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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM | Bulletin 63

~

A MONOGRAPHIC REVISION OF THE COLE- OPTERA BELONGING TO THE TENEBRI- ONIDE TRIBE ELEODIINI INHABITING THE UNITED STATES, LOWER CALI- FORNIA, AND ADJACENT ISLANDS

BY

FRANK E. BLAISDELL, SR.

Of San Francisco, California

SESE ING RE oo Soe Ase x 2 yO

E , | WASHINGTON b GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1909

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM Bulletin 63

A MONOGRAPHIC REVISION OF iia, COLE OPTERA BELONGING TO THE TENEBRI- ONIDE TRIBE ELEODIINI INHABITING THE UNITED STATES, LOWER CALI- FORNIA, AND ADJACENT ISLANDS

BY

FRANK E. BLAISDELL, SR.

Of San Francisco, California

W ASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1909 A0TS4A

BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. IssuEpD JUNE 24, 1909.

IL

ADVERTISEMENT.

The scientific publications of the National Museum consist of two series—the Bulletin and the Proceedings.

The Bulletin, publication of which was begun in 1875, is a series of more or less extensive works intended to illustrate the collections of the U. S. National Museum and, with the exception noted below, is issued separately. These bulletins are monographic in scope and are devoted principally to the discussion of large zoological and botanical groups, faunas and floras, bibliographies of eminent natural- ists, reports of expeditions, etc. They are usually of octavo size, although a quarto form, known as the Special Bulletin, has been adopted in a few instances in which a larger page was deemed indis- pensable.

This work forms No. 63 of the Bulletin series.

Since 1902 the volumes of the series known as ‘‘Contributions from the National Herbarium,” and containing papers relating to the botan- ical collections of the Museum, have been published as bulletins.

The Proceedings, the first volume of which was issued in 1878, are intended as a medium of publication of brief original papers based on the collections of the National Museum, and setting forth newly acquired facts in biology, anthropology, and geology derived there- from, or containing descriptions of new forms and revisions of limited groups. A volume is issued annually, or oftener, for distribution to libraries and scientific establishments, and in view of the impor- tance of the more prompt dissemination of new facts a limited edition of each paper is printed in pamphlet form in advance.

RicHarp RaATHBUN, Assistant Secretary, Smithsonian Institution, In Charge of the United States National Museum. WasHInGTON, U.S. A., May 15, 1909.

iil

PREFACE,

In 1901 when work was first seriously begun on the Eleodiini, a bibliography was prepared. The great conflagration in San Francisco that followed the earthquake of 1906 destroyed the California Academy of Sciences with its library, so that when the present monograph was about completed there were no library facilities at hand, nor was it possible for me to review the literature elsewhere. The manuscript was therefore submitted for publication without a final review. Accordingly Mr. E. A. Schwarz, the eminent coleopterist at the U.S. National Museum, most kindly undertook the task for me, and to him I extend my most sincere thanks for the correction of the bibliography, for many suggestions, and for rearranging certain parts of the work.

In the text I have applied the term ‘‘heterotype”’ to the individuals that form the extremes of a specific or a varietal series. The hetero- types therefore, represent the extreme modifications in size, form, sculpturing, and color. Theindividuals connecting the extremes of a series constitute the intermediates or ‘‘mesotypes.” Frequently individuals of one species are observed to simulate those of another species in form and sculpturmg; an individual of this character has been called an ‘‘amphitype.” A unique, when serving as a type, is spoken of as a ‘“‘monotype.”’ When more than one or a series of idividuals serve as a basis for a specific or varietal description, they are referred to as ‘‘polytypes;” if a male and female serve they are ‘“‘sexitypes;” otherwise they are ‘‘co-types.”’

Furthermore, in order to systematically deal with the many minor degrees of divergencies exhibited by individuals that are presumably the progeny of parents specifically or racially identical, I have deemed it conservative and scientific to.recognize incipient races and incipient subraces. In accordance with that view I have used the name forma to make it possible to relatively define aggregations of individuals possessing some particular or salient characteristic; it is believed that these divergent characters have arisen through local or general cli- matic or environmental conditions acting upon the progeny of parents specifically or racially identical.

AVall PREFACE.

In other words, the several formx enumerated under Fleodes den- tipes may arise from eggs deposited by a single typical female, under the influence of climatic, geographical, or environmental conditions capable of producing such divergencies.

A Latin name has been used to express the salient characteristic of any given forma, and these characteristics may be similar for each species or variety. A species or variety may have smooth and rough, short and elongate, small and large, caudate or ecaudate forms, consquently a repetition of Latin names is called for.

These terms are absolutely synonymous with the specific or varietal terms and must not be perpetuated as distinct grades, but simply used as an aid in recording data, and as a compromise between unscientific lumping and splitting, or the difference between 47 and 400 species.

Logically the present treatment ought not to seriously collide with the rules of the International Code governing nomenclature.

Frank E. BLAISDELL, Sr.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Rein WIG tO E per ae ee pee eee) eee ote Re re le ee iS Hue Katt OWL CPO GEE en sae Sete ek pe ie ee HES ue eye. Paul urs eee 2 af aye - Meet ocis7Os BU Gagee ee te eh ere ee yk ee cae ee Ses anes Seen Cralge x UCEH 2 WATT LOMUY Set. cyst Sage hah 2 ioe, elena S eee nate eS Aaa lata jopew ls - DinprmicaiiGn Alldesv Masia a) oss eee ans See heey on aE onetime arnt p inl yincalkey to penera,ot Hleodiini. 23. S25. os. Dy eee a cle oe 22 oss iGemuse leat Comet tees et ok Fee et Gere as See aay Sea Se Analytical key to subgenera of Picadas AEE Cpe Sn Se are eed eee hes nls Synopsis of general subgeneric characters...5........-.-...-.-----+------ Subgenus Melaneleodesisan2 tcc sigs bac ees ook ese ease ea he oe Growpel:— Carbonara SeChlONe ce 4-= oes pane ook Giga toe Soke oe ae Bleodesid eo iliste seen eee ere ee ie oe eats a Se Blead CarCar bomen stp ccepte mente oi: Aor ee rer wey auiers aicn, Se Bleodestcanbonattanvanrs SOLOG=] 94-45 ee ae) eee nee Ne odeaieini tare cten ie oe eye nthe Ga Conk ae ot i oak Blecdestampla war: Golosaa- tor. s sah See eine Sas 8: BNO ESO DSOLC LA ae ee ele Um NE od ac eee ee a Rleodes.obsoleta: var. poreatacs =. 22 55.52 Seo S82 see ReGen Ka LVRS ee iC airs Se RE ate ANC ne EN At cc Te Hleocdessomnlasaes sae Geer scctee es eee wee ine Se BeeS te adit Hileodesiomuissan vars py omecdee senate aes oe ee ae Hleodes:omissaqvars peningulariss. 22.6.2. 22-22-25 52042-+-- Group I.—Quadricollis section... . . Fest teen Lee Se se es Eleodes quadricollis. . ae TT ee AW SS ee Na <A Eleodes quadricollis var. Cenecne GR sara hacen 2a a Oey a Bleodessquadncollis-var~lustrans:. 5.2 225-22. 325 Sees. God estcumeaGiCOUlass soa Megs ten 5 ea ee hha oe nes a2 Hleod esshumerailighs seers ate 3 eerie Pee MES a eee Nee Bleodesarile yin te keys ied chs ee ep ee sel anaes 2 Groupall:——Tricostata sections... /5- uote ese ares oe ee os Bileodesktricosbatal ser Soe es aes pee a a eee ee Bilcodessped (ord CS=: somaya nee oe eu eee wot Eleodes pedinoides var. neomexicana........-.---.-------- SUSens nN e Le Oden tctee Bete eee ees ee eee aioe Nt ee Analyticalikeys toispeciesioislitheleodesteseeeees = s .oee ae ae eee Eleodes arcuata.... - PM rte Oe Tope ne Ap Ae aN sn ich eco ote IB eOG ese RURECA IAS. seme ee rete ee Se a ase ara oe Bleodes extricata, val: arizOnensis.)..32 0220250 ose sto Bleodestoranulatarsaes cae sserer reer aa tassios sake: st

Eleodes letcheri- . : eo

Eleodes letcheri var. 3 ainsi

Subgenus Tricheleodes.............-.---- Eee ih Peters He ie wis 2k

36

He oe a

D) (60) (G0. GO I ST OST “GaGa OO Or (Or NrereonNntnwnowawoowrai wc wo

aw co

95 100 104 104 109 113 114 116 116 121 125 127 133 136 138

VIII TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Subgenus Tricheleodes—Continued. Page. Analytical key ‘to‘species/ol Tricheleodess _~ as. eee eee 138 Hleodes hirstta. vii ype) ao 2 eons 1 a ee 139 Eleodes pilosa :< Si 0250% 0% Sea aera ee oe 142 Subpenus, Pseudeleodess5= 5s ia es aimee ee) ears eee 146 Hleodes‘granosa.': ci: 2 saciacs te ES ee ae Ul ene eae 147 Subgenus Promus....-..--- 3 1ae Se. SRRES Re eee oe aR eee 152 Analytical key to species of Promina SR eS ee ocr tc teen a er 156 Mleodeés imsullaris: | 25.2 286e- eee 3 ota Reet eee 156 Tileodes:sulpmitens-—.. toh <5: i ees cea ee 161 Hleodesigoryiss Sones se Sk ae i eee ee 164 Bleodes striolatacce22sis2 2 32S. es eed eee 168 Eleodes:fusiformis:s i2...2512..0 Ns< Mea eee eee WAZ Hleodes70pacas Botan s seca fs ee ee eee eS eee 175 Subgenus Heteropromitisss sx. fes uo che ae So a ee eee ae 179 ileodessavie Pera tore seis = 4 </Se. seecye sagen es ee eae er aes 179 SubpemusMleodess: ssse2e <2 acc 5 <2 wc ee eee eee ater re 183 Analytical key to groups of subgenus Eleodes.....-.-............-.-- 184 Group Obselral< 5s! £22 ee tee oo ak See eee ee eee 184 Analytical key to species of Obscura group-..-...-.-:-2.---2.5.- 185 Eleodes obseutactc: Ss oes arch eae ees no eee eee 187 Hleodes:obscura-var.idispersaxs =. +2252... sae eee ee 190, 191 Eleodes obscura (typical variety )22-22-2-2* 2222. 42n2--42-e 190, 193 Bleodes:obseura varsulcipennis-24---4- 26 seo ee ae 190, 194 Wleodes.aratao< a) 20 4c Vitae iss oe ee eee ae ea 194 Bleodesacutats oss sen Se Sk en ere a eee 195 Bleodes‘suturalise access see aes ee ee ee eee 199 Eleodes:suturalis:(typical variety) is2=c2= 524.2006 ece sae 202 Blecdes*suturalistvarstexamase cece. aa set arte ei ven rctee 202 Group, Grandicollis.2 22 aoe 2 Fe ee i ee 205 Hleodes:pramdicolligs.225. \ Ae aon seen eee 207 Group -Dentipes, section “Awe 22225 -ccx = see oe sea ee 211 Analytical key to species of Dentipes group....--........--..--: 212 Hleodes!spomsan 5.2 ae cece Sate ee eae eee pe Pee ee re eee 213 Eileodes*hispilabrisss22: s 2253-2 Seek See eee eee eee 2a Hleodesicaudaferas. 25-22. 5 2 Se eerie eee teens 225 Bleodes:lonerpilosas 22 02 c22 us. se oo et eee te eee 230 | Group: Dentipes, section: Bsus 222 ease eae ee ee ee 234 | Analytical key to species of Dentipes group.............-.--..-- 234 PM leodestaraci lise sees oe ee en ern ee ee 237 Hleodesteracilisivanedistamse. yee ts os mete ye eae ee 242 | Mleedés:subcylundnicas 282-2 See ees wets = see ee eee 246 | Hleodesisubbpimeuwist. 20:25. sence oe es ele aay ene 247 | Eleodes dentipes:i.2222 a2 2a: te rer cere ae See eee 251 Hleodesiarmatass.< -osce jeans e-toc eee eer 259 | Mleodésiarmatarvar. impotens. <2 2 see so. 2 ee ee See 263 EB leodestmullitamists 3 seo "yes ee ee nee eee pa 267 Hleodes*miulitarissvary temorata: sae. ee teen eee 22 Bleodestacuticaudas- 222-4. <5stca-e oe eee Seer ee oe see ee Bileodestacuticanida var laticollisizesse ses esac oe eee etre 280 ileodesceschscholtai« 2 o- sanac =e oe ee Oe eee 285 Hleodesieschscholtzitvara lcs. =. eae ee eee eee 289 Bileodestentiipes 222 51-32: 220. Se Saree eee eee 294

