46 
IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 
local in distribution in some parts. In Colorado it occurs 
everywhere, but in Iowa it has only been found in a few 
places along the northern border, and yet it occurs along- 
side in Missouri and Nebraska. This species is very vari- 
ble in size and color, the black on vertex and pronotum is 
fairly constant, while the elytra vary from a bright red 
to a bright slaty blue and on to shining black, and the 
irrorations on head and pronotum vary from white to 
orange, and in some Central American specimens they are 
rufus. The lateral white stripe, however, remains con- 
stant, and will at once distinguish this species. 
Fowler, in the Biologia, places this species under Tetti- 
gonia, along with punctulata. This is an error; the resem- 
blance is only superficial. Lateralis possesses the angled 
front, the sulcate anterior tibiae and the exposed lateral 
margin to the abdomen, which make it a good Oncome- 
topia , and widely separates it from punctulata. 
GENUS HOMALODISCA, STAL. 
Head, large; eyes, prominent, wider than pronotum; vertex 
and pronotum, inclined; vertex, triangular, the apex obtuse longer 
than pronotum, the disc with a distinct median furrow. Front and 
vertex forming an acute angle, the apex bluntly rounded. Front, 
flat in same plane as clypeus, the disc flat or concave. Pronotum, 
short, quadrangular, narrowing posteriorly. Elytra, hyaline or 
sub-hyaline, rarely coriaceous, the claval ner.vures often united for 
a considerable distance in the middle. Anterior tibiae, sulcate 
above, often broadened apically. 
This genus is closely related to Phera, of Stal, but may 
be known by the broader apex of the vertex and the flat 
or depressed front. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES. 
A. Elytra, hyaline, at least on basal half, the nervures distinct, 
apparently raised. 
B. Vertex, but slightly longer than pronotum, evenly 
irrorate, with fuscous; usually several irregular, retic- 
ulate veins between the first cross nervure and the fork 
of the flrst sector triquetra , Fab. 
BB. Vertex, one-half longer than pronotum, irregularly 
lined with fuscous, no extra cross-nervures between 
the sectors of elytra liturata n. sp. 
AA. Elytra, opaque, the nervures concolorous, the flrst sectors 
forked half way between the first cross-nervure and the sec- 
ond insolita Walk. 
