4 I. AHMAD 



Stal. Villiers (1955), formulating keys for the species of French African Stenocoris 

 Burmeister, then regarded as a subgenus of Leptocorisa Latreille, suggested the 

 synonymy of S. (Erbula) distinguenda (Blote, 1937) with 5. (2s.) elegans (Blote, 1937). 

 During the present work the forms of male and female genitalia (Ahmad & 

 Southwood, 1964) have been found to be of great taxonomic value, clearly separating 

 the species. The structure of female genitalia, and in particular the shape of 

 spermatheca, have suggested that Oriental and Australian species of Leptocorisa 

 Latreille, 1829, (previously considered under the subgenus Rhabdocoris Kolenati, 

 1845) should be separated from Ethiopian, Nearctic and Neotropical species (pre- 

 viously considered under the subgenera Stenocoris Burmeister, 1839, Erbula Stal, 

 1873 and Leptocorisa s. str. Stal, 1873). Other characters found to be of value are 

 as follows: 



(a) The form of head, its colouration and its sutures. 



(b) Length and colour of antennal segments. 



(c) Size of rostrum and length of the components. 



(d) The comparison of the interocellar distance with the distance between an 



ocellus and an eye (in both cases including the diameter). 



(e) Length, breadth and the colour of pronotum. 



"(f) The posterior margin of seventh abdominal tergum in $ and the seventh 

 abdominal sternum in $. 

 (g) In (J, the shape of the pygophore, claspers, thecal appendages and the form 



of vesica when fully everted, 

 (h) In § the first gonocoxae, first gonopophyses, second gonopophyses and 



spermathecal shape. 

 Three of Bergroth's genera, Dicrorymbus, Xenoccraea (described within Lepto- 

 corixaria near Mutusca Stal, 1866 in 1918) and Procamptus, also described under 

 Leptocorixaria in 1925, have been excluded from the subfamily Leptocorisinae and 

 have been transferred to the tribes Dasynini Brown, 1955 and Procamptini trib. n. 

 of the subfamily Coreinae (sensu Stal, 1873) (Ahmad, 1964). 



MATERIAL AND METHODS 



A large quantity of material (about 10,000 specimens) of the group was borrowed 

 from major museums and personal collections from all over the world. (A complete 

 list of these museums and of those who lent their personal collections is given under 

 Acknowledgments.) Freshly prepared material (in 70% alcohol) was also obtained 

 by the courtesy of Dr. J. W. Evans (Australian Museum, Sydney) and Dr. G. 

 Rothschild (Sarawak Agricultural Institute). 



Every effort was made to examine and dissect the genitalia of the holotypes of all 

 species (including those believed to be synonyms). In the great majority of cases 

 it has been possible to do this or obtain authoritative information about the loss or 

 damage of the original holotype, so necessitating the designations of neotypes. 

 Lectotypes have also been designated from syntypes in a few cases. A full account 

 of the circumstances and action taken is given for each species. 



<J and $ genitalia were dissected after softening the terminalia in 10% potassium 



