116 



PAPEKS EEAD. 



Notes on the Ancestry of the Hemiptera. 



BY G. "SV. KIKKALDY. 



During the last few years, Anton Handlirsch 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. 



Handlirsch excludes from serious consideration as Hemip- 

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

 described as Hemiptera except Eugereon hochingi Dohrn, and 

 two new forms, Scytinoptera Jcokeni and Proshole 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 

 Palaeohemiptera (with the other two). 



For the Palaeohemiptera, Handlirsch gives no convincing 

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

 hesitation in placing them in the Homoptera, indeed Proshole is 

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

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

 dse, Tetigoniidffi or certain Fulgoroidege, but I think it more 

 likely an Asiracid; it is certainly an Auchenorrhynchous 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 dawn 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. 



