THE UNIVERSITY OP KANSAS SCIENCE BULLETIN Vol. XXXVII, Pt. I] October 15, 1955 [No. 11 A Taxonomic Revision of the Family Gelastocoridae ( Hemiptera ) BY Edward L. Todd * Abstract. — This paper constitutes a revision of the family Gelastocoridae (Hemiptera). The nature of the paper is primarily taxonomic, but infor-mation on the biology of some of the species of the family is included. Prior to this work, the subfamily Gelastocorinae contained two genera and the subfamily Nerthrinae contained six genera. In this paper there is considered to be but a single genus in each of the two subfamilies. Prior to this work, seventy-one species were recognized in this family. Of this number, fifteen are placed in synonomy, one species reduced to subspecific status, one species renamed, and three varieties or subspecies are raised to specific status. Sixteen new species are described in this paper and all other species a\ailable to the worker are redescribed. The new species are: Gelastocoris viridis (Mexico, Guatemala), Nerthra huenoi (Brazil), N. iciUiamsi (Brazil), N. corudis (Guatemala), IV. munni (Mexico), N. hungerfordi (Central America), N. hracchialis (Mexico), A'. gurneyi (Bougainville Island), N. omani (Guadacanal Island), N. niidata (Australia), N. macrostijla (Solomon Islands), N. rohusta (New Guinea), N. tasmaniensis (Tasmania), .V. walkeri (AustraHa), N. simiosa (AustraHa). Genera placed in the synonomy of Nerthra Say are: Mommyx Laporte, Phintias Stal, Matinus Stal, Peltopterus Guerin-Meneville, and Glossoaspis Blatchley. In the Gelastocorinae, Montandonitis Melin is placed in the synonomy of Gelastocoris Kirkaldy. Nertlira lenehrosa is the new name used for Mononijx ohscurus Melin which is a homonym of Mononyx ohscurus Stal. Gelastocoris andinus peruensis Melin, Mononyx amplicollis var. ecuador-ensis Melin and Mononyx fuscipes var. rudis Melin are raised to specific rank. Gelastocoris variegatus (Guerin-Meneville) is treated in this paper as a subspecies of G. oculatus (Fabricius). The new synonomy at the specific level is as follows: Gelastocoris cucul-latus Martin, a synonym of G. hungerfordi Melin; G. duplicatus Martin, a synonym of G. major Montandon; G. calif orniensis Melin, a synonym of G. * Currently with Entomological research Branch, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. (277)
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