126 ^ ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS [May, '20 



The Genus Timema Scudder, with the Descrip- 

 tion of a New Species, (Orthoptera, 

 Phasmidae, Timeminae.) 



By Morgan Hebard, Philadelphia, Pa. 



The genus Timema was described by Scudder in 1895,'- 

 based on a single species, californicum, from California. In 

 1903, Caudell furnished the first detailed description of the 

 species, which had been sent him by Scudder, and proposed 

 the subfamily name Timeminae, the subfamily being res- 

 tricted to this single genus. He also discussed and figured 

 material from Los Angeles County, California, the differences 

 found being noted as possibly showing the presence of a 

 distinct species, but the material at hand was considered in 

 too poor a state of preservation to warrant description. 



From the larger series now available, we find the southern 

 Californian insect to be a distinct species, differing \ery 

 strikingly in constant features of the genitalia. 



The genus Timema was said to be closely allied to Agath- 

 emera bv Scudder and characterized as "maxime affine" 

 by Redtenbacher,- the latter ignoring Caudell's subfamily 

 Timeminae. 



Considering the complete median segment, which is in 

 no way more closely attached to the metanotum than to the 

 succeeding tergite; the three jointed tarsi, and the limbs so 

 attached ventrad that the coxae can not be seen from above, 

 we believe that the subfamily Timeminae is valid. In fact 

 it may be characterized as the most aberrant subfamily 

 from the conventional Phasmid type. 



The genus does find nearest affinity with Agathemera, 

 though the relationship is decidedly remote.^ In addition 

 to the features given above, Timema is distinguished by both 

 sexes being completely apterous, the tarsal claws are slightly 



iCan. Ent., XXVII, p. 30. 

 .^Insektenfam. Phasmiden, p. 88, (1908). 



•'Comparison is made with more than one species of Agathemera in the 

 collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 



