582 NEPINA. 



mucli shorter ; posterior margin very oblique ; nerves very fine ; 

 Memlrane distinct, very short, posteriorly rounded, filled with very 

 fine reticulated nerves. Sternum; Prosternum much shorter than 

 the pronotum, with a sharp, thin middle keel, which ceases before 

 the posterior margin, on each side of it a longitudinal channel for 

 the reception of the coxsb ; Mesosternum trapeziform, convex ; Meta- 

 sternum short, depressed, between the 2nd and 3rd pairs of coxas 

 raised in an oval lobe, which is longitudinally depressed in the 

 centre, and posteriorly is produced into a short keel between the 

 posterior coxae. Lecjs very long, slender ; 1st pair stouter than the 

 others ; coxce cylindrical, about frds the length of the tibiae ; fulcra 

 long, curved upwards ; thighs contracted at the base, slightly dilated 

 as far as the anterior groove, then linear and curved outwards to 

 the end, with a groove beneath, extending from the apex backwards 

 for rather more tlmn ^rd the length of the thigh, very narrow, 

 minutely serrated on the edges, terminated posteriorly by a large, 

 projecting, triangular spine ; tibiae thin, curved, slightly thinner to 

 the apex, in repose folded back into the groove on tlie thighs ; tarsi 

 long, curved, obtuse, without claws ; 2nd and 3rd pairs of legs longer 

 than the 1st, subequal ; coxce very short, stout ; thigJis cylindrical ; 

 tihicB cylindrical, less than the thighs ; tarsi very long, slender ; 

 clmos thin, divergent. 



Abdomen flat above, trigonal beneath, posterior margin of all the 

 segments straight ; Connexivum (except on the last 2 segments) 

 broad, projecting laterally, reflexed ; Genital segments posteriorly, 

 not pointed. Spiracular filaments very long. 



Species 1. — Ranatra linearis. 



Nepa lineams, Li)i. r. S. 908 (1761) ; S. N. 714, 7 (1767) ; De G. Mem. 

 iii, 369, 2, pi. 19, figs. 1, 2 (1773). 



Hepa — Geofr. lus. i, 480, 1, pi. 10, fig. 1 (1764). 



Hanatra — Fah. E. S. iv, 64, 2 (1794) ; S. E. 109, 2 (1803) ; Panz. 

 P. G. 95, 15 ; Lat. Hist. Nat. xii, 2S2, pi. 96, fig. 5 

 (1804) ; Geu. iii, 149, 1 (1807) ; Lep. c^ Serv. Euc. x, 

 267, 1, pi. 22, figs. 1—10, & pi. 374, figs. 16—19 

 (1825) ; Fall. Hem. Suec. 169, 1 (1829) ; Curt. B. E. 

 vi, p. & pi. 281 (1829) ; HaJm. Wauz. i, 30, t. 42, 

 fig. 131 (1834); Burm. Haudb. ii, 199, 1 (1835); 

 H. Sc/if. Nom. Eut. i, 63 (1835) ; JSlco/c/i. Hist. Nat. 

 iii, 90, pi. 1, fig. 3 (1841); Jm. d Serv. Hem. 443, 2 

 (1843); Flor, Eliyn. Liv. i, 765, 1 (1860); Fieh, 

 Europ. Hem. 102 (1861). 