Eleodes: wickhamiz-ss-22 a2 42 See ee ee eee tee 297 |

TABLE OF CONTENTS. 1X

Group Dentipes, section B—Continued. Page. HI COMEMEMLTCOSR a entice ieee hak oes ce obee hii ec 2 ule u 300 Hlendextventricosan var tallls ss tesss. Sos 2a tee bl chee 305

SHbeenGn sala O wise oe a ass ase yee no a meee 2. tls. d 306 SMO pss Or cenitalicharactersan. as. 2ee maeae. 2 sees ates os ae wis oS 310 Analytical key to species of subgenus Blapylis....................... ili SE ees an lio iteulisea one toro pant tire teste Seedy eRe OL Lo 313

TeOm Coben O wiles ss-cr naman eae en ree Petes RR aE PA Mat Soo. 317

BAL eUME Se ECOMLe TEs ose es atiene Eelam g Werte Nedre MEPIS M2 321 Hileorlestpeneb rosa eh erties Gethin Seehami Oe oS 325 Hleodestenebross var aanse cs: + Otis Wie ek 328 Oeste CUiliicre Sanaa cere ae egmek ta oe eecrent ee Ne os Tale, 329

iil cod esyconsobrinacdetecc- aac sete eke ee Meee 333

Reales sca RipemmMiga, (yan oh: ane at ee ee ere ee eS 338 Mileodes:blancharduisens 455-8 Nee Je eee ee ae be ss 339

RCOdes hMNCOSTIas.eet aes Stee en 9 aa teat ae ret eh 343

Eleades im COLOmee selene a Seer en emer Shets ee ee, Slee 347

EN eod esp arintte rer aes 78.015, - tics eos aN Po a ee 390

Mleod csr panic ollie ss 602s Met tra yom ene A) a eal 354 Hicodes;parvicollis var. planatis: costo 5-8 asses oes aes 399

Hleod es parvicollisivar. productaas-- ewe sscetcssee eos 2. ss. 362 Blcodessparvicollis war. constrict s=.-ctee ee. 2 t=) kee eects 365 Micodestnoppimeilt tenes. se ese ae: oe ee ee NO 368 Bleodeshelayaconuissss sakes se) oe eee ee ae ore

leo CassCe WHOS = ees aero, SER Ste Sas tn eee eae 375 Hleodesreondatas tas awky oto os aenenies phe ee Bereta ota o 379 Pleodes:cordata wars rompdipenmis: 24.2 62s. s2see5 eee 384 leodestpumewoid es at sees eat Se er ee ore, tae Peele 384 ‘Hleodesvpimelioides var. brunnipes: 22... 2/3222 oe 386 Mlemdesteaseydees sen tae eterna tothe eacal ect She ee | 388 SHPSentia MM etablapylissas sso ee, tence mek See eS eh Soy 391 Analytical key to species of subgenus Metablapylis................-- 393 bleed esmmiorinamem. 5. ae te. Sake ee ree one PRE eT I 393 Rico@esmmenitanyar- peroned-.- 2. 025. iets. 398

IBeLeomes ins ital ey seste ep rate etre et ae Mexeecee) Sefer: SERA 8 TT. to 398 Mleodes(dissimulis var? nevadensis=:_.. <2. 22. oso els: 402

Mleoties sehwarailas: As ccm os seen et eee eee SS US = 406

SUD SeTHs SLene leOd Cae am akc see nn ne Beek ae eG oats OO ed 409 Analytical key to species of Steneleodes....................-------. 411 Hl CG Capesleamnica es Pe ae Cerin ee Uc Bele kd eed a 412 Mleodesrieantea Val eeentilis .-\ 5.5. mane see thea). ease 416

Mleodes pioanteasvar. estmata..-sos2sesh 0c) <2 ced os Se. 421 Bleodesslonsicollisiss ss ms ees are Re ape at Tenn! AD HlCodessmMoOCOns sabe vases are meuins when ose aert ca Ssk 429 PUDSEMUS MO IScOte minke: caarea eee eneae mame ie On ere Sel ee Te 434 Analytical key togrowps of Discogénias.- 24-222 25.228-.255222-2--5- 434 Analytical key to species of Discogenia, Group A............-.-..-.- 435 Analytical key to species of Discogenia, Group B...................-- 435 ‘Hleodesmmarcinathe seat esas ssa ue ees eae ha ke 436

: Hicodes sea Dricuilak tacesecs —a-ce me Sate. Ao Ac «sees as 2 oe = 440 S Ee OM es ame MINIS May meee nem ser se es ne ee eo. < 445 Binmnccnpmizedas Wer iccee ams tina autre hemes ~ Neer tan We ALS iy suited 450 HRCO cl Cay Ciliates aren en eye ede Sevoty. Bee Oe ats aces cha 450

TEL GOLSKe SCI POOR eee eS Bi eke ene ee 450

I TCOGeeSreh exc Ollisuanmee seta een oe ise Sa Sinks ce 2 450

XK TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Unrecognized species—Continued. Genus EmbaphionS.. 222.222. 23-28 2 us oe he fe ee eee Analytical key to species of genus Embaphion.............-.-...-..------ Embaphion depressum: -... 5.2 /2.: ..= =. 2 Sdasee eae Embaphion' elongatum: ...2:22).0'-4 S52. 2-2 eee Embaphion glabrum: 3-2-2052. 32-e5 = ee ee Embaphion contractumes: 25 55 sass =e ees eer Embaphion: planum. =. 2 2.25352) She ae eee Embaphion contusum es. sosees.-— See: See ee ee ee Embaphion contusum var. laminatum.............-..---.-- Embaphion*muricatume-225; 263 soaces seeeeeee Genus Eleodimorpha........-....-- Sy 3h Siac 1S Ste SPSS ee en eee Kleodimorpha*boleans = 255 sc 22 ee ee tore: eee Genus’ Trogloderus. cc 2)... Sd ihin steele ee Analytical key to species of genus Trogloderus....-.:......-.-.-.--------- Trogloderus costa tus:.- 2:28 as toe Bees See es Trosloderus tubercnullatussas—-—-—- eee eee ee re Species not recognized i222 5 eee ea ee a ee eg Hleodes vacinase oo 55552 see ye pes ee ee ee Hleodes nitidus: 22. nese Basi ee ees eee Hleodes reflexicollis: 22. ses. os Soe eee ee eee ee Early stages.of the: Hléddiiniz:25 2362. eee so oss gee oe ee eee ee ees Genus Blapss «2.25 eset Po ae ee eee eee aS oe ae eae Appendix (Quatermaryespecies) 25s) ee aa Se ae ee ee eee Bleodesteloncaita sas: 25s anaes ee ee ee Eleodesibehirii..23 "8 2 eae Bel is sh aS nee ee ee Eleodes-intermediia:.<t.<2 254 fasten ks a See ee ee Explanation of plates: aacese ase = sone ee eae ot et EEO Seta aa

Page. 450 453 453 454 457 460 464 467 472 473 477 479 483 486 486 490 493 493 493 494 495 502 505 506 506 507 509 521

dl Ale ei

ok i ee

ar) ne

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

TEXT FIGURES.

Page. Genealogical diagram of the subgenus Melaneleodes..............--....-2------ 39 Genealogical diacram of the'subgenus Proms... . 2. 2.42.--222--2-+----2-5 + - 156 Genealogical diagram of the Obscura group, subgenus Eleodes...........----- 186 Genealogical diagram of the Dentipes group, section A, subgenus Eleodes.. . - - 212 Genealogical diagram of the Dentipes group, section B, subgenus Eleodes.... 236 Genealocicall diagram’ of the subgenus*Blapylis. -._- 2. .2....-.=-----2-------: 309 Genealogical diagram of the subgenus Steneleodes..............-------------- 411 Genealopical diagram of the genus’ Embaphion.....:....2:...-+..2./2:2-=- 452 PLATES. Facing page. ipeGenitalienaracters-or the Wleodiimis< 65.2504. ska. bos be ieee nel oe 524 PPG eniitaleharaeversiOlune Leo dma eater em ayia sees es eee ere 524 Da Creniialmcharaccerstout ment leodiimipseas seers ees as ees oe eee 524 AeeGenitalecharacters OlhoersLeOGinmliee=- yes seme ames ec O24: a creumitaicharaecters:oh Lies leodiinive.. S22. fescs Jen. oe sets eran ees 524 6. Comparative and genital characters of the Eleodiini and related tribes... - - 524 7. Topography of the genital segments of the Eleodiini.............-.....-. 524 Bae atooy: Ol toe mleoditnt a. - Revlon seen ae scee eck See ae Se ole 524 9. Homology of the genital segments of the Eleodiini.....................-- 524 Ow ero mntarOL Me wu LeOG INIT i 7a ear awe ne Wah o lies a ee ie 524 MRR ECU taba Oe es GAN TIAN SLAs gete pe OU wy Re Seca ptapat ete Rae a 524 Reem nonoia Ok tier leodiinie .': 2 aGekrs S25 2s wee ooo AN saeco os Noe es oe 524 Poaee aruvse tases Ob the) Eweod tint =< a2. 26's oo Se See So Sec ooo one 524

A MONOGRAPHIC REVISION OF THE COLEOPTERA BELONGING TO THE TENEBRIONIDE TRIBE ELEODIINI INHABITING THE UNITED STATES, LOWER CALIFORNIA, AND ADJACENT ISLANDS.

By Franx E. Buatspe, Sr.,

Of San Francisco, California.

INTRODUCTION.

Since the publication of the Revision of the Tenebrionide @ no attempt has been i ide to treat the Eleodiini in a revisional way. Material has been constantly accumulating in collections, until it has become a very perplexing problem to refer it in all instances to species already named, or to correlate the numerous variations so evident in many species.

