52 I. AHMAD 



This species is distributed in eastern and central Africa. Its range extends in the 

 east into Mauritius and Seychelles and in the west into Congo, Central Africa. 

 Adults have been collected during March to August. 



This species is close to S. maculosa (Blote), S. pallida (Blote), and S. africana sp. n. 

 but can easily be separated from them by paraclypeae which are long, thicker in the 

 middle, and very thin and rounded at apices. 



Blote redescribed Leptocorisa annulicornis Signoret, i860 (now Stenocoris {Erbula) 

 anmdicornis) and placed it under the subgenus Stenocoris. Villiers showed that 

 Blote had misidentified Signoret's species and suggested that annulicornis Blote nee 

 Signoret from Seychelles was a new species and named it blotei. It has not been 

 possible to borrow types of L. (S.) blotei for the present study, but <$ specimens (with 

 Blote's det. label) from Mauritius and Seychelles in the B.M.(N.H.) have been 

 examined. The structure of the aedeagus shows that L. blotei is a synonym of S. 

 phthisica (Gerstacker). However $ specimens from Seychelles : Mahe, 5. 12. 1905, 

 leg. J. S. Gardiner (B.M.(N.H.)) also seen by Blate are in fact true annulicornis and 

 this would appear to apply also to the supposed $ of L. (S.) blotei figured by Villiers 

 (1963 : 232). The posterior margin of seventh abdominal sternum is produced in 

 the middle and the posterior margin of this projection is slightly concave in the 

 middle, which is characteristic of the subgenus Erbula. 



Stenocoris (Stenocoris) sordida (Blote) comb. n. 



(Text-figs. 148-156) 



Leptocorixa (Stenocoris) sordida Blote, 1937 : 292 ; Villiers, 1955 : 1143, 1144, 1963 : 232 



Characterized by prominent, pointed posterior processes of pygophore, rounded 

 processes of posterior margin of $ seventh abdominal sternum and by the form of £ 

 and $ genitalia. 



o*. Body length, 12-5-15-0 mm., width, 2-1-2-5 mm. Head length, 1-6-2-1 mm., width, 

 1-3-1-5 mm. Antennae, segment I, 3-5-3-8 mm., II, 2-3-2-5 mm., Ill, 2-31-2-5 mm., IV, 

 4-0—4-2 mm. Rostrum, segment I, 1-4-1-6 mm., II, 1-4-1-6 mm., Ill, 0-7-0-9 mm., IV, 

 0-7-0-9 mm. Pronotum, length, 2-3-2-7 mm., width, 2-1-2-5 rnm. Hind femora, 5-8-6-0 mm. 

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

 and an eye, 0-65-0-8 mm. 



Body comparatively robust, pale, tinged with black. Head usually slightly longer than 

 broad ; occipital suture medially concave, curving outwards towards sides ; paraclypeae 

 comparatively short, thinner at base and rounded at apices. Antennae dark brown, with 

 underside of basal segment and bases of the apical segments pale. Rostrum long, usually 

 reaching halfway between apices of second and bases of third coxae. Lateral black line well 

 represented from genae on to anterior of propleuron. Pronotal disc pale, posteriorly with black 

 punctures, posterior angles with smooth black spots. Legs with apices of femora brown, tibiae 

 and tarsi tinged with brownish black. Hemielytra with black punctures. Abdomen with 

 dorsum, excluding connexiva, brown, venter pale ochraceous. Posterior margin of seventh 

 abdominal tergum truncate ; pygophore large (Text-fig. 148), posterior processes prominent, 

 acutely pointed, posterior margin less than half of posterior margin of seventh abdominal 

 tergum. 



o* genitalia : Claspers strongly curved and acutely pointed at apices ; dorsal thecal 



