20 I. AHMAD 



$ genitalia : First gonocoxae very narrow and curved at apices, outer margin regular ; 

 intervalvular sacs absent ; spermatheca flask-shaped, with a short and curved neck as in 

 Text-fig. 33. 



Type material. Holotype <$, Nyasaland (head and hind tibia missing), B.M. 

 (N.H.) ; allotype $, with similar locality data (antennae missing), B.M.(N.H.). 



Other material. Congo : 15 <$, 18 $. 



This species seems to be represented in the south eastern region as far as Nyasa- 

 land. Adults are found in the early part of the year up to late May. No specimens 

 were collected between July and October. 



This species is close to S. (E.) elegans (Blote) and S. (E.) stall sp. n. on one hand 

 and 5. (E.) annulicornis (Signoret) on the other. From the former pair it can be 

 separated by the short rostrum, the triangular median projection of the $ seventh 

 abdominal sternum and from the latter species by its uniformly thin and acutely 

 pointed claspers. 



Villiers doubted the validity of this species and suggested its synonymy with 

 5. (E.) elegans (Blote). He remarked that the shape of the $ seventh abdominal 

 sternum was highly variable and this might have led Blote to describe this species. 

 The form of $ and $ genitalia clearly demarcates these two species and the shape 

 of the $ seventh abdominal sternum has also been found to be fairly constant. 



Stenocoris (Erbula) elegans (Blote) comb. n. 



(Text-figs. 37-46) 



Leptocorixa {Erbula) elegans Blote, 1937 : 2 ^5 > Villiers, 1955 : 1142, 1963 : 230 



Characterized by the claspers which are regularly curved, by the triangular median 

 projection of $ seventh abdominal sternum and by the form of <$ and $ genitalia. 



o". Body length, 12-3-13-5 mm., width, 1-7-2-0 mm. Head length, 1-5-1-85 mm., width, 

 1-25—1-45 mm. Antennae, segment I, 3-0-3-4 mm., II, 2-0-2-2 mm., Ill, 2-3-2-6 mm., IV, 

 4-0-4-3 mm. Rostrum, segment I, 1-25-1-5 mm., II, 1-3-1-5 mm., Ill, 0-7-0-8 mm., IV, 

 0-65-0-7 mm. Pronotum, length, 2-0-2-5 mm., width, 1-7-2-0 mm. Hind femora, 5-5-5-9 mm. 

 Hind tibia, 5-8-6-1 mm. Distance between ocelli, 0-4-0-5 mm., distance between an ocellus 

 and an eye, 0-6-0-65 mm. 



Body short, comparatively slim, pale, with brownish black tinge. Head pale, slightly 

 brownish in middle ; occipital suture " U "-shaped in middle, side convex ; paraclypeae 

 short, thick at bases, thin, rounded and divergent at apices. Antennae brownish black, some- 

 times with underside of first, middle of second, articulations between first and second and 

 between second and third, and basal portion of apical segment pale. Rostrum usually com- 

 paratively long, extending at least slightly beyond second coxae. Lateral black line well 

 represented, usually from genae to middle of propleuron sometimes faint to genae. Pronotal 

 disc tinged brown, posterior angles with black dots. Legs pale, with apices of femora and 

 bases of tibiae light brown, rarely with reddish tinge. Hemielytra with brownish black punc- 

 tures. Abdomen with dorsum, except margins, red, venter pale ochraceous, sometimes tinged 

 red. Posterior margin of seventh abdominal tergum usually at least slightly convex in middle ; 

 pygophore with posterior margin medially notched. 



$ genitalia : Claspers long, reaching apex of pygophore, outer margin regularly curved and 

 apices acutely pointed ; ventral thecal appendages as in Text-fig. 40 ; four left lateral con- 



