116 



PAPERS BEAD. 



Notes on the Ancestry of the Hemiptera. 



BY G. W. KIKKALDY. 



During the last few years, Anton Tlandlirsch has published an 

 extensive work on Fossil Insects*, in which the Palaeozoic and 

 Mesozoic forms are very fully discussed, and the Kainozoic (non- 

 recent) forms enumerated. 



While conceding at once the erudition and patience necessary 

 to such an enormous work, I am sorry to have to join issue with 

 Mr. Handlirsch, almost in toto, where the Hemiptera are con- 

 cerned. 



Ilandlirsch excludes from serious consideration as Hemip- 

 tera, and that very rightly, as I believe, all the palaeozoic forms 

 described as Hemiptera except Eugereon hockingi Dohrn, and 

 two new forms, Scytinopiera kokeni and Prosbole hirsuta. It 

 must be explained, first of all, that the "Suborders" of most 

 authors are the Orders of Handlirsch (so far as Hemiptera are 

 concerned) and their "Orders" are his "Subclasses." 



Handlirsch divides the palaeozoic Hemiptera into two 

 [sub-] Orders, Protohemiptera (containing Eugereon) and 

 Palaeoheiuiptera (with the other two). 



For the Palaeohemiptera, Handlirsch gives no convincing 

 characters, and, judging from the figures given, T should have no 

 hesitation in placing them in the Homoptera, indeed Prosbole is 

 a Fulgoroid, and might even be included in, or near, the Cixiini 

 or Achilini. Scytinoptera might well fall in among the Cercopi- 

 da^, Tetigoniidffi or certain Fulgoroidese, but I think it more 

 likely an Asiracid; it is certainly an Aiichenorrhynchous Hom- 

 opteron. Thus, in my opinion, the Auchenorhynchi (as restrict- 

 ed today), were present in the Palaeozoic Era ! 



Here I may be permitted to enter a protest against the habit, 

 prevalent even in technical works, of referring to the Carbonifer- 

 ous and Permian Epochs as being "at the da^^m of life," "at the 

 early periods of the Earth's history," and such like rubbish, 



* "Die fossilen Insekten und die Phylogenie der rezenten Formen," 

 pp. 1-1430, Pis. 1-51; text figs., tables, etc. (1906-08). 



Proc. Haw. Ent. Soc. II, No. 3, May, 1910. 



