4 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 123 



4. Hemelytron, except apical two-thirds of clavus, inner apical angles of coria 

 and membrane, wholly red; right clasper without a rectangular angulation 



dorsally (fig. 30); length 6.2 mm periscopis Knight 



Hemelytron fuscous with costa and adjacent edge of corium and outer 

 third or more of cuneus cream colored to white; right clasper of male with 

 a large, rectangular angulation dorsally (fig. 4); length 5.4-7.0 mm. 



gelastops Kirkaldy (fig. 1) 



Hesperolabops gelastops Kirkaldy 



Figures 1-5, 7-10 



Hesperolabops gelastops Kirkaldy, 1902, p. 249, pi. 5 (fig. 2). 



Stylopidea picta Hunter, Mitchell, and Pratt, 1912, p. 22. [New synonymy.] 



Within the genus this is the only species with white or cream costal 

 edges on corium and cuneus of fuscous forewings. The male is 

 recognized readily by the dorsal angulation on the right clasper 

 (fig. 4). Another male feature worthy of note and present in no 

 other species of the genus is a bispinose area within the genital capsule 

 (fig. 5, stippled area). 



The distinctness of two species, H. gelastops and H. picta, as 

 recognized by Knight (1928, p. 68) and accepted by Carvalho (1955, 

 p. 106) is not supported by modifications of the male genital segment: 

 one structural pattern is involved. The color pattern shows some 

 variation in intensity of the fuscous areas, being paler in the northern 

 specimens where the calli are rosaceous in contrast to the black 

 color of the calli of most of the southern specimens. The pale costal 

 margin also varies in width and gives the illusion of variation in 

 stoutness of the specimens. Pale individuals as well as intermediates, 

 however, occur throughout the range and eliminate any need for 

 taxonomic recognition. Thus, morphologically, H. picta must fall 

 as a synonym of H. gelastops; however, as noted below, there is a 

 biological difference between the northern and southern populations 

 of the species so defined. 



The type specimen of H. gelastops was originally in the Kirkaldy 

 collection (Kirkaldy 1902, p. 243). For H. picta no types were 

 designated with the original description because Hunter et al did not 

 intend their study to present H. picta as a new species; however, their 

 description gained the authorship for them and permitted ready 

 recognition of it. Carvalho (1955, p. 226) selected a San Antonio, 

 Tex., female lectotype (USNM type 67964) from 83 "cotypes" in 

 the U.S. National Museum collection. 



As now understood, this is the most widespread species in the genus, 

 occurring from Texas south to central Vera Cruz in Mexico. 



Hunter et al placed this species ninth in a list of 13 of "The Principal 

 Insects Injurious to Opuntia in Order of their Importance." They 

 reported it attacking the joints between the pads: "The injury is not 



