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PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XII, July, 1958 
author (1954): a more or less distinct narrow 
red line between and above level of antennifers 
(absent in one female); antennal segment I 
more or less infuscated brown or reddish 
brown except for pale base; each side of base 
of pronotum more or less extensively fuscous 
or black; tibiae and apex of femora red above; 
cuneus yellow, a red or reddish-brown band 
bordering cell (entirely yellowish-brown in 
one female); abdomen red or reddish brown 
above and at apex. From Kirkaldy’s note on 
coloration (1908: 377) it is evident that the 
same or a very similar colour form also exists 
in Fiji. Within the author’s experience, filici- 
cola can always be distinguished at sight from 
elegantulus by its darker and often more 
reddish appearance. 
genitalia. Male : Claspers very similar to 
those of elegantulus , but differing in propor- 
tions as shown. Right clasper (Fig. 3b) with 
outer subbasal angle less strongly produced; 
apical half more abruptly curved. Left clasper 
(Fig. 3d) more abruptly and more evenly 
curved toward apex. Female: (Fig. 2c, d) First 
(mesial) valvulae broadly rounded at apex. 
Second valvulae more bluntly rounded than 
in either elegantulus or dauloi', dorsal translu- 
cent flange narrower than in elegantulus , not 
subtriangular as in dauloi. 
additional records: Western Samoa, N. 
Upolu, Malololelei, 2,000 ft., 2 males, July 30, 
1954, R. A. Cumber; 3 males, 2 females, Janu- 
ary 19, 1956, R. A . Cumber; 3 males, 3 females, 
January 19, 1956, T. E. Woodward; Afiamalu, 
2,100 ft., 1 male, 2 females, January 6, 1956, 
T. E. Woodward. 
Because of the closeness of filicicola and 
elegantulus to each other and to dauloi , a de- 
tailed comparison has been made and the re- 
sults are tabulated below. The measurements 
are based on 17 specimens of filicicola (9 
males and 7 females from Samoa; 1 female 
from Fiji) and 54 specimens of elegantulus (23 
males and 10 females from Australia; 8 males 
and 13 females from New Zealand). Measure- 
ments are in millimeters. 
The figures show the considerable intra- 
specific range and the near correspondence or 
wide overlap between the species for many of 
the values. The wider range of measurements 
now available for these two species also allows 
more critical comparison with species which 
are represented by or have been described 
from one or a few individuals. 
Filicicola was described by Kirkaldy (1908) 
as a variety of elegantulus and raised to specific 
rank by Knight (1935). In redescribing filici- 
cola (Woodward, 1954), I listed it as a distinct 
species but in discussing the species groups 
considered it not unlikely that it might even- 
tually prove to be a subspecies of elegantulus. 
With the additional data available I am now rea- 
sonably convinced of its specific distinctness. 
REFERENCES 
Kirkaldy, G. W. 1908. A catalogue of the 
Hemiptera of Fiji. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, 
Proc. (2)33(2): 345-391. 
Knight, H. H. 1935. Insects of Samoa 2(5): 
193 - 228 . 
Reuter, O. M. 1905. Ad cognitionem Capsi- 
darum Australiae. Finska Vetenks. Soc., O fi- 
vers. Forhandl. 47(5): 1-16. 
Woodward, T. E. 1954. On the genus Feli- 
sacus Distant (Heteroptera; Miridae; Bryo- 
corinae). Pacific Sci. 8(1): 41-50. 
