Cyptocephala antiguensis (Westwood)

Cyptocephala antiguensis (Westwood) Figs. 3,6, 10,13

Pentatoma antiguensis Westwood, 1837:36

Pentatoma taeniola Dallas, 1851:250 - 251 . (Synonymized by Distant, 1900.)

Thyanta taeniola: StAl, 1862:58 ; Distant, 1880:66, pl. 7, fig. 4.

Crato urbicus Distant, 1893:457 , pl. 39, fig. 22. (Synonymized by Rolston, 1976.)

Thyanta antiguensis: Distant, 1900:812 ; Rolston, 1972:281 - 282, figs.43 - 51; Rol ston, 1976:4, 6. Thyanta picturata Ruckes, 1957:42 - 44 . (Synonymized by Rolston, 1972.)

Cyptocephala antiguensis: Rolston and McDonald, 1984: 77 , figs. 19,36.

Diagnosis. Variable in color, ranging from uniform light tan to rich green with ivory, rufous and black markings, especially as multihued transhumeral band and macule on scutellar apex.

Lateral margins of juga parallel or subparallel between anteocular concavity and more or less evenly rounded apex of head; juga not surpassing tylus. Anterolateral margins of pronotum straight toweakly concave, not reflexed. Scutellar width at end of frena 0.38 - 0.46 ofbasal width. Pleura uncalloused. Length excluding hemelytral membrane 5.5 - 7.8 mm.

Basal plates tumescent, their mesial margins not visible at base from lateral view. Parameres concealing denticle on each lateral wall of genital cup: anterior lobe of each varying inwidth, equal to or much wider than width oflateral lobe ( Figs. 3, 6, 10,13).

Distribution. Ranging from southern California, Arizona, Texas and Florida through Middle America and the West Indies, across northern South America and as far south as northern Peru in the Andean region.

Comments. The tumescent basal plates of females are distinctive and unique within the genus; and only in this species and elegans do the parameres completely conceal the denticle or carina on each lateral wall of the genital cup. Cyptocephala antiguensis lacks the calloused pleural bands that are characteristic of elegans .

In the western range of this species, at least as far south as western Panama, the lobes of the parameres are quite unequal inwidth ( Fig. 6). In the eastern range these lobes are subequal in width from Puerto Rico southward throughout the Lesser Antilles and South America ( Fig. 3, right). However, the typical western form also occurs in Florida, Cuba, and Jamaica, and intermediates between the western and eastern forms occur in Florida, Cuba and Hispaniola ( Fig. 3, left). Whether or not there is a comparable zone of intergration in eastern Panama and / or the contiguous part of Colombia is unknown, but most of the few males seen from western Panama do show a narrowing of the anterior lobe.