At first I had intended to simply deal with the species of the genus /leodes, but little by little I was induced to include all of the genera constituting the tribe as limited by previous authorities.

My method has been radically different from any heretofore pur- sued in the United States and it has been a laborious one. In the following pages I have set forth the results of my investigations and deductions which have been carried on during past five years. About one thousand specimens have been dissected during this time and over five thousand studied superficially.

I became convinced from the results previously arrived at by other writers on the family that all methods resorted to had been inade- quate for the proper understanding of species that are so polymor- phous and present such a community of habitus.

I decided to carry on a study along the lines of primary sexual characters, and if possible to investigate the mouth-parts and then to correlate the data obtained with characters already known.

aAmer. Phil. Soc., XIV. 59780—Bull. 68—09——1 .

2 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

The first part of my task was perfectly feasible; but not so with the mouth-parts, on account of the necessity of mutilating the speci- mens.

The first species were named by Thomas Say in the year 1823. He placed them in the genus Blaps.

Eschscholtz a few years later“ erected the genus /’/eodes, describ- ing several species.

Mannerheim still later ® described a few species, redescribing some of Eschscholtz’s species with references to the original descriptions.

Then followed the period between the years 1858 and 1865, the most active in the making known of new species, during which Dr. John L. LeConte described more species than any previous author. Later a number of his species were suppressed by Dr. George Horn, who from 1874 to 1891 occasionally described new species.

Many of the species suppressed by Doctor Horn have been restored to specific standing in the present paper. Doctor Horn was too conservative and his knowledge of the species was based upon char- acters that were too superficial.

Thomas L. Casey described E'leodes arcuatus in 1884; nine others in 1890,° and three more in the sixth volume of the annals of the same society.

In 1902 I deseribed Eleodes interrupta from an anomalous speci- men of /. omissa; in 1895 FE. impotens, a race of armata, and F. confinis, the latter no doubt being an incipient race of /’. dentipes.

LeConte’s /. seriata proved to be identical with Goryz, described by Solier from Mexico.

Lacordaire 7 explains the generic term Yysta as follows:

Le menton * * * est composé de trois parties; une mediane de forme yariable: et deux latérales en forme d’ailes, placées sur un plan plus interne, tranchantes latéralement, et d’autant plus larges que la premiére est moins développée. C'est sur la forme de cet organe qui Eschscholtz s’était basé pour diviser le genre en deux. I] donnait le nem de VYyst@ aux espéces qui ont la partie médiane trés-développée et arrondie en avant, et réservait celui d’Hleodes A celles of son bord antérieur est rétréci et plus ou moins triangulaire, mais il y a entre ces deux formes des passages qui leur enlévent Ja faible valeur qu’elles pourraient avoir.

In a footnote he says:

Eschscholtz en indique quatre especes [gravida, angulata, rotundicollis, sul- cata] [belonging to Xysta] du Mexique, mais il y en a beaucoup d’autres, la tricostata par exemple, * * * Chez la plupart de ces espéces, les ailes lat- érales du menton ¢tant petites, paraissent au premier coup-d’ceil, ne plus exister, mais, avec un peu d’attention on les découvre sans peine.

@ Zool. Atlas, 1829-1833, I-V. » Bull. Moscow, 1843.

¢ Annals N. Y. Acad. Sci., V. 4 Genera, p. 149.

ae alia

ee.

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 3

Kirby ¢ describes Pimelia alternata, which is now a synonym of Eleodes tricostata Say. After the description he says: “ Mr. Say says of his Pimelia (Hdrotes) rotunda that it was the first of that genus found on the New Continent; that above described (a/ternata) furnishes therefore a valuable addition to the American insect fauna.”

A brief reference to European literature shows that formerly the name Pimelia had a wide application, sufficient to include even such remotely related forms as /'drotes and Lleodes.

Pimelia is a Fabrician genus now including a considerable number of European species about the Mediterranean, also Northern Africa and Western Asia.

It may be interesting to the student to compare Eschscholtz’s ? synoptic characters of the four genera, blaps, Hleodes, Xystus, and Nycterinus, which are as follows:

Blaps.—Tibiwe antice apice bispinosee. Antenne articulo tertio sequenti duplo longiore, ultimo acuminato, tribus anticedentibus subglobosis. Labium apice latius, planum. Elytra carina laterali. Mas segmento basali abdominis. scopifero.

Hleodes.—Auntenne articulo ultimo transverso, duobus antecedentibus, rotun- dis compressis, tertio sequenti duplo longiore. Labium apice angustius triangu- lare. Clypeus indistinetus, antice leviter emarginatus.

XVystus.—Antenne articulo ultimo transverso, duobus antecedentibus, rotundis compressis, tertio sequenti duplo longiore. Labium transversum, medio dila- tatum, apice rotundatum. Clypeus indistinctus, emarginatus.

Nycterinus.—Antenne articulo ultimo transverso, tribus antecedentibus com- pressis, tertio sequenti parum longiore. Labium apice latius.

In the synopsis 7’agona precedes Blaps, and Prosodes between Blaps and Eleodes, Nycterinus between Xystus and Amphidora. The characters used are very variable. I have not had an opportunity to study Nycterinus. I have a species from Northern Chile that I believe belongs to, or quite close to, this genus.

Gemminger and Harold ° give two species of Zagona as inhabiting Russia Meridionale and Turcomania; Prosodes, Oriental Europe and Western Asia; NVycterinus, twelve species, mostly Chilean, and Blaps as very numerous in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

T hope this work may be the forerunner of others upon the Tene- brionide, and have therefore taken the opportunity to place before the American student many suggestions that would be out of place in an ordinary revision. I sincerely trust that my colleagues will continue to aid me in the future as they have done in the past.

@Wanua Boreali-Americana, IV, 1837, p. 232. ’Zool. Atlas, III, 1829. ¢ Catalogus Col., VII.

4 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

It is a great pleasure to acknowledge the generous loan and gift of material, as follows:

The United States National Museum in Washington made the loan of 1,914 specimens, which were transmitted to me through the kind intercession of Dr. L. O. Howard. This material was of invaluable aid and of great interest, as it contained material from the collections of the following weil-known entomologists: H. G. Hubbard, EK. A. Schwarz, C. V. Riley, H. Soltau, E. J. Oslar, D. W. Coquillett, H. K. Morrison, M. L. Linell, J. B. Smith, J. D. Mitchell, H. S. Barber, C. F. Baker, and A. S. Fuller.

Mr. Charles Fuchs and Dr. KE. C. Van Dyke put all of their material at my disposal.

I am especially indebted to my friend, Henry C. Fall, for the com- parison of material with authentic types in the collection of the Mu- seum of Comparative Zoology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and for the loan of species not well represented from other sources.

To Mr. Frederick Blanchard, of Tyngsboro, Massachusetts, I extend my sincere thanks for his painstaking care in the comparison of many consignments of specimens from my collection with the Le- Conte types in the collection of the Museum of Comparative Zoology in Cambridge. His valuable notes and short descriptions aided me greatly, and without which I could not have written so authorita- tively. At his request Mr. Samuel Henshaw, curator at the museum in Cambridge, very kindly transmitted to me one of LeConte’s speci- mens of Hleodes gentilis,

At my request Mr. Charles Liebeck, of Philadelphia, looked up the literature on Blaps and made notes on specimens in the collection of the Academy of Science in that city.

Prof. H. F. Wickham, at the sacrifice of his own limited time, most kindly looked up literature upon the tribe now under consideration, and those references that could not be obtained upon this coast he copied and forwarded to me, namely, the original descriptions of Mannerheim. I must also thank him for the loan of material, espe- cially for specimens taken in Texas, Nevada, and New Mexico.

IT am indebted to Mr. Ralph Hopping for the examination of the material in his collection, especially that from Tulare County, Cali- fornia. I had the privilege of studying a collection taken at Fort Tejon by Messrs. Hopping and Fuchs.

Prof. J. J. Rivers presented me with a series of H7eodes taken at Ocean Park, Los Angeles County.

Dr. C. F. Clark most kindly contributed a collection of F’leodes taken in Napa County, California.

|

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 5

Mr. Warren Knaus very kindly aided me by the loan and gift of most interesting material collected in Kansas, New Mexico, and Colorado.

The late Beverly Letcher permitted me to study a series of speci- mens that had been collected along the Colorado River in Arizona.

Lieut. Col. Thos. L. Casey donated several of his species and other specimens. /leodes rileyi was of particular interest.

The California Academy of Sciences, of San Francisco, placed its material at my service. The collection was of more than ordinary interest on account of material from Lower California.

Mr. Fordyce Grinnell gave me a series of specimens taken in Kern County, California.

I received from Mr. Edward Ehrhorn a small collection from the mountains at Monte Bello, near Mountain View, Santa Clara County, California.

My friend and colleague, Dr. William Lee Moore, and his son Edgar, collected a large series at Verdi, Nevada, and sent the same to me.

My mother, Mrs. Anna G. Blaisdell, gathered an immense series at San Diego, California, and transmitted most of them alive for special studies.

Mr. Albert Koebele very generously gave me a series of specimens taken about Nogales, Arizona, and also permitted me to study those in his collection.

Mr. F. W. Nunenmacher also supphed me bountifully with speci- mens from about Nogales.

Dr. A. Fényes very kindly sent me material for examination and study.

Prof. F. H. Snow, of the University of Kansas, permitted me to study and identify numerous specimens collected by himself in

- Arizona and elsewhere.

Dr. R. H. Wolcott, of the University of Nebraska, transmitted to me the entire collection of /7eodes of that institution for study, and also a collection of Mexican species.

I most sincerely thank Mr. Charles O. Waterhouse, of the British Museum, Cromwell Road, London, for a series of Blaps, which he very kindly loaned in response to my request.

Miss Julia Wright, of Palo Alto, California, allowed me to study the native species in her collection, also a collection of Blaps obtained by her while abroad.

T also looked over the collection in the entomological depart- ment of Stanford University, through the courtesy of Prof. Vernon Kellogg.

It is my duty and pleasure to thank all who have so promptly aided me, and especially my intimate associates, Dr. Edwin C. Van

6 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Dyke, Charles Fuchs, and the late Beverly Letcher for their en- couragement and advice. Without this material and moral aid the present work could not possibly have been as complete as it is.

MBTHODS OF STUDY.

All comparative measurements have been made from outlines drawn by aid of a binocular microscope with either a 4, 1, 2, or 3 inch objective and a camera lucida. The legs were measured directly with a finely divided metric ruler, under a hand lense.

Fresh specimens were hardened in alcohol or a two per cent solu- tion of formalin; dried specimens were quickly relaxed in hot water.

To determine the relative length of the antenne—the parts being relaxed—the head is either retracted or extended so that the apical margin of the pronotum corresponds to the posterior margin of the tempora. (See line C, Plate 8, fig. 1.) The antenna is then thrown back over the disc of the pronotum so that it falls a little within the basal angles. If it does not reach beyond the apical three- fourths of the pronotal disc, it is said to be short, if it reaches to the basal margin it is moderate in length; if beyond the basal margin it is Jong. Qualifying terms are used to express nearness to these

points.

This method is arbitrary, but sufficiently correct for all practical purposes, if care be taken to have the head in the proper position.

