69 



ON THE METAMORPHOSES 

 OF TWO GOPTOSOMINE HEMIPTERA FROM MAGAO 



by J.-C-1V. Kershaw 



(with notes by G.-W. Kirraldv) 



[The forms herein investigated belong to the subfamily Copto- 

 sominœ of the family Cimicidse. Although sometimes placed in a 

 separate family, they are merely Scutellerinse of rounder and 

 shortei* form, with narrower and more elongate tegmina, the lower 

 wings deeply incised at the anal fold, and bisegmentate tarsi. 



Although some 350 species are recognized, in less than a dozen 

 is the host-plant known, while the only recorded biological informa- 

 tion consists of three meagre notes, 1" by Westwood (1840 Intr. 

 Glass. Ins. II. 487), who mentions that in a mauritian Plataspis, the 

 nymphs « are very convex, but exhibit no extraordinary enlarge- 

 ment of the scutellum », 2° by Green (1900 Ent. Mo. Mag. 185), 

 who records a colony of Coptosoma tended by the ant Cremasto- 

 gaster (1), and 3° by Annandale and Robinson (in Distant 1903, 

 Fasc. Malay. I. 224), who relate that « the species was found in 

 considérable numbers of the shoots of a species of Acacia with 

 honey glands growing in the open. When disturbed the head was 

 folded beneath the thorax, and the insect attempted to fall to the 

 ground. If prevented from doing this it readily took to flight ». 



It will then be conceded that M r Kershaw has made some very 

 interesting and valuable additions to our hemipterous knowledge.] 



1. Brachyplatys subaeneus (Westwood). 



This is a very common species in South China, feeding upon 

 Puerarin thunbergiana Bentham, and occasionally on other Legu- 

 minosse. The new shoots of this large twiner are often crowded 

 with thèse bugs and another species of the same subfamily, and 

 ants, as they (the shoots) exude juice. The ants take no notice of 

 the bugs, but sip the juice of the plant and also tend the plant-lice 

 which often cluster on the shoots. The bug is very active and runs 

 very quickly and flies readily. 



(1) It will be noted that Mr Kershaw states that the ants, in lus observations, 

 took no notice of the Coptosomiuje, fixing their attention on the Plant-lice, which 

 are often on the same shoots. G. W. K. 



