no. 3614 HESPEROLABOPS — FROESCHNER 7 



Ecological notes on specimens collected by F. D. Bennett cite them 

 from Opuntia megacantha or simply Opuntia. 



Distribution: While H. nigriceps was described from "Mexico," 

 data from 29 specimens further restrict its known distribution to only 

 two Mexican states near Mexico City. MEXICO: Mexico: July, 

 August, November; Chapingo. Tlaxcala: July; Calpulalpam. 



Hesperolabops periscopis Knight 



Figures 27-31 

 Hesperolabops periscopis Knight, 1928, p. 67. 



The dominantly red dorsum (except apical two-thirds of clavus, 

 inner apical angles of coria, and membrane, all of which are fuscous) 

 sets this species part from all others in the genus. The male is well 

 marked by the long, thick, decurved spine on the margin of the genital 

 capsule immediately above the insertion of the right clasper. 



Hesperolabops periscopis was described from two females taken on 

 Dec. 6, 1927, at La Union, El Salvador. The holotype female is in 

 the United States National Museum (type no. 52833). A note 

 accompanying the original description said, "This species was found 

 commonly on both Cerei and Opuntiae." 



Distribution : A good series of both sexes from the cactus Acantho- 

 cerus horridus (photograph of host identified by the late Dr. E. Yale 

 Dawson, Smithsonian Institution) in the southernmost Mexican 

 State of Chiapas agrees very well with the holotype and extends the 

 distribution of the species north across Guatemala into southern 

 Mexico. Exact collecting information on the specimens is as follows: 

 "7 mi. N.W. Acala, Chiapas, Mexico, June 23, 1965, Burke, Mayer 

 and Schaffner." 



Hesperolabops sanguineus Carvalho, new status 



Figures 22-26 



Hesperolabops gelastops var. a Reuter, 1908, p. 152. 

 Hesperolabops gelastops var. sanguinea Carvalho, 1957, p. 106. 



The wholly red pronotum and scutellum coupled with the unicolor- 

 ous fuscous to black hemelytra will delimit this species from all the 

 others in the genus. The male is unique within the genus by pos- 

 sessing the long, slender, upturned hook at the end of the right 

 clasper (fig. 24). 



Crediting of the name "sanguineus" to Carvalho, as above, needs 

 an explanation, especially since Carvalho in his "Catalog" credits it 

 to Reuter. In Reuter's (1908, p. 152) treatment of Mexican speci- 

 mens of this genus, two varieties of gelastops were described and 