In determining the relative width and length of the head a tracing is made, care being taken to have the surface plane parallel to the focal plane of the microscope. The drawing is then treated as in fig. 1, Plate 8. A line is drawn transversely, just touching the pos- terior margins of the eyes and called the post-marginal ocular line, fig. 1b, Plate 8. A second line is drawn from a point on the post- marginal line midway between the eyes to the middle of the anterior margin of the epistoma, and termed the interlocular line (fig. la, Plate 8). Line } practically divides the head into equal halves, near enough for our purpose. If the distance across the widest or most prominent part of the eyes is twice the length of line a, the head is said to be moderate in width; if less, the head is Jong, and if greater it is wide or broad. The proper qualifying terms being used to express nearness to or extremes of these relative dimensions. For example, the head may be said to be longer than wide, somewhat longer, or distinctly longer than wide. The head is subquadrate, and if line @ be one-half the total length, and if the width be twice line a, the head is as wide as long. The labrum can not be included in the measurement as it is not fixed.

For the removal of the genital segments the parts must be soft and flexible. In cabinet specimens hot water swells the soft parts,

REVISION OF ELEODITNI—BLAISDELL. C

so that they approximate their fresh condition. The specimen, when ready, 1s grasped between the thumb and index finger of the left hand, dorsum to the palm, then with a lance-pointed dissecting needle depress the last two ventral segments, pass the needle internal to the sternite of the seventh segment and forward along the inner surface of the sixth and fifth abdominal segments, cutting first to the right, then to the left, detaching the integumentary attachment along the pleural region; when this is done, with a curved or hooked pointed needle pull out the viscera. Place them on the stage of a dissecting microscope and carefully remove the ensheathing sclerites and mem- branes from the genital organs; the latter should now: be washed in 60 per cent alcohol, then placed into another bath of 60 per cent alcohol to which a little glycerine has been added to prevent too ‘rapid drying while being studied. Remove and wipe with a camel’s hair brush, and mount on a white bristol-board slide for the micro- scope, a minute drop of glue being used for the purpose.

Study the dorsal surface first and be sure to orient the specimen so that the surface is parallel to the focal plane; when finished wet shghtly and remove from the slide, wash in water to remove the glue, throw into the alcohol and glycerine, remove and wipe and mount as before, but in a reversed position, and study the ventro-lateral sur- faces. When this is done remove as before, wash in alcohol, and mount on a small piece of cardboard and place on the pin beneath the insect for future study.

Parts to observe about the female organs:

Dorsal surface-—General form, pubescence, relation of the valves to each other, apices, cercopoda, dorsal plates, and superior pudendal membrane.

Ventrolateral surfaces —General surface contour, pubescence, basal prominences, submarginal grooves, position of the fossxe and cer- copoda, genital fissure, and inferior pudendal membrane.

Parts to observe about the male organs:

Dorsal surface.—General surface contour and form of the edeago- phore and its basale and apicale, presence or absence of a membranous area or groove.

Ventral surface—General form and condition of the membrane, alee; clave, form and relation to the edeagus; degree of inflexion of the sides of the basale. In the male the sternite of the seventh seg- ment must be removed separately and studied in conjunction with the edeagophore. It is of value in classification. Prepare and mount as the other organs.

In order to study the relation of the sclerites of the retractile seg- ments and reproductive organs, clear with liquor potassi.

The study of the tarsi should be most carefully done. T have used a bull’s-eye condenser for concentrating the light, and while holding

8 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

the specimen in the light in the most convenient position I have examined the tarsi with a hand lens, for the small species using the compound microscope. The first three joints of the anterior and those of the middle tarsi should be most carefully examined under different angles of illumination. Many specimens have the hairs or spinwes rubbed off; if possible use perfect specimens.

A study of the mouth-parts, while exceedingly desirable for the purpose of correlation with the genital parts, is not possible without dissection and mutilation of the specimens. In many _ instances, nevertheless, this has been done, especially when the material war- ranted it.

Caution.—The student must bear in mind not to accept measure- ments representing length, breadth, and thickness in a literal sense, but only as indicative of relative proportions.

GENERAL EXTERNAL ANATOMY.

The following results have been obtained chiefly rom a study of Eleodes dentipes.

Form variable. Integuments usually strongly chitinized.

Head (Plate 8, fig. 1) quadrate, nearly encircled by a rather broad impression, which is strongly marked behind the gular peduncle and buccal fissures, less so behind the tempora, sometimes feebly indicated across the dorsum. By this impression the epicranial wall is divided into two regions, the occipital and fronto-buccal. The epicranial sutures are mostly obsolete. ~ The occipital region is globular and condylar, and the surface more or less finely granulato-punctate; the foramen usually vertically oval, superior margin bisinuate, sinuations separated by a median subtriangular process, inferior margin broadly sinuate and straight between the gular sutures. The superior and visible portion of this region forms the vertex.

Fronto-buccal region moderately depressed, surface lines converg- ing to meet about a length of the region in advance. Frons more or less transverse, never strongly convex; limited laterally by the eyes and the more or less prominent and arcuate preocular frontal ridges, which thicken and descend in front of the eyes to their inferior fourth, articulating with the gene below. The inflexed and externo- anterior surface of the frontal ridges are excavated, forming the antennal fosse, the anterior margins of which bear a narrow oblong- oval mandibular condyle, just behind the lateral frontal suture. The anterior frontal margin is deeply emarginate, middle three-fifths of the emargination straight, sides prominent anteriorly forming the frontal angles, the internal margins of which are straight and an- teriorly divergent, forming an obtuse angle with the middle of the

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 9

emargination, the latter receiving the base and obliquely truncate basal angles of the epistoma, forming the more or less evident frontal suture, the latter sometimes apparently sinuate at middle.

EH pistoma transverse, surface more or less plane to feebly convex; base embraced by the anterior margin of the frons (see Plate 8, fig. 1); sides straight and convergent anteriorly, continuing the sides of the frons and forming therewith the fronto-epistomal border; anterior margin more or less sinuate, angles rather narrowly rounded.

Tempora small, and not in the least prominent, sloping from the posterior margins of the eyes, and feebly convex, passing evenly into the frons above and the gens beneath and limited posteriorly by the transverse impression.

Gene not prominent laterally, surfaces feebly convex, limited inter- nally by the gular sutures. Each anterior margin is irregular, pre- senting for examination two angles—a superior or frontal, and an inferior or mental; three emarginations—a superior, mandibular, and buccal; tw processes—the mandibular and buccal. (Plate 8, fig. 15.)

The superior or frontal angle jos the inferior margin of the antennal fossa in front of the inferior fourth of the eye, and separated from the mandibular process which hes below it by a very short and somewhat oblique, shallow apical or superior emargination, the ventral margin of which is more or less beveled; the mandibular process is short and obtuse, and when the superior emargination is obsolete, scarcely recognizable as a distinct part near the superior angle; the mandibular emargination is a small but well marked reéntrant margin between the mandibular process above and buceal process below, its curvature is somewhat oblique superiorly where it forms the ventral edge of the mandibular process; the buccal process is anteriorly prominent, subacute, but not produced, forming the abrupt and external boundary of the deep and evenly rounded buccal emargination, which terminates internally at the mental angle of the gular peduncle. That part of the anterior margin bounded above by the apical angle and the buccal process below is the mandibular portion, while that part between the buccal process above or exter- nally and the mental angle of the gular peduncle ventrally and internally is the buceal portion. The second joint of the maxillary palpus rests in the mandibular emargination when extended against the side of the head. The mandibular portion is opposed to the base of the mandible, and the buccal portion at the internal margin of the emargination gives attachment to the cardo of the maxilla and forms the posterior boundary of the buccal fissure.

The buccal process on its internal surface has a small glenoid cavity by which it articulates with the small globular and somewhat prominent condyle of the mandible.

10 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

The buccal process is moderately produced in Lleodes blanchardii end strongly so in Lleodimorpha bolcan. (See Plate 8, fig. 24.)

Hyes narrowly subreniform, transverse, and shghtly oblique, su- perior margins rounded, the inferior shghtly subtruncate against the gene yventro-anteriorly, rounded somewhat behind this point and continuously so with the arcuate posterior margin; the anterior margin is broadly and evenly emarginate, adapted to the deflexed frontal ridge, and briefly so to the superior genial angle. Surface finely faceted and not setigerous.

Gular region, besides being punctato-granulate, is finely and ir- regularly or transversely regulose. The gular sutures are widely separated inferiorly at the sides of the occipital foramen, and some- what arcuately converging anteriorly to become nearly contiguous at a point, whose distance behind the base of the mentum is equal to the width of the gular peduncle, and continuing forward for a short distance to become divergent, passing to the mental angles of the peduncle, bounding laterally the small triangular submentum, whose base is usually a little longer than one of its sides.

The transverse cephalic groove is strongly impressed across the apex of the submentum, becoming less so outwardly just behind the posterior boundary of the buccal fissures.

Gular peduncle short and slightly deflexed, formed by the sub- mentum, whose base forms a free margin, to which is attached the mentum.

Gula.—Between the gular sutures posteriorly is the subtriangular gula, whose base forms the straight inferior boundary of the occipi- tal foramen.

Labrum more or less transverse, sinuate at middle, sinus rounded, lobes rounded and continuously so with the sides; surface feebly convex, punctate, sete longer latero-anteriorly, and decurved; the anterior margin each side of the central sinuation, just beneath clothed with dense transverse tufts of golden pubescence (/abral tufts), which are directed downward, inward, and slightly forward.

Mentum variable, internally giving attachment to the labium; apex of middle lobe free. (See descriptions of species.)

Antenne variable in length. The outer three or four joints are always more or less feebly compressed and slightly dilated; second joint always short, frequently wider than long, and subannular; the third always long, from three to five times as long as the second and usually about as long as the fourth and fifth taken together; the fourth and fifth may be equal in length, or the former a little the longer; fifth, sixth, and seventh usually about equal in length and size and obconical in form; eighth more or less triangular; eighth, ninth and tenth usually more or less transverse; eleventh oval and ob- liquely truncate at tip. The first joint is moderately arcuate, and

REVISION OF ELEODITNI—BLAISDELL. 11

distinctly constricted beyond the condyle. Joints eight to eleven, inclusive, more or less densely and finely pubescent, with tactile sete. All the joints are irregularly punctate, and from each punc- ture arises a seta; sete longer on the apical moiety of each.

Right mandible (Hleodes dentipes, Plate 8, fig. 12) short, robust, triangular, a little decurved at tip, the latter feebly emarginate.

Superior surface feebly convex, divided by a feeble arcuate ridge into an apical or incisive surface occupying about the anterior third, and a basal or molar surface occupying the basal two-thirds. In- cisive surface with a series of short parallel ridges near and at right angles to the internal margin.

Huternal surface with outline quite strongly arcuate, most so in apical half, which becomes apparently transverse; divided by a longitudinal ridge-like prominence into two parts, a superior and an inferior, both feebly coneave and finely scabro-punctate. Sur- face at apex not concave.

Ventral surface (Plate 8, fig. 10) deeply and arcuately excavated ; lacinia prominent, rounded and free anteriorly, finely pubescent.

