lUIOCKRUS. 



185 



2397. Idiocerus niveosparsus, Letli. J. A. S. B. Iviii, p. 252 (1889) ; 

 Atkins. Ind. ^Itis. X<jfes, i, no. I, p. •'j (1889) ; id. torn. cit. 

 no, iv, p. 187, t. xii, f. 6 (1891) ; id. J. A. S. B. Ixxii, pt. ii, p. 7 

 (1903). 

 Idiocerus basalis, Melich. Horn. Faun. Ceylon, p. 147 (1903). 



Vertex of head and face ochraceous, the former with darker 

 suffusions on each side of a central pale line, the latter with two 

 discal oblong piceous-brown spots ; pronotiun dull virescent with 

 darker spots and markings, paler near outer angles ; scutellum 

 pale ocliraceous, with three basal black spots, the central trans- 

 verse, the lateral angular, behind the central two very small spots 

 and a similar spot on each lateral margin ; sternum transversely 



Fig. 121. — Idiocerus nivcosparsics. 



spotted with black and the anal segment of that colour ; legs 

 ochraceous, apices of the posterior tibite black ; tegmina bronzy 

 subhyaline, the veins ochraceous or piceous ; costal area to about 

 middle ochraceous, following this an elongate costal piceous spot 

 and a similar spot near apex, between these spots is a hyaline space 

 and a transverse subbasal greyish fascia ; venation as in figure. 



Length J 4 to 41 ; $ 5 to 5g millim. 



-aV/6. Saharanpur (Gollan) ; Calcutta (Ind. Mus.) ; Madras 

 (Mus. Hongrois) ; Bombay Prov., Jalalpur (Lefro)/). Ceylon ; 

 Peradeniya (Jide MelicJiar); Pattipola (2Ius. Hongrois). 



I am indebted to Dr. Horvath for the opportunity of figuring 

 the form described by Melichar as 1. hasalis, from which the above 

 description has been taken. The figui-e given in the ' Ind. Mus. 

 Notes,' supra, is none too faithful. The species is variable in 

 markings ; in some specimens the scutellum has the central basal 

 transverse spot as here figured, in others this spot is more elongate 

 and extending to about middle of scutellum ; the face is often 

 unicolorous with the oblong piceous spots absent. 



" This Jassid may in most years be found in swarms in mango 

 topes in Pebruary, March, and April. It subsists by sucking out 

 the juices from the young flower shoots of the mango. This insect 

 is one of the most serious of our mango pests." {H. W. Peal.) 



