FAM. MEMBRACIDiE 149 



122. GENUS HELONICA BALL 



Helonica Ball, Ent. Amer. XII : i. i5 (igSi). 



Characters ; The genus Helonica was erected to accommodate those species which at that 

 time stood under the genus Telamona but in which the pronotal crest extended forward in a large 

 rounded lobe over the head. In certain other respects, also, such as in the more exposed tegmina, the 

 shorter posterior process and the longer hind tarsi, the genus seems to have distinctive characters. 

 Head subquadrate, twice as broad as high; base arcuate and strongly sinuate; eyes large and ovate ; 

 ocelH large, conspicuous, somewhat elevated, much nearer to each other than to the eyes and situated 

 on a line drawn through centers of eyes ; inferior margins of gense sinuate; clypeus extending foralmost 

 one-third its length below inferior margins of genfe. Pronotum developed into a strong, lateially 

 flattened anterior crest which projects forward over the head ; metopidium sloping, triangular, median 

 carina strongly percurrent; humeral angles large, triangular, acute, extending outward as far beyond the 

 eyes as the width of the eyes ; sides of pronotum punctate, feebly and irregularly carinate, extended 

 downward to cover about half of the tegmina; posterior process tectiform, gradually acute, not 

 quite reaching the tips of the tegmina. Tegmina about half exposed ; hyaline, basal costal area 

 weakly punctate; five apical and two discoidal cells, the inner discoidal cell sometimes divided; apical 

 limbus broad. Legs simple; hind tarsi much longer than the others. 



Type excelsa Fairmaire. 



Geographical distribution ; The genus seems to be hmited to southern and westein United 

 States and Mexico and we suspect that some of the four species here hsted may prove be synonyms 

 but would prefer to consider them as distinct until further material is available for study. 



1. albidorsata Fowler, B. C. A. II : 145. 6 (1896). Mexico. 



2. excelsa Fairmaire, Rev. Memb. 3io. i5 (1846). — Pl. 8 fig. I 07. Mexico, southern and central 



U.S. 



3. magniloba Goding, Cat. Memb. N. A. 422. 80 (1894). IlHnois. 



4. projecta Butler, Cist. Ent. II : 221 (1877). Northeastern U. S. 



cucullata Van Duzee, Stud. N. A. Memb. 70. 14 (1908,1. 



123. genus heliria stal 



Hellrla Stlil, Bid. Hem. Syst. 556 (1867). 



Characters ; In separating the genus Heliria, in his key, from Thelia and Telamona, Stal 

 concisely distinguishes it as follows : « Protuberantia thoracis pone angulos lateraHs posita, apice 

 profunde sinuate, ante sinum valde elevata, pone sinum humuH, posterius angulata. » This structuie 

 of the dorsal crest, with a distinct step on the posterior margin, resulting in a high rounded anterior 

 lobe and a low angulate posterior lobe, is sufficient to characterize the genus. In other respccts it 

 diifers ver}' Httle from Telamona except in the shape of the liead. Head subtriangular and rouglily 

 sculptured ; base arcuate and deeply sinuate in the middle ; eyes large and ovate ; ocehi large, prominent, 

 elevated, nearer to each other than to the eyes and situated below a Hne drawn througli centers of eyes ; 

 inferior margins of genae sinuate; clypeus witli a median lobe which extends only slightly below the 

 inferior margins of the genas so that the clypeus as a whole continues the roughl\' triangular ouiline of 



