On some Lygaeidae of the genus Astacops and allies

In "Pacific Insects" vol. 5, no. 2 (1963), G. C. E. Scudder published a "Revision of the Genus Astacops sensu lat.". It is an important contribution to the knowledge of this group, the paper containing a.o. the descriptions of no less then 66 new species and subspecies, for the greater part from the Australo-malayan region. Though I highly appreciate this work in general, and the clear way in which the differences between forms are exposed, I must lodge an objection as to the way the analysis of the genera is exposed. In Scudder's "Key to genera in the Astacops complex" hardly any of the characters used by the authors of the genera is mentioned; most characters are invented by Scudder. I don't think this to be a useful manner. Of course it can be of interest to add characters to a description to make identification easier. In the cases of subgenera and higher groups, however, we have to be cautious not to create doubtful species, which would belong into the genus when tested by the original description only, but not answering the requirements of our newly added criteria, the more so as it is generally to be expected that new species will be found, the characters of which are hitherto unknown. In face of these circumstances I think it useful to reconstruct the "classic" synopsis of genera, that can be put in exchange of Scudder's key after paragraph 2: 2. Ocelli about as distant from each other as from the eyes, or less distant from each other than from the eyes.........3 — Ocelli about two times more distant from each other than from the eyes. Pronotum punctulate.........Aethalotus Stål 3. Head with the eyes much narrower than the base of the pronotum. Pro-