1036 



FAMILY XXXVII. — NEPID^. 



Fig. 208. a, Ventral view of head and prothorax of Ranatra buenoi Hung., show- 

 ing deep rostral groove of prosternum ; b — </, front femora of Ranatra, showing the 

 form, median tooth and, when present, the subapical one; b. of R- kirkahli/i Bueno ; 

 c, R. nigra H.-S. ; d, R. buenoi Hung. ; e, R. drakei Hung. ; f, R. fusca P. B. ; (/. R. 

 australis Hung. (After Hungerford). 



b. Front femora very slender, without a preapical tooth (fig. 208, c 

 and d) ; branch of second antennal not more than one-half the 

 length of third or last antennal (fig. 207, e) . 



c. Groove of prosternum shallow, more or less convex at middle and 



with a depressed line each side; color usually pale dull yellow; 

 breathing tube shorter than abdomen ; length of body, 30 — 

 32 mm. 1176. nigra. 



cc. Groove of prosternum single, as deep or deeper than wide (fig. 

 208, a) ; color fuscous-brown; breathing tube longer than ab- 

 domen; length of body, 32 — 38 mm. 1177. buenoi. 

 bb. Front femora (except in drakei) much stouter and (except in 

 australis) with a preapical sinuation and tooth; branch of second 

 antennal more than one-half the length of third antennal (fig. 

 207, /) . 



d. Front femora with a preapical sinuation and tooth (fig. 208, e and 



/) ; upper margin of cheeks not elevated above the tylus ; legs 

 not or very faintly annulated. 

 e. Front portion of pronotum, along the median dorsal line, more 

 than twice as long as thickened basal portion ; eyes very large, 

 their diameter greater than width of interocular area ; breath- 

 ing tube usually more than 30 mm. in length. 1178. drakei. 

 ee. Front portion of pronotum distinctly less than twice the length 

 of thickened basal portion; eyes smaller, not wider than inter- 

 ocular area; hind femora not reaching middle of fifth ventral; 

 breathing tube less than 25 mm. in length. 1179. fusca. 



dd. Front femora without a preapical sinuation or tooth (fig. 208, g) ; 

 cheeks prominent, their upper margin rising above the level of 

 the tylus; front femora and tibia? annulated. 1180. australis. 



1175 ( — ). Ranatra kirkaldyi Bueno, 1905d, 187. 



Dark brownish-yellow to fuscous-brown; legs sometimes paler than 

 the body, often distinctly annulated. Eyes smaller and less protruding 