Internal surface (Plate 8, fig. 2) deeply concave within the incisive third; lacinia prominent before the well-developed and transversely oval molar, behind which is a membranous lobe; the latter is pubes- cent, and the hairs longer than on the lacinia. Molar with a fine elevated margin, the inclosed surface area feebly and irregularly excavated.

Left mandible (E. dentipes) more strongly decurved apically and more deeply excavated within; incisor margin shghtly emarginate; external surface at tip more strongly beveled from the emarginate edge. As a whole it is less strongly arcuate and a little longer than the right.

Maxilla (Ef. dentipes, Plate 8, fig. 11).—The palpi are compara- tively large and four-jointed. The basal joint small, quite strongly and outwardly bent at middle; second joint elongate, obconical and nearly twice as long as the third, the latter also obconical and shghtly arcuate at base; fourth broadly triangular, not equilateral, the inner margin the shortest, the external and apical subequal.

Lacinia ending in a chitinous claw-lke point ; external surface con- cave with margins arcuately dilated at middle, adapted to the in- ternal surface of the galea. The internal surface just basad to the claw-like extremity is densely set with rather long incurving cilia- like setae, elsewhere the surface is shining and very glabrous.

Galea of one joint, subtriangular (variable in the different species) ; external surface evenly convex and glabrous, limited apically by a dense and evenly transverse row of rather short spinules, immediately beyond which the apex is densely set with rather long, incurving spinule-like cilia.

1 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Cardo subparabolic in outline. Conical eminence at base of palpus quite evident. Palpus and palpiger punctate and setose; cardo more finely so.

Labium (EF. dentipes, Plate 8, figs. 8 and 15).—Transverse, body or palpiger subquadrate, with what are apparently the chitinized paraglosse expanded laterally and connate with the sides above the insertion of the palpi.

The ventral surface of the palpiger is transversely prominent ven- trally between the palpi, and gradually declivous posteriorly to base ; rounded laterally basad to the palpi, apicad passing into the concave and expanded paraglosse, which are directed outward and forward, and rounded at apex. The basal joints of the palpi glide over the concave surface of the paraglosse.

The apical margin of the palpiger is not noticeably membranous, but rapidly and obliquely beveled from the prominent interpalpal surface, at its oral margin giving attachment each side of a brief central interval, to a thick transverse tuft of rather stout but soft golden cilia, which curve upward and forward. The corresponding oral margins of the paraglossve are also frimbriate with similar cilia, which increase somewhat in length from within outward, longest at apex and gradually diminishing to some extent externally, as they are traced backward and inward along the floor of the mouth. The cilia on the paraglossee are directed inward and forward as shown in fig. 3, Plate 8.

Labial palpi (Plate 8, fig. 3) rather small and three-jointed, in- serted into the sides of the palpiger ventrad to the paraglose. Joints one and two subequal, the first narrower and obconical, the second shghtly stouter and of similar form, the third a little longer, scarcely triangular (subpyriform), feebly flattened and constricted at base within. (Compare figs. 3, 5, and 6, Plate 8.)

Ligula (2. dentipes, Plate 8, fig. 13).—The internal surface of the labium is membranous and marked by a median groove that ends posteriorly at an oval but small eminence; anteriorly just within the apical margin on each side of the median groove is a rounded convex- ity; they he within a triangular area bounded anteriorly by the cilia of the apical margin, and laterally by two converging rows of cilia, which pass inward and backward from the apices of the paraglossve to terminate at the oval eminence. Externally to the rows of cilia the surface declines to the external margins of the paraglosse, and scattered over which are a number of rather short hairs. Upon the oval membranous eminence at the apex of the triangle is a small ar- cuate row of very small sete; these are at the proximal end.

Prothorax.—Inlet bounded above by the apical margin of the pronotum, below by the apical margin of the prosternum. Laterally within the apical angles is a small triangular area, which may be

es,

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 13

termed the apical triangle. It is bounded above by the apical pro- notal margin, within by the margin of the inlet, and below by a feebly marked ridge that passes downward from the apex. The out- let 48 circular and its plane is quite strongly oblique, while that of the inlet is quite vertical. The dorsum is nearly twice as long as the sternum. Ventrally along the margin of the outlet the surface is ‘ather widely impressed from side to side and behind the acetabula. The impression is interrupted at the middle by the prosternal mucro,

Propleure (prothoracic episterna and epimera) with parts not de- fined from each other nor from the inflexed sides of the pronotum ; limited internally before the acetabula by the prosternal suture; pos- teriorly no sutures are visible. Surface more or less prominent from the external margin of each acetabulum.

Prosternum with the coxz more or less protuberant ventrally. Anterior margin broadly sinuate in circular arc, beaded, and usually narrowly deflexed. Prosternal sutures distinct before the acetabula, straight, impressed and subfoveate in basal half. Each suture ex- tends from the external acetabular margin to lateral margin of the prothoracic inlet, where it bounds the inner side of the apical triangle.

Mesothorax.—Condyle annular. The dorsal part of the condyle is formed by the transverse and somewhat triangular scutellum, the apex entering between the elytral bases to appear visible as a small, glabrous, and impunctate triangular plate, marked off from the scutellar body by a strong surface deflexion, which is in line with a similar deflexion across each elytral base, the condylar portion be- ing on a lower plane than that which enters the elytral disk. The condylar portion is minutely punctato-scabrous and finely pubescent, its basal margin is feebly and broadly emarginate, with the angles projecting a little beyond the episternal border, and at which point the two plates are not closely articulated, being separated laterally from the episterna by the articular processes of the elytra.

Mesosternum.—lt presents for examination two parts and an acetabular portion.

The condylar portion is directed horizontally forward, and arcuate from side to side, forming apparently, when viewed from below in reference to the greatest transverse diameter of the inlet, the middle two-fourths ventrally of the condylar wall. The anterior or free margin is beaded and feebly arcuate anteriorly. From the middle of the margin there extends backward a short glabrous carina, which is slightly dilated where it is continuous with the marginal bead; surface punctato-scabrous and finely pubescent.

The acetabular portion is more or less declivous posteriorly from the horizontal condylar part, the middle third posteriorly entering between the mesacetabula forming the intercoxal salient of the me- sosternum, where it may become briefly horizontal, and its apical

a condylar

14 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

“margin truncate, feebly arcuate or sinuate even in individuals of the same species, widely separating the mesocoxe and terminating at the transverse mid-acetabular line; each lateral third of the posterior border of the mesosternum is arcuately reéntrant, forming the anterior moiety of each mesacetabular cavity, and terminating in the externo- posterior angle, which is rather broad and transversely truncate, forming the anterior boundary of the mesacetabular recess (see Ace- tabula) ; the surface is more or less concave at middle between the convex and prominent acetabular margins.

The sides of the mesosternum are limited by the mesosternal sutures ; these are straight and extend obliquely forward and inward from the external angle of the mesacetabular recess, to the condylar mar- gin, at a point whose distance from the mid-line is about equal to the length of the condylar portion in the mid-line before the prominent intercoxal part. The sutures join the mesosternum and episterna only.

Mesosternal episterna—tKach episternum is triangular and with its surface on the same general plane; anteriorly forming the condylar margin between that formed by the mesosternum below and the meso- notum above; internally uniting with the mesosternum: apical angle received between the epimeron and mesosternum at the angle of the mesacetabular recess; externally and dorsally connate with the epi- pleural margin and base of the elytron external to its articular process.

The surface is divided into two areas by a gentle arcuate line or ridge which extends transversely from about the middle of the meso- sternal suture to the inferior humeral angle. This line may be called the episternal line.

The area anterior to the episternal line is the condylar portion; its surface is finely punctulo-seabrous and pubescent, and subdivided into two unequal portions by a submarginal line, which, beginning at the antero-internal angle runs outward nearly parallel to the mar- ginal bead, thence gently diverging, to arcuately pass to the middle of the superior margin of the condylar area.

Mesosternal epimera.

Each epimeron is rhomboidal, with its in- ferior border bounding the mesacetabular recess externally ; scareely twice as wide as long, obliquely placed between the mesosternal epi- sternum in front and the metasternal episternum behind, and if its posterior margin be prolonged as a line it will touch the internal angle of the metacoxa of the same side.

The superior margins of the mesosternal episterna and epimera are inflexed beneath the inferior epipleural margins of the elytra, at the line of inflexion where they pass under, the surface is grooved and beveled to receive and hold the elytral margins; the inflexed portions are continuous with less strongly chitinized dorsal and undifferen- tiated sclerites, which with similarly inflexed parts of the metasternal

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REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 5

episterna, form between them the boundaries of a rather large fossa, in the deep and somewhat anterior wall of which is situated the meso- thoracic stigma. This stigmatic fossa is situated immediately within the mesosternal epimera under cover of the elytra.

Metasternum short, the median part or body is subquadrate, some- what equal in length to the abdominal intercoxal process, anteriorly entering between the mesacetabula quite equally with the mesosternal salient and forming with it the éntersternal suture; the latter is either straight or arcuate, according to whether the intercoxal processes are truncate or more or less rounded—a variable condition even within specific limits; posteriorly the border is transverse, not in the least entering between the metacetabula.

The sides of the body are produced laterally, much narrowed be- tween the mesacetabula in front and the metacetabula behind to expand somewhat triangularly more externally against the episterna, as the ale. The anterior borders of the ale, laterad to the intercoxal process, are arcuately reéntrant to form the posterior moieties of the mesacetabula; the posterior borders of the ale are less strongly and arcuately reéntrant to form the anterior boundaries of the metrace- tabula. The basal borders of the ale are very feebly reéntrant and rounded to fit the feebly arcuate edges of the episterna, forming the metasternal sutures, each extending from the external angle of the mesacetabular recess in front to the external angle of the metacetab- ulum behind. The anterior basal angle of the metasternal ala is shut off from the externo-posterior angle of the mesosternum by the mesosternal epimeron at the external angle of the mesacetabular recess; the posterior basal angle of the ala is prevented from meeting the first abdominal segment by the interposed episternum at-the ex- ternal metacetabular angle.

Metasternal episternum.—Elongately subrhomboidal, slightly wid- ening at middle, thence feebly narrowing to the posterior border, about three times longer than wide and about three and a half times longer than the mesosternal epimeron; base obliquely truncate and connate with the posterior edge of the mesosternal epimeron, forming the mesepimeral suture; internal border feebly arcuate and connate with the base of the metasternal ala; the external margin is straight and adapted to the inferior epipleural margin. The posterior edge internally is somewhat inflexed at the external angle of the metace- tabulum, externally giving attachment to the small subacutely digiti- form metasternal epimeron, which is feebly and inwardly arcuate, resting in a small depression on the surface of the first abdominal segment at the externo-anterior angle, and bounding the metacetab- ulum at its external angle.

The metathoracic stigma is situated immediately opposite to, the posterior extremity of the metasternal episternum and under cover

16 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

of the elytra; unlike the mesothoracic stigma it is surrounded by the soft cuticle; it is large and deeply impressed and the rima stigmatis is antero-posteriorly directed; that of the mesothoracic stigma is di- rected antero-internally.

The dorsum of the mesothorax is more or less chitinized laterally, less so at middle behind the scutellum. Invisible without removal of the elytra.

The dorsum of the metathorax is membranous except laterally where the episternum extends inward for a short distance beneath the epipleura.

