IV 
Introduction 
with the lateral margins elevated and median carina percurrent or nearly 
so. The postclypeus with a median carina, usually percurrent. The com¬ 
pound eyes subglobose with the ventral sinus poorly developed. The an¬ 
tennae are relatively inconspicuous with the first segment small; the second 
segment larger subglobose or terete; flagellum not very long. Paired ocelli 
small, usually in front of the compound eyes above the bases of the an¬ 
tennae. 
The pronotum is typically short, tricarinate, distinctly projecting 
cephalad and triangularly incised on the posterior margin; the lateral 
margins usually distinctly bicarinate, widening gradually from the nar¬ 
rower anterior margin to the broader posterior margin. Mesonotum large, 
quadrangular, tricarinate. Tegulae large. Tegmina large, usually transparent; 
in the Tribe Hiracini the tegmina are subhyaline or leathery; main veins 
usually simple or bifurcate before the apical membrane; costal cell in some 
cases with numerous crossveins; in the Tribe Alcestini subcosta has several 
supernumerary bifurcate veins to the costal margin; apical area with one 
or two subapical lines, wanting in most genera of the Tribes Hiracini and 
Tripetimorphini. The venation of the hind wing is sometimes simple with 
the principal veins bifurcate before the apical margin, in other cases Cui 
has several irregular veins. The anal area is usually large with simple veins. 
The abdomen is relatively large, somewhat depressed typically. The 
male genitalia have the pygofer moderate; the anal segment elongate; the 
anal styles usually small; the aedeagus is usually large and complex; and 
the genital styles are sometimes asymmetrical. The female genitalia are 
incomplete. 
HISTORICAL RESUME 
The family Tropiduchidae was first recognized as a subfamily by Stal 
in 1866. Notable contributions to the family as a whole have been made 
by Stal, Uhler, Atkinson, Melichar, Fowler, Distant, Kirkaldy, Muir, 
Matsumura, Jacobi, Kato, Fennah and others. 
This family was monographed by Melichar in 1914 and he is responsible 
for the description of a large number of genera and species from all parts 
of the World. Muir and Kirkaldy working chiefly on the fauna of the 
Pacific area; Walker and Distant working chiefly on the fauna of the Ori¬ 
ental Region; Fennah working in the Lesser Antilles; and Matsumura, 
Stal and Schmidt working on collections from various regions have de¬ 
scribed the majority of the genera and species of this family. 
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION 
The species of this family are found chiefly in the tropical and subtropical 
regions of the World. A few species are found in the warm temperate re- 
