LIBRARY

HEMIPTERA 311
3-3.5 mm. long to the magnificent nonluminous South American lantemfiy or
peanut bug, Laternaria phosphorea Linn., with a wing expanse of 153 mm.
(about 6 in.).
These insects are often most peculiarly and even grotesquely formed, beautifully
colored, and adorned with filaments of white wax that resemble tails. All
are plant feeders.
The most important closely related families are as follows:
Family DICTYOPHORIDlE Spinola 1839.
The members of this family have narrow wings and greatly prolonged heads.
The genera Dictyophora Germar and Scolops Schaum are common in many
parts of North America. The family is widely distributed.
Family DELPHACIDJE Spinola 1839.
This family comprises small species with a large movable apical spur on the
hind tibire. It owes its importance chiefly to the great economic rOle of the
sugar-cane leafhopper, Perkinsiella saccharicida Kirkaldy, a species native to
northern Australia which, about 1897, was introduced into the Hawaiian
Islands, where it did great damage in 1903 as a serious pest of sugar cane until
it was finally brought under control through the introduction of natural enemies.
Family CIXIIDlE 1 Spinola 1839 (Cix-i'i-dre; derivation unknown).
A family of small primitive insects which are elongated in form, somewhat
depressed; head only slightly or not prolonged in front: antennre arise below
FIG. 105. Serville's lantemfly, Lalernmia servWei Spinosa, of Brazil. The shape of the
head gives rise to the common name "peanut bug." Although believed to emit light .it is
nonluminous.
the eyes, the flagellum not sersmented; two or three ocelli. Rostrum short, the
last segment of the labium longer than wide, sides of clypeus not keeled, wings
rather broad and often with fuscous markings, folded roof·like; tegulre present;
fore wings not reticulated apically, costal area absent, rarely coriaceous, precostal
area very small or absent, without veinlets, two anal veins usually
I CIXIOIDES Spinola 1839, Walker 1851 (in part); CIXIIDA StAl 1851; CIXIIDA St.i\1
1866. Uhler 1884; CIXIJDAl: Melichar 1903, Fowler 1904, Oshanin 1912. Brues and Melander
1932, Haupt 1935. For many years grouped with tbe family FULGOR,IDJE.