The proacetabula are quite circular, except at the internal margin where the intercoxal prosternal process dilates slightly and impinges upon them.

The mesacetabula are quite circular if the recess for the trochan- tine be not included, with that it is shghtly transverse. The anterior margin of the acetabular recess is more or less angulate from the truncate externo-posterior angle of the mesosternum; the posterior margin is continuously arcuate with that of the acetabulum proper.

The metacetabula are shghtly more transverse, but slightly and obtusely angulate anteriorly where the posterior angles of the meta- sternal ale form their boundary.

The procove are globose.

The mesocovw are really slightly transverse, but subdivided by an antero-posterior impression into the rounded coxa proper and the outer and smaller division,—the trochantine which occupies the ace- tabular recess. The coxa proper is quite broadly and outwardly im- pressed from the articular cavity to the trochantine.

The -metacovw are more transverse, ovate and not divided by an antero-posterior impression; the surface of each is broadly and strongly grooved external to the articular cavity.

The trochanters are small and ovate, scarcely forming a half of the width of the basal extremity of a femur, and but a little longer than wide,

The crural characters ave given under the different specific head- ings. For a study of the relative lengths of the different segments see diagram, fig. 4, Plate 8.

The grooves on the inferior surfaces of the femora I have denomi- nated as the ¢/bial grooves; because they are adapted to and receive the tibiz in extreme flexion.

Likewise the grooves observed on the external surfaces of the tibive I call the tarsal grooves. These tarsal grooves are not always present in the different species; when present they extend from the more or less open articular cavities on the tibial apices, to become evanescent at varying distances from the same. These tarsal grooves receive the tarsi in hyperextension.

“4. ?

“I

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 1

The tarsi are grooved beneath by the plantar grooves.

Each tarsal joint is more or less obconical and grooved beneath. The sides of the groove are set with a row of marginal spinules, the apical margin also bears a row of apical spinules. At the apex where the apical meet the marginal row, the spinules are usually longer and more conspicuous as acute tufts; these are the apico-marginal tufts. (See Plate 8, fig. 22.)

The first two joints of the anterior tarsi are frequently thickened and somewhat produced at apex beneath (Plate 8, fig. 97), obliterat- ing the groove. When the apex is thickened beneath it nearly always bears a tuft of yellowish pubescence, especially in the males of many species, and sometimes in the female a tuft of spinules.

In the males of the subgenus Blapylis it is normal to observe on the first and second joints of the mesotarsi similar tufts on the tips beneath. This is also observed in some species of Promus.

The ultimate joint of each tarsus at apex has the margin above feebly bilobed; beneath the margin is produced into an interungual process, which varies considerably in shape but is probably of no value in the separation of species. (See Plate 6, fig. 18.)

The ungues are slender and acute, moderately arcuate, and slightly subangulate at base beneath. (Plate 6, fig. 19.)

Abdomen.—Ventrally there are only five visible segments, while dorsally there are six.

Morphologically the first visible ventral segment is the second; the study of the retractile segments requires that this be recognized as such.

The first segment dorsally in the mid-line is as long as the second ; laterally it gradually narrows so that it points at the bases of the metasternal epimera.

Ventrally the first segment is greatly reduced, and although un- differentiated it forms a part of the metacetabular walls, reaching the sides of the abdomen to appear as a small and short sclerite, con- nate with the externo-anterior angle of the second segment (first visible), dorsad to the base of the metasternal epimeron, and at the point where the evident dorsal membranous first segment reaches the abdominal margin.

There are six pairs of abdominal stigmata, and in the male are located on each side as follows:

The first stigma is situated about 4 mm. above the posterior margin of the metathoracic stigma.

The second is about 0.8 mm. above the lateral edge of the second ventral (first visible) segment and on a line drawn transversely across the posterior margins of the metacetabula.

59780—Bull. 63—09——2

18 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM

The third is 0.6 mm. above the basal angle of the third ventral (second visible) segment. ,

The fourth immediately above and close to the inner membranous edge and basal angle of fourth ventral (third visible) segment.

The fifth is in the same position relative to the fifth ventral (fourth visible) segment, and only partly visible without traction on the sixth tergite or a voluntary extension of the same by the insect.

The sixth is in the same position relative to the sixth ventral (fifth visible) segment as the fourth, but entirely invisible without trac- tion on the sixth ‘tergite. It is distinctly smaller than the other stigmata and is overlapped by the lateral fold or edge of the sixth tergite and also by the apical fold of the fifth. At this point the

The tergite of the sixth segment (Plate 7, figs. 2p and 4p) is the other segments.

The first three pairs of stigmata are the largest, the fourth and fifth are slightly smaller.

The tergite of the sixth segment (Plate 7, figs. 2p and 4p) is moderately chitinized and flexible, evenly and arcuately rounded at apex, the margin set with short sete and sparsely so over the dorsal surface apically.

The sternite is strongly and firmly chitinized and constitutes the so-called fifth visible ventral segment.

Retractile segments.—Four in number and homologous to those of Hydrophilus piceus as figured by Packard.*

Seventh segment.—The tergite and sternite are chitinized and very flexible. The tergite is short, broadly, and not strongly arcuate at apex, most strongly chitinized laterally and quite membranous at middle; margin frimbriate with short sete and the dorsal surface sparsely pubescent. (Plate 7, figs. 27 and 47.)

The lateral angles at base feeulnes with the lateral and basal angles of the sternite and in both sclerites these angles are more strongly chitinous than the other parts of the same sclerite. This articulation is stronger in the male.

The sternite is different in the sexes. (See figs. 2 and 5, Plate 2, and figs. le and 30, Plate 7.) In the male it is bilobed and described

detail for each species in the body of this work; in the female it is broadly arcuate at apex, in the male deeply emarginate between the lobes.

In both sexes each lateral moiety is made up of a triangular chitinous plate, which at the external and internal basal angles are more or less produced. In the male the internal and more or less anteriorly produced angles are separate and not connate—so as to permit of the abduction and adduction of the lobes which no doubt

“'Text-Book Ent., p. 181.

in as —s

ee

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 19

act as guides to and steady the edeagophore under certain condi- tions: in the female the interval between these triangular sclerites - is continuously membranous and feebly chitinized, so that movement between the lateral moieties is impossible, and the internal basal processes are connate. (Plate 7, fig. 30’.) The external basal proc- esses articulate with the tergite of ‘the same segment as described above.

The eighth segment is membranous in both sexes.

The tenth segment is aborted in the female as usual, the tergite fusing with the ninth tergite to constitute the sup ‘a-anal plate. (Plate 7, fig. 4g.) In the male the tergite of the tenth segment forms the supra-anal plate; the subanal or sternal wall is mem- branous in both sexes, possibly somewhat chitinous in the male.

The supra-anal plate is more strongly chitinous laterally and more membranous at middle (Plate 7, figs. 2g and 47) and is in relation laterally with the paranal plates or sclerites.

In the male these paranal sclerites are much smaller and less tri- angular than in the female, and articulate with a chitinous rod on each side; these rods converge anteriorly so as to form a Y-shaped support and a mechanism for the extension and retraction of the edeagophore ; they are wholly internal and give attachment to muscles and ligaments.

The paranal plates in the female are irregularly -subquadrate, occupying the lateral wall below the supra-anal plate. Each paranal selerite may be said to present for examination four borders: a superior, posterior, inferior, and an anterior; four angles: the antero- inferior and postero-inferior being the most important.

The superior border is connected to the sides of the supra-anal plate by membrane, apparently forming an articulation at its antero- superior angle with the antero-external angle of the anal plate; the posterior border is connected by articulating membrane to the basal margin of the ventral plate or valve; the inferior border gives attach- ment to the membrane of the ventral wall, and the anterior border giving attachment to the membrane of the eighth segment.

The antero-ventral angle is short and apparently gives attach- ment to muscles and ligaments which steady the plate against the valve.

The postero-ventral angle is produced into the process of the paranal plate to articulate with the strongly chitinized basal margin of the ventro-lateral plate of the valve, of the same side and upon which the valve plays during abduction and adduction. (Plate 3, fig. 4a.)

The above description of the retractile segments has been founded upon those of Zleodes cordata, as illustrated in Plate 7. The seg-

20 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

ments were studied both as opaque objects and cleared with liquor potassi.

The sclerites of these segments vary a great deal in the different tribes and even in the genera of the Tenebrionide and are of taxo- nomic value.

The development of these segments depends a great deal upon the habits of the insect and the manner of oviposition required by the species. In Jicroschatia inequalis they are developed to a wonder- ful degree and are capable of extrusion to the distance of nearly an inch.

The different species of the present tribe exhibit considerable variation in this respect and which might be of aid in the classifica- tion of species; but on account of the great amount of work and material required and the time already devoted to this paper, I have not been able to study them nor deemed it wise to further delay the publication of work already done and therefore leave that investiga- tion for a future thesis.

The male intromittent apparatus.—This consists of a carrier, the Edeagophore, and the intromittent organ proper, the /'deagus, and its clave.

Edeagophore, usually more or less flax-seed-shaped, somewhat arched, and consisting of two segments or lobes: a basal segment or body, the basale; an apical segment or apicale.

The apparatus has been described in detail for each species.

The basale is variable in length, half-cylindrical in form, chitinous above and laterally, membranous beneath, decurved at base into a process which gives attachment to muscles and ligaments by which it is attached to and operated upon by the extrusor mechanism de- scribed above; dorsally it is convex to a varying degree and often depressed, the sides are more or less inflexed beneath for the attach- ment of the ventral membrane—strongly so in Hmbaphion and Eleodes planipennis, the apex is more or less emarginate and adapted to the base of the apicale to which it is attached by articulating mem- brane. (See Plate 7, fig. 2; Plate 2, figs. 1 and 8; Plate 9, figs. 3 to 9.)

The apicale is always triangular, rarely subpyriform, more or less depressed and usually subacute at apex, sometimes obtuse; the base is more or less lobed and received into the emargination at the apex of the basale; the dorsal surface is more or less convex, frequently membranous at middle, but in the higher forms entirely chitinous; ventral surface is more or less membranous, but chiefly occupied by the edeagus and its protecting clave, the inflexed and chitinous sides constitute the alee which occupy the greater part of the surface; in one genus the ale support subale. (leodimorpha, Plate 7, fig. 8.)

The a/w are inflexed to a varying degree, strongly so when the ventral surface of the apicale is concave, as in Lleodes cordata

REVISION OF ELEODITINI—BLAISDELL. oi

(Plate 7, fig. 1) and /’. dentipes (Plate 9, fig. 6) ; convex ventrally in Embaphion (Plate 7, fig. Ty) and Hleodes planipennis (Plate 9, fig. 7); in Lleodes scabricula the inferior surface of the apicale is concave apicad to the ale, which are suddenly prominent. In the different species the ale are continued basad to a varying degree, be- coming more and more membranous. (See figs. 6, 7, and 9, Plate 9.)

