74-6 CONNECTICUT GEOL. AND NAT. HIST. SURVEY. [Bull. 



Family COREIDAE. 

 By Howard Madison Parshley, Sc.D. 



This very extensive family is represented in our northern region 

 by but few species, which are mostly of large size and dull colora- 

 tion. They feed largely on vegetation and in some cases, such as 

 the three squash bugs, are important agricultural pests. As 

 restricted here, the family has the following characters : head very 

 small ; bucculae extending behind insertion of antennae ; ocelli 

 present ; antennae with four true segments ; membrane with 

 numerous veins ; fourth and fifth dorsal abdominal segments con- 

 cavely sinuate at base; •metasternal orifices distinct; posterior 

 coxal cavities very deeply excised from the metasternum, their 

 outer margins almost or quite parallel with longitudinal axis. The 

 male has a single convex genital plate ; the female several smaller 

 plates separated by distinct sutures. 



Key to Subfamilies. 



Hind tibiae armed below at apex with a spine or tooth . . .Merocorinae 

 Hind tibiae unarmed at apex Coreinae 



Subfamily Merocorinae. 



This subfamily is represented in North America by one genus, 

 containing two species of which one is confined to the extreme 

 south. 



Merocoris Perty. 



Corynocoris Mayr. 



M. distinctus (Dallas). (PL xviii, 36.) 



List of Hemip., ii, 419, 1852. 



Finely and thickly pubescent; hind tibia clavate, long and 

 curved, armed with a few strong spine-like teeth; color grayish 

 brown, membrane and corial spots darker, length 8-9 mm. ; found 

 by sweeping weeds, or sometimes about carrion. 



Litchfield, 21 Sept., 1901 (L. B. W) ; New Haven, 26 June, 1902 

 (E. J. S. M.), 19 and 20 July, 1905 (B. H. W.) ; Scotland, 27 July, 1904 

 (B. H. W.) ; Meriden, 6 July, 1915 (H. L. J.); New Canaan, 17 Sept., 

 1918 (B. H. W.). 



Subfamily Coreinae. 



This subfamily includes a majority of the Coreids; the hind 

 tibiae are without apical tooth; the antennae generally slender, 

 often with modified segments; and the body is seldom strongly 



pubescent. 



Key to Tribes. 



1. Hind femora spinous or tuberculate, generally much enlarged, 

 especially in the males ; antennal tubercles large, separated by a 

 space generally less than their own width 2 



