22 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 112 



subregions (table 2). Phatnoma is by far the most widespread of all 

 of the genera, and the only genus so far shared by both the Old and 

 New Worlds. Cantacader, with 27 components, is the largest genus, 

 and it is best represented in the Ethiopian and Oriental subregions. 

 Of all the cantacaderines, only one species of Cantacader and one of 

 Phatnoma are shared by two faunal subregions. The members of 

 the remaining 19 genera are much more localized, only Gonycentrum 

 (in three subregions) being known to occur in more than one subregion. 



Paradoxically, an anomalous element enters into the distribution 

 of the cantacaderines in the Holarctic region. There is a complete 

 absence of species, both living and extinct, in the entire Nearctic 

 subregion. In the Palearctic subregion, fossils of two genera (three 

 species) have been found entombed in Baltic and Prussian ambers, 

 and, singularly, only one living species is now known to exist in south- 

 ern Europe. 



The subfamily Tinginae constitutes by far the largest (in both 

 number of genera and of species) and the most generally distributed 

 subfamily of the lace-bugs. It is represented in all the world's 

 faunal subregions except the Arctic and Antarctic. Some of the 

 muscicoline species, such as members of the genus Acalypta, have 

 been collected far north in Eurasia and North America. The north- 

 ernmost species so far found in the Americas is the muscivorus 

 Acalypta nyctalis Drake, which has been found breeding in mosses 

 in Alaska (Fairbanks and Fort Richardson) and northern Canada 

 (near Alaska and in Newfoundland) . Acalypta tends to be northern 

 in distribution and is not represented south of Mexico. Its members 

 fall among the older forms of the subfamily. 



This subfamily is represented by 1,625 existing species divided 

 among 188 genera (table 2). Both genera and species are most 

 abundant in tropical and subtropical regions, although the temperate 

 zones are also well represented. Approximately one-third of all the 

 members of the subfamily are recorded from the Neotropical sub- 

 region (table 2). The average number of species in a genus is greater 

 in this faunal area than in any of the other subregions. 



There are 125 genera in one faunal subregion; 36 in two subregions; 

 10 in three subregions; 6 in four subregions; 6 in five subregions; 

 2 (Dictyla and Tingis) in six subregions; and 2 (Paracopium and 

 Slephaniiis) in seven subregions. 



Only a few species of the subfamily Tinginae have been found 

 fossilized. The fossil genera Celaniia, Dictyla, and Tingis are repre- 

 sented by existing species. 



