1966] 
Gurney and Roth — Cockroaches 
197 
therefore sent specimens of thaxteri to Dr. McKittrick without iden- 
tifying the material, and she placed it in the Plectopterinae. She 
wrote, “When I looked at it, I thought 'Loboptera and was thor- 
oughly surprised when I checked the genitalia.” 
In the past years, various species seeming to belong to the Old 
World genus Loboptera Brunner [type species, L. decipiens (Ger- 
mar), 3 an Old World species] have been described from the New 
World. Such generic assignment of New World species has been 
based primarily on superficial appearance. Two South American 
species, in particular thaxteri Hebard and insularis R. S. Albuquer- 
que and Gurney, have a general appearance that is so similar to 
decipiens that Hebard (1932) assumed thaxteri to be an introduc- 
tion from the Old World. In fact, no previously described genera 
appear adequate for the inclusion of thaxteri and insularis. There- 
fore in order to assign these species in a manner consistent with 
current generic concepts in the Blattaria, we are describing a sepa- 
rate genus for each. Although the two seem congeneric in general 
appearance, the differences noted in the generic key following to 
distinguish Agmoblatta , new genus, from Isoldaia , new genus, are 
fundamental. 
Agmoblatta, new genus 
This genus closely resembles Loboptera in general external ap- 
pearance; it differs as noted in the following key. Its closest rela- 
tive is Isoldaia , also known from eastern South America. 
Generic description : Size medium for Blattellidae. Body with 
sparse slender setae slightly shorter than 1st antennal segment; 
moderately glossy. Head very broad; interocular distance a little 
greater than distance between antennal sockets; vertex smooth; 
antennae unspecialized; maxillary palpus of moderate length, apical 
segment narrowly triangular. Pronotum hemispherical, moderately 
vaulted, posterior margin straight except near simply rounded lateral 
angles. Tegmen a narrow, subtriangular lateral pad; wings absent. 
Front femur with anteroventral margin (Fig. 8) bearing a few 
strong spines, 1 or 2 of which toward knee of decreasing length, 
followed by about 5 piliform spines and 3 strong apical spines of 
increasing length; posteroventral margin with 3 or 4 spaced, strong, 
short spines in apical half, a slightly longer apical spine. Middle and 
hind femora with strong spines on both ventral margins. Middle 
and hind tibiae spined in 3 series on dorsal surface. Basal tarsomere 
of hind tarsus slightly more than one-half length of tarsus, ventral 
3 Hebard (1922, p. 332) indicated the type species. 
