2o8 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, '15 



On the External Anatomy of Adelphocoris rapidus 



Say, with Reference to the Taxonomy of 



the Miridae or Capsidae (Hemip.).^ 



By H. M. Parshley, Bussey Institution, Harvard University. 



(Plate vn.) 



During the preparation of this brief discussion of Mirid 

 anatomy, I had occasion to consult the writings of various 

 students of the Hemiptera, and I am, in consequence, able to 

 present evidence which seems to settle definitely the much dis- 

 puted question regarding the correct name for the family 

 under consideration. Kirkaldy in 1902 adopted the name 

 Miridae in place of the universally used Capsidae in accordance 

 with the principle that the family name should be derived from 

 that of the oldest included genus.^ Others, however, believe 

 that the rule of priority should obtain in determining the family 

 designation, the first name in Latin form thus being the one 

 which should be accepted. Among those who hold this view 

 is Horvath, who in 191 1 published a paper^ in which he at- 

 tempted to fix the proper names for the several families of 

 Hemiptera. This article* furnishes information of value, but 

 some of the names adopted are not consistent with the main 

 principle of the paper. As it happens, it is not necessary to look 

 into the respective merits of these two views in deciding upon 

 the correct name for the family. Miris is certainly the oldest 

 genus in the family, and should be the basis for the family name 

 if the oldest genus is to be regarded as the type. On the other 

 hand, the oldest name to be given to the family was Mirides,^ 

 proposed by Hahn® in 1831. This term was used in a systematic 

 table in a book with German text, and it is therefore a true Latin 

 form, of which Miriden would be the vernacular equivalent. 



^ Contributions from the Entomological Laboratory of the Bussey 

 Institution, Harvard University, No. 87. 

 '^ Miris Fab., 1794; Capsus Fab., 1803. 

 ^Ann. Mus. Nat. Hung., ix, 1911, p. i. 

 ♦Reviewed by Van Duzee, Ent. News, xxii, 191 1, p. 431. 

 5 Overlooked by Horvath, 1. c. 

 ^ Wanz. Ins., i, 1831, p. 234. 



