IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCES. 183 



The Clastoptera may be separated from the others, dh-ectly, by 

 the rounded ajjex of the clavus and the terminal membrane of 

 the corium. 



CLASTOPTERA. 



Germar's original description published in his "Zeitschrift 

 fur Entomologie," Vol. I, p. 157, is as follows: 



Kopf gross, stumpf dreieckig, so breit wie der Vorderrucken, Stirn 

 gewolbt, queerstreifig:, Scheitel breit viereckig, vorn und hinten scharf 

 g-erandet, die Nebenaugen auf der mitte desScheltels genabert. Schnabel 

 bis an die Hinterbrust reichend. Fubler in einer Grube an der Wurzel 

 der Wangen, sehr kurz, mit langer feiner Endborste. Vorderrucken breit 

 am Scheitel vorgezogen und gerundet, bei den Augen gebuchtet, von den 

 Schultern nach hinten in einer Rundung verschmalert, an der spitze schmal 

 aber tief ausgerandet. Schildchen ein langgezogenes spitzwinkeliges 

 dreick bildend. Deckscbilde lederartig, an der Spitze gewolbt, uber 

 einander klapfend, die hintere Randader weit von dem Hinterrande ent- 

 fernt. Flugel hautig, unter den Deckschilden vorborgen. Beine maszig 

 lang, unbewehrtumdie hintei'sten verlangert, mit zweistacbelnam Rucken 

 die Schienen und einem Dornenkranze an der Spitze der Scbienen, und 

 ersten beiden Tarsengliedern. 



A careful study of all the American forms leads to the fol- 

 lowing summary of characters: 



Broad, oval forms; very variable in size and color markings: front 

 iniiated, circular, not longitudinally carinated; antenna? arising from a deep 

 cavity between the eyes, basal enlargement not extending outside of cavity; 

 vertex narrow, transversely depressed, outline regular, not inclosing front; 

 eyes broad, a row of curved hairs on the outer and posterior margin; pro- 

 notum convex, trapezoidal, transversely wrinkled, deeply emarginated 

 behind; scutellum narrow, triangular, longer than pronotum: hemelytra 

 convex, deflected posteriorly, overlapping behind in a perpendicular plane; 

 corium with three apical cells and two widely separated discoid cells, a 

 broad membrane beyond: membrane and apical cellules hyaline: clavus 

 with apex broidly rounded; an oval, convex, callous dot near apex of 

 hemelytra; under wing with a single discoid cell, terminal apical cell open; 

 posterior tibia with a single terminal row of spines: ovipositor carried 

 perpendicular to the plane of the body; males usually smaller and slightly 

 darker than females; smallest varieties nearly black. 



Specific characters are based upon the size and shape of 

 front, the facial angle, sculpturing of vertex and pronotum, 

 size and shape of discoid and apical cells, pubescence of prono- 

 tum and hemelytra, and the color markings of the face and legs. 



Sub-species are based upon size, food habits and associated 

 groups of constant color markings; varieties, on locality, size 

 and color markings of vertex, pronotum and clavus. 



