom measure 

 more than 8 or 9 mm. to the tips of the fore wings and the smaller species 

 are frequently less than 2 mm. in length. The head is usually small and rela- 

 tively simple, but in a few genera it is elaborately developed, being some- 

 times as long as the rest of the body. The antennae are usually simple, with 

 a short basal segment and a short globular or somewhat elongate, terete sec- 

 ond segment and with a terminal flagellum. The antennal segments together 

 are usually not much longer than the short head and short thorax combined. 

 Occasionally either the first or the second or both segments are greatly 

 elongated. Such antennae may be considerably flattened or the basal seg- 

 ment may be prismatic in shape with the entire length exceeding the total 

 length of the body. 



The thorax is usually short with the pronotum and mesonotum conspicu- 

 ous, generally provided with median and lateral carinae. The pronotum 

 tends to be collar-like; the rnesonotum triangular in outline. The fore wings 

 or tegmina of the Araeopidae occur quite commonly in three forms: a very 

 short fore wing with reduced venation, covering the basal segments of the 

 abdomen only — brachypterous; or of moderate length covering most of the 

 abdomen and with fairly well developed venation — koeliopterous; and lastly 

 a fore wing usually longer than the abdomen, frequently much longer, with 

 fully developed venation- — macropterous. The venation of the macropterous 

 fore wings is characteristic for the family as a whole. In the fore wing, sub- 

 costa is typically two-branched. Radius is coalesced with subcosta for about 

 half of its length, when it diverges suddenly, then coalesces near the middle 

 of its course with media one plus two. It then diverges toward the costal 

 border of the wing. Media is typically three-branched, the branches repre- 

 sented being media one, media two and media three plus four or media one 

 plus two, and media three and media four. Media three plus four frequently 

 coalesces for a short distance with cubitus one. Sometimes these two veins 

 are connected by a short cross vein. Cubitus is three-branched. Hind wings 

 are usually present, sometimes much reduced in specimens with brachyp- 

 terous or koeliopterous fore wings. In specimens with macropterous fore 