The Hdeagus (Plate 9, fig. 11a) is usually flattened, sublingui- form in shape and subacute at apex; the ventral surface is narrowly prominent in the median line and more or less concave laterally where it is in contact with the clave in repose; the median ridge, divides toward apex to become bilabiate, between which is probably the ori- fice of the vas deferens. At base the structure is more chitinous and there is a small median process for articulating with the clave. The dorsal surface is feebly convex and more or less membranous and marked by a median groove; opposite the attachment of the clave ventrally the surface membrane is reflected upon the internal wall of the apicale, forming the fornix edeagi. In fig. 12 of Plate 9 the orifice of the detached vas deferens can be seen entering the edeagus from the basale just beneath the fornix.

At the base the sides of the edeagus are strongly chitinized and produced into two long processes (Plate 9, figs. 11@ and 12) which extend cephalad within the interior of the basale, giving attachment to muscles.

The clave are usually quite spiculiform (Plate 2, figs. 1 and 8), sometimes sublaminately spiculiform (see figs. 6, 11d and 12, Plate 9) and in H’mbaphion truncate at tip and concave beneath; in //eodimor- pha they are rather hguliform (see figs. 7 and 8, Plate 7).

In repose when the edeagus is retracted they lie parallel to the median line and more or less contiguous; with the edeagus pro- truded they are at right angles to the axis of the edeagophore.

Each clava may be said to have a base and an apex, a dorsal and a ventral surface, and internal or posterior surface and an external or anterior margin.

The base is obliquely truncate at the posterior or internal surface and articulated to the ventral surface of the edeagus at base; the internal or posterior surface or edge is much thicker than the anterior or external, and triangular in basal half, and thence gradually be- coming more ventral as it attains the apex, where it is feebly con- vex, the basal portion is quite plane; apex subacute to rounded or rather obliquely truncate; the external or anterior edge is usually thin, feebly arcuate and slightly notched near the apex; the dorsal surface more or less convex and the ventral rather concave. (/. dentipes, Plate 9, figs. 11d and 12.

In repose the clave may conceal the edeagus, except at apex, where they slightly diverge, when they are ventral as in Hleodes,; or

22 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

the median ventral surface of the edeagus, may be visible between them when they are lateral as in Lmbaphion, and ventrad but not contiguous as in /’leodimorpha.

The female genital segment (Plate 7, figs. 3 and 4).—Viewed from above it has an outline varying somewhat according to the subgenus: triangular in Blapylis, quadrate in Jelaneleodes, trapezoidal in Eleodes and subparabolic in Steneleodes.

The dorsal surface varies but is usually more or less plane to sub- ogival; ventrally convex—strongly so at base and gradually less so apically.

The segment consists of two chitinous valves concealing and pro- tecting the pudenda between them. The valves are movable on a lat- eral plane, in abduction exposing the genital orifice and its sur- rounding pudendal membrane.

Each valve (valvula) consists of a body (corpus valvule) and an apex (apex valvule).

The body is always chitinous; the apex usually membranous and distinctly define from the body, sometimes completely chitinous and not differentiated.

The superior wall of each valve is formed by the dorsal plate (lamina dorsalis) which is variable in form; its surface usually more or less plane, but may be quite strongly concave. Each plate presents an external, internal, and apical border; at the junction of the external and apical borders an angle is formed, which may be distinct or more or less obsolete.

The internal borders of the dorsal plates are not usually contiguous but distant at base, converging posteriorly, and between which is the more or less exposed superior pudendal membrane. The apical mar- gin is generally defined from the surface of the apex; in some species it is not. The external border is generally more or less explanate, and beneath which is situated the submarginal groove (sulcus sub- marginalis ) .

The lateral and ventral walls of a valve are formed by a continuous plate, the /amina ventro-lateralis, which is connate above with the dorsal plate. It presents for examination a surface and an internal border. The surface is strongly convex at base, frequently prominent laterally, forming the basal prominences, much less convex apically and generally more or less impressed before the apex, with which it is directly continuous.

The internal margins of the ventro-lateral plates of the two valves are not usually contiguous throughout their entire length in the mid- ventral line, but separated by the more or less fusiform genital fissure (fissura genitalis). When this fissure is basad to the middle it is spoken of as being swbbasal; when at the middle it is median, and

Oe a eee a

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 25

when apicad to the middle it is subapical. ‘The fissure when present is closed by the inferior pudendal membrane.

The basal margins of the ventro-lateral plates are strongly chiti- nized and together form a loose articulation at their basal angles, basad to the genital fissure.

The basal margin of each ventro-lateral plate articulates about its middle with the process of the paranal plate, and is connected by articulating membrane with the posterior margin of the same plate (Plate 3, fig. 4a); dorsally the dorsal plates do not articulate with each other, but on the contrary are widely separated and connected only by membrane.

The apex of each valve is separated by a fossa into two lobes, an external and an internal. The external lobe is only developed in the subgenus J/elaneleodes; in all others of our fauna it is obsolete. The internal lobe is always developed and only atrophic in J/elaneleodes.

The fossa gives attachment and lodgment to the always short cercopod.

Each valve is more or less finely pubescent about the apex, the dorsal plate is most noticeably pubescent in the subgenus Promus.

The cercopoda are variable in form and size, usually mammilliform, frequently compressed, punctiform in Discogenia and obsolete in [Teteropromus. Usually penicillate.

The pubescence on the apex is usually longer than elsewhere, and the internal lobe is often somewhat penicillate.

The valvular body is never very strongly punctate, most noticeably so on the external moiety of the dorsal plate in Promus. The punc- tures are rather strong in some species of Steneleodes, and the superior pudendal membrane is broadly exposed.

From the sides of the vulva the lateral pudendal membrane is reflected upon the internal surface of the valve and there becomes the valvular membrane (Plate 7, figs. 30 and 47), apically, directly continuous with that of the internal surface of the apex.

The angle of reflection between the lateral pudendal membrane and valvular membrane is the fornix valvule. In some species the lateral pudendal membrane passes backward directly upon the internal sur- face of the valve without forming an angle of reflection.

Function.—The edeagophore is the agent by which the repro- ductive organs are brought into apposition. The apicale by its sub- acute apex is capable of more or less forcibly separating the tergal and sternal sclerites of the sixth and seventh somites and protects the essential organ from injury.

With the protrusion of the edeagus and its approximation to the genital fissure, the simultaneous abduction of the clave forcibly ab- ducts the valvule and blocks their closure.

24 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Homology.—The examination of the male reproductive organs of Hydrophilus triangularis (Plate 9, figs. 1 and 2) suggests the homol- ogy between the reproductive organs in the /leodiini, and also be- tween the former and those of the latter.

In Hydrophilus the edeagophore consists of a basale (Plate 9, fig. 1d) and two apical valves. The basale is impressed along the me- dian line dorsally and is more or less membranous at that point, and it therefore appears to have been developed by the partial coalescence of two lateral sclerites, termed by Packard the outer lobes; the two apical lobes he terms the énner lobes (Plate 9, fig. 1a), they are valvu- lar in character and capable of free abduction and adduction; be- tween them is the edeagus.

I consider the outer lobes homologous with the basale, and the inner lobes with the apicale in the LVeodiini.

If fig. 1 of Plate 9 be compared with fig. 12, Plate 2, a similar structural condition of the valves in the two sexes and in very widely separated series will be observed. It is evident that in Wydrophilus there has been less sexual differentiation than in the /Veodiini, and also if the male characters of the latter be considered.

The female genital segment of /7ydrophilus (Plate 9, fig. 10) pre- sents a complicated arrangement of sclerites which are noticeably divergent from anything observed in the /Veodiini, and must be considered as a more primitive condition, in this agreeing with the male characters.

It has been made known by Nussbaum that unpaired parts lke the edeagus, etc., have been developed from paired ectodermal out- growths which have fused together, and in all probability there. is analogy between these outgrowths in the Insecta and those observed in the Vertebrate Series; if this be so, then there must at some period have been an indifferent stage in the development of these organs, and a time of beginning sexual differentiation.

It appears to me that the apical lobes of Zydrophilus and the api- cale of the “leodiiné are homologous with the genital segment of the female. In //ydrophilus there are the two valves capable of free obduction and adduction with the edeagus between and protected by them; in the female of the /7eodiini the two valves are as capable of free movement as in the above and enclose and protect the sexual orifice.

In the female the valves articulate with large paranal plates; in the male the valves or apicale articulate with the outer lobes or basale, and the paranal plates are small and articulate with a Y-shaped chitinous structure that is internal, the basal process of the basale articulating with the arms of the Y by hgaments.

|

REVISION OF ELEODITNI—BLAISDELL. 25

It appears to me that the outer lobes (Plate 9, fig. 1d) which unite to form the basale are the modified greater part, at least, of the paranal plates.

There must be a definite law governing the deposition of chitin; it can not be diffusely deposited—at random, as it were—but it must be first laid down:at certain points, called the centers of chitinization, and from these centers spread, or have inherent limitations; different centers coalescing to form larger sclerites or one continuous whole, as in the prothorax. A simple sclerite would then be one formed by the secretion of chitin about a single center; a compound sclerite from {wo or more centers. The small but symmetrically arranged sclerites observed in the cuticle of larve may be cited as simple sclerites.

It might be assumed that the paranal plate in the female is com- pound; in the male these centers have become shifted, to form the small paranal plate, and the other to become the lateral sclerite of the basale.

The origin of the several sclerites in the female genital segment of Hydrophilus may be accounted for in this way—they have not coa- lesced and have been shifted according to the laws governing adapta- tion to function ; during divergence and differentiation under changed conditions of environment these several sclerites fuse—of course it is possible for some to be suppressed, others hypertrophied or even revived—and in this manner produce the apparently simple chitinous valves of the Lleodiini. These suggestions are to indicate a line of investigation in the coleopteral series.

An examination of the edeagophore of Blaps (Plate 9, figs. 3 and 4) will be instructive. It will be seen that the apicale is divided longitudinally by a well-marked membranous impressed groove and that the apex is bifid; the basale is also marked by a similar medium groove. These characters indicate a structural condition somewhat intermediate between the /Veodiini and a more primitive state as suggested by Hydrophilus.

If it be imagined that the apicale of Blaps was completely divided along the groove, and the ale not strongly inflexed, the edeagus and its pallium would bear the same relation to the valves as does the edeagus to the valves in Hydrophilus. There is greater specializa- tion in the Hleodiiné than in Hydrophilus or Blaps.

In Hleodes and other members of the /Veodiini the apicale is fre- quently marked dorsally by a membranous area or groove, and less frequently the basale has an impressed median line. Many species do not normally have this groove and such I consider to be the more highly differentiated, although occasionally it occurs on the apicale even in them, and is then to be considered as an instance of afaval reversion.

26 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

It is to be noted that Escherich, in his paper on the internal male organs of beetles, notes that those of the Carabide illustrate the simplest, most primitive condition. Packard figures Glaps as inter- mediate between the Carabidze and Hydrophilus.¢

Sculpturing—F rom simple punctures the sculpturing passes through the different degrees of modification to distinct murication or tuberculation, or as in a few species to distinct hairiness with com- paratively simple punctures.

From a careful study of the sculpturing under high power in the species of the /leodiini, I have observed the following:

A simple puncture is a more or less rounded depression, variable in size and depth, and bounded by a more or less distinct, although fine wall or margin; from the floor of this depression arises a minute hair or seta, which scarcely passes beyond the mouth of the punc- ture. The surface with such a punctuation is smooth.

