Mr. K. Slielford's Studies of the Blattidae. 265 



Genus 3. Platyzosteria, Br. 



Platyzosteria, Brunner von Wattenwyl, Nouv. Syst. Blatt., 

 p. 204 (1865). 



Melanozostcria, Stal, Bih. Svensk. Akad. ii (13), p. 13, 

 (1874). 



Syntomaptcra, Tepper, Tr. R. Soc. S. Australia, xvii, 

 p. 1*06 (1893). 



Drymaplaneta, Tepper, t. c, p. 109 (1893). 



Chamcters. Ocelli absent. Antennae shorter than the body. 

 Body depressed. Vertex of head not covered by pronotum. Pro- 

 notum not cucullate, its margins not reflected. Rudiments of tegmina 

 present as squamiform lobes or absent. Wings absent. Posterior 

 angles of all the abdominal tergites produced, those of the distal 

 tergites strongly produced and spiniforra. Supra-anal lamina 

 variable in shape but never sub-bilobate in 5 • Genital styles long, 

 slender, acuminate. Cerci frequently exceeding the supra-anal 

 lamina, apex acuminate. Tibiae moderately spined, spines on outer 

 aspect triseriately arranged. Posterior metatarsus very short, not 

 spined beneath or with only a few spines, its piilvillus covering the 

 greater part of the joint beneath. 



Type of the genus — F. mdanaria, Ericlis. 



Melanozoderia, Stal, is founded on a species of Platy- 

 zosteria erroneously identified as nitida, Br, Syntomaptcra, 

 Tepp., includes six species of Platyzosteria which the author 

 quite incorrectly regards as allied to Pcriplaneta ; Kirby 

 for no obvious reason selects scahriuscula, Tepp., as the type 

 of the genus (Syn. Cat. Orth., i, p. 129, 1904). Dryma- 

 planeta, Tepp., is based on variable and larval characters 

 and cannot possibly stand. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



1. Uniform piceous or castaneous (cf., 

 however, P. bicolor, Kirby). 

 2. Tegminal rudiments absent. 



3. Dorsal surface not or only faintly 

 scabrous. 

 4. Thoracic tergites not trans- 

 versely seriate-punctate. 

 5. Vertex of head not orange 

 rufous. 



