CERCOPID.K. 7^ 



Family CERCOPID^. 



Ranatrse, Germ, (part) Mag. Ent. iv, p. 34 (1821). 



Cercopides, Amy. 8,- Serv. Hem. p. 558 (184.'5). 



Cercopida, Stal, Hem. Afric. iv, p. 54 (1866) ; id. Hem. Fab?-, ii, 



p. 11 (1869) ; Fieb. Rev. Mag. Zool. (3) iii, p. 328 (1875). 

 Cercopina, Stdl, Ofv. Vet.-Ak. Fdrh. 1870, p. 718. 

 Cercopidse, Atkins. J. A. S. B. liv, p. 5 (1885). 



Face convex, or produced and compressed on either side ; ocelli 

 two, placed near base of vertex ; pronotum large, sexangular or 

 trapezoidal ; scutellum (excepting in the Machcerothue) small or 

 medium sized, triangular ; teginina usually coriaceous ; legs remote 

 from the sides of the body, with the coxae, especially the posterior 

 pair, short ; tibiae cylindrical, the posterior pair furnished with one 

 or two spines and with a circlet of spiiiules at the apex. 



The Cercopidse of British India are notable as including the 

 membracid-like Maehcerotince, and exhibiting a great abundance 

 of large and beautiful species in the Cercopince. We now possess 

 a considerable knowledge of the family. The Neotropical fauna 

 has been largely described by Stal, Berg, and Fowler. Stal, 

 Karsch, and the present writer among others, have described 

 many of the Ethiopian species and genera. The Nearctic and 

 Palaearctic Cercopidse are best known and more thoroughly worked ; 

 while Matsumura and Oshanin have lately published enumerations 

 and descriptions of those found in Japan and China. In Australia 

 probably most still requires to be done. 



Syno2:)sis of Subfamilies. 



A. Anterior margin of pronotum rounded or 



angulate ; eyes moderately transverse. 



a. Scutellum strongly elevated, posteriorly com- 



pressed, armed with a long apical spine . . Macliceroiince. 



b. Scutellum flat, triangular AphrophorirKX, 



B. Anterior margin of pronotum straight ; eyes 



equally long as broad Cercopinc^.. 



Subfamily I. MACHiEROTINvE. 



Machaerotida, Stal, Hem. Afric. iv, p. 55 (18G6). 

 Machserotina, St&l, Ofv. Vet.-Ak. Fdrh. 1870, p. 727 ; Atkins. 

 J. A. S. B. liv, p. 22 (1885). 



Anterior margin of pronotum round or angular ; legs usually 

 transverse ; scutellum much elevated, compressed posteriorly, 

 furnished with a long or moderately long apical spine. 



This subfamily distinctly links the Membracidae with the 

 Cercopidae. Some writers reverse the position of these two 

 families ; but in either case the Machcerotince are placed next to 

 the Membracidse, with which they are often confused by those 

 who have not specially studied the Homoptera. 



