66 



TREE FROGHOPPER. 



Tree Froghopper. 



The head is short, broad, prominent, and obtuse in 

 front ; the eyes are narrow and oblique on the upper 

 side. The thorax is of a transverse triangular form, 

 with the apex i-ounded and broadly notched in front of 

 the scutellum ; the front margin is a little rounded, and 

 the lateral angles are very acute ; the entire surface is 

 very closely and finely punctured, and has sparse short 

 pale pubescence. The scutellum is triangular, with the 

 apex produced and very acute ; the punctuation and 

 pubescence are similar to that on the thorax, and there 

 is a large depression in the middle. The tegmina* are 

 broadest about one-third from the base ; the costal 

 margin is strongly arched, and the apex is rounded. The 

 legs are rather slender ; the hinder tibiae have two sharp 

 spines on the outer side, and a row of spines on the 

 under side at the apex ; there is also a similar row of 

 smaller spines on the first and second joints of the 

 hinder tarsi. 



The colour and markings are subject to considerable 

 variation, and several forms, which had been describ ed 

 as distinct species, have since been united by Stult as 

 simple colour- varieties of grossus. In the variety figured 

 the body is of a pale yellow or somewhat ivory colour, 

 with the disk of the thorax and the apex of the abdomen 

 beneath reddish ; there are some small black spots at 

 the base of the head and on the front of the thorax, and 

 some larger confluent spots on the hinder part of the 

 thorax and sides of the scutellum ; the eyes are dusky 

 brown ; the abdomen blackish brown above, with the 

 margins of the segments and some very small spots 

 pale yellow ; the tegmina are dusky brown, with two 

 large spots in front, and some very small ones chiefly 

 towards the base and hind margin pale yellow; the 

 wings are clear hyaline in front and at the abdominal 

 margin, the middle and outer parts are smoky brown, 



* Hemelytra, or front wings. 



t ' Hemiptera Airicana,' iv. p. 71 (1866). 