Any modification will affect the puncture in one of two ways: Either by a hypertrophy of its margin or by an increased growth or hypertrophy of the hair-like process. In the first instance the hair may remain small or atrophic; in the second the hair-like process is alone affected. Some punctures may become completely aborted.

The hair-like process arising from the hypodermis may develop into a soft, flexible hair, or by a slightly increased chitinization of its cuticle into a bristle or seta, and by still greater increased chitiniza- tion, with or without hypertrophy, into a spinule or spine.

In the muricate type of sculpturing the anterior lip of a puncture is thickened and more or less produced into a blunt or acute point; from the sides of this prominence the margins gradually diminish so that the posterior boundary of the puncture will be but slightly modified; the thickened edge is directed upward and backward, chiefly the latter; the hair or seta may be aborted, remain small, or become more chitinous to become a seta, and be carried upward by the hypertrophied margin to project from the posterior surface of the more prominent anterior margin of the puncture.

When the margin of the puncture is equal and much thickened a tubercle is formed, which varies in size from a granule to a well marked and rounded eminence; the puncture may be entirely closed or obliterated, or may still be evident as a minute pore-like depression with a correspondingly small hair or seta projecting from it, and from some point, usually the posterior wall of the tubercle. There are all the intermediate degrees of variation to be observed.

The punctures may remain simple and the hair become long and flexible.

If the anterior lip of the puncture becomes minutely muricate the sculpturing is more or less asperate. .

@'Text-Book Ent., p. 494, fig. 465, A, B, and C.

a al i i ll cee em ll eel ii

a i rk li a

REVISION OF ELEODIIN

AISDELL. oT

On the femora the proximal margin of a puncture is transversely raised so that the seta arising from it is more or less appressed to the surface and directed toward the apex of the femur.

On the tibie the murications are more erect, the walls of the punc- tures being more equally raised. The hypodermal process is usually much thickened to become a spinule or spine—the latter may be very short and stout, and with the produced margins of the puncture from which it arises, very tightly fitted to it, so that both appear as a single element. | _ The rugulose condition or reticulations frequently observed on the elytral surface is most usually due to the rapid evaporation of the body fluids during and immediately after the casting of the pupal skin, while the integuments are undergoing chitinization. It is the result of shrinking of the cuticular wall.

Often depressions arise in the exoskeletal wall from muscular exertion on the part of the insect while the body surface is yet soft. The contracting muscle dimples in the integument at the point of its attachment; the movements being kept up while the body walls are hardening, the depressions finally become permanent. Such uni- lateral or bilateral impressions are frequently observed on the pronota of the Hleodiini. Eleodes impressicollis of Bohemann, a synonym of E. clavicornis is an instance of this kind—merely a specimen with two thoracic foveex. .

TABULATED MODIFICATIONS OF A PUNCTURE,

Muricate punc-

terior margin into a more or 2 4 tuation.

Hypertrophy of} less acute point. the margin. Margins greatly thickened and rounded, puncture obliterated, }Tuberculation. hair or seta atrophied.

With hypertrophy of the ‘orp

Simple punc- ture, hair Hairs flexible, not chitinous ---- minute.

{Hairy or pu- bescent. Siete mee Sete or setos the hair-like) chitinized. wet etose. process of the hypodermis. |Still greater degree of chitiniza- tion.

Spinules or spinulose; spines or

Modification of} Hair-like processes crea spinose.

CLASSIFICATION AND SYNOPSIS. Family TENEBRIONID &.

Tribe HLEODIINI.

This tribe contains insects of greater size than any other of the heteromerous subfamily Tenebrionine.

The body is oblong to ovate, rarely oval, apterous; head prominent,

slightly narrowed behind the eyes; epistoma covering the base of the

: mandibles at the sides; labrum prominent; mentum small, inserted

28 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

upon a gular peduncle; maxille exposed; lgula partly concealed ; maxillary palpi with the last jot securiform, not very large; eyes transverse, reniform, tolerably finely granulated; antenne 11-jointed; elytra embracing widely the planks of the abdomen, epipleure narrow to moderately wide, middle coxe with large trochantine, side pieces attaining the coxal cavities; metasternum very short, episterna nar- row, epimera quite distinct; hind coxe widely separated; intercoxal process of abdomen rectangular; third and fourth ventral segments not prolonged behind at the margin.

Legs long; anterior femora frequently toothed; tibial spurs dis- tinct; tarsi channelled beneath; first, second, and third joints of the anterior tarsi are at times thickened beneath, more or less obliterating the groove, setose beneath.

All are black or dark brownish, rarely reddish along the suture ; variously though never very roughly sculptured; a few species are pubescent.

The third and fourth ventral abdominal segments are more or less broadly sinuate at apex, the angles appearing somewhat prominent, but not noticeably prolonged.

The tribal comparative genital characters are reserved for a future and special study.

Habits—Our species are terrestrial and cursorial, apparently strictly nocturnal, or are about in the early morning or late in the day. On warm cloudy days I have seen /leodes grandicollis and FE’. acuticauda walking about.

The larger species when disturbed place their bodies nearly vertical, the head near the ground, tail erect, and when touched or irritated will emit a pungent dark oleaginous offensive secretion, which coming in contact with the skin of the hands will stain brownish and remain for a long time, and apparently fixed by an alkaline sub- stance (Horn).

The species of the present tribe rarely ascend plants; the smaller species (Blapylis) may be found on the stems or under the bark of shrubs.

When alarmed they run off with their bodies elevated. Probably it is this habit which has suggested the name “ circus bugs,” often applied to them in the West (Wickham). In California they are often spoken of as “ stink bugs,” “ beetle bugs,” and “tumble bugs.” The latter term is applied no doubt on account of their frequently tumbling over when excited; also, pinacate bugs (V. Kellogg). They are a characteristic feature of the arid regions west of the Mississippi River.

Longevity.—Some of the larger and more resisting species evidently live to be several years of age; especially in the warmer regions of

=

eS

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 29

California (Horn). I have kept several Hleodes dentipes in cap- tivity for over four years. Doctor Horn states that specimens have been kept pinned two months without food or water. H/leodes clavi- cornis dies quickly in confinement and apparently lives but one season.

Food.—All are vegetable feeders, apparently preferring dried vege- tation and fungi, although eating green plants.

Hnemies—Quadrupeds like skunks will feed upon them; chickens devour them readily, as well as ground owls; butcher birds impale them on thorns.

Economics—As far as I have been able to determine they are neither injurious nor beneficial, unless the larve are in some way troublesome, but as they appear to prefer decaying vegetation to the living I doubt that they can be considered objectionable.

Origin and diffusion —lIt is impossible for me at this time to ex- press any opinion upon the origin and diffusion of the species making up the tribe L/eodiini,; but I believe the species to a great extent had their origin in Mexico, or in adjoining desert regions, and that diffu- sion has been chiefly northward and westward.

I know of no fossil remains of species referable to the tribe, and a few that were supposedly so were from a very recent deposit and identical with species now existing. (See Appendix.)

It remains for the study of the Mexican fauna to aid us. The South American Vycterinus will be referred to elsewhere.

Distribution.—Abundant both in species and individuals through- out the region west of the Mississippi River, from the northern boundary line of the United States, southward into Lower Califor- nia and Mexico to South America, where they are replaced by Nycterinus. They also inhabit the islands adjacent to the western coast of the territory above named.

ANALYTICAL KEY TO GENERA OF ELEODIINI,

Our genera are five in number, one having been introduced from Europe.

Ones) oMtsromantennseubnorder (CHlCOdi)) = nee ee i Outer joints of antenne not broader; 8-10 moniliform, suddenly shorter tha Ene wPRECeMIN Sas OLN CBC DUIN = ee _Blaps.

1. Sides of the epistoma not dilated, margin straight or sinuate, converging INGO TELO LL Vee ee ces Oe Renee Sees a Ane ts bow am eed UP PRAT ips ek 2 ihe B22, Sidessmoderately, dilated marzin’ arcuate a ee Trogloderus. Ze DIpLeUureEa cali thee UMera lean less sete ee > Epipleure very narrow, not attaining the humeral angles______ Hmbaphion.

3. Epipleurze broader at base, more or less gradually narrowing to apex. Epipleurze occupying only a part of the inflexed portion of the elytra ; buccal processes of the genz not produced________________ Hleodes. Epipleure occupying the whole of the inflexed portion of the elytra; buccal processes of the gene acutely produced________ EBleodimorpha.,

30 - BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

The genera can also be defined by the male genital characters as

follows: Sternite (fig. 6, Plate 6) with lobes fully and strongly connate; clave dorsal to the edeagus, connate forming a pallium (similis, mucronata) (Blaptini) Blaps. Sternite distinctly bilobed, lobes connected by a membrane that at most is but feebly chitinized, lobes capable of abduction (EHleodiini). Clavie ventrad to the edeagus.

Clavee spiculiform, notched at side of the tips; alee more or less strongly inflexed, not prominent ventrally, plane or somewhat concave, never strongly (convex {CB late te etic iy) es ee ee Eleodes.

Clavie flattened (liguliform), of equal width throughout, tip obtuse and rounded; alze short, not strongly inflexed, giving attachment to subale; \(PlGtEr, es Sas a eee Eleodimorpha.

Clave laterad to the edeagus, truncate at tip, more or less concave beneath ; ale moderately and evenly inflexed, rather prominent ventrally (Plate Cg BRS TY sc a ge ye ee wee Hmbaphion.

Trogloderus has the lobes of the sternite united by membrane and capable of abduction. Unfortunately the clave could not be studied without destruction of the fragile material at. hand.

Genealogy—The antecedents of the present tribe are not suggested to my mind by the data at hand.

The male sexual characters are the most distinctly differentiated for the generic subdivision of the tribe. The above synoptic table indicates these relationships just as forcibly as a diagram could do where there are so few elements involved.

The genera are related, first, by the bilobed sternite, the lobes being capable of abduction; second, by the relation of the clave to the edeagus; third, by divergence having taken place along the lne of degree of development in the ale.

In Eleodimorpha the subale have been differentiated as distinct sclerites from the ale.

In Lleodes and Embaphion the extrusion of the edeagus with simultaneous abduction of the clave, is brought about by muscular action—certain extrusor muscles; the return of these structures is accomplished by the inherent elasticity of the ale, the latter being the continuously produced and inflexed sides of the apicale.

It is logical to suppose that accompanying the differentiation of the subale as distinct exoskeletal elements that there has been a corresponding muscular differentiation; for when the continuity of the ale underwent solution, they in all probability were no longer capable to functionate by their own inherent resiliency—of course, it is possible for the continuity of the elements to be restored by becoming connate at a sutural line; but this would evidently still be a weak point and correspondingly diminish the functional activity of the part.

i i it i i all ail ee maa

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. aL

In all probability there has been a compensatory development of retractor muscles to overcome this loss of power.

Genus ELEODES Esehseholtz.

Mentum variable in form, more or less trilobed, the middle lobe larger and more convex; lateral lobes frequently inflexed and more or less concealed. Last joint of labial palpi triangular, narrower than the maxillary, which are broadly triangular or securiform.

Lead not deeply inserted, suture between epistoma and front fre- quently distinct; epistoma truncate or feebiy emarginate, sides straight or sinuate and converging anteriorly. Eyes narrow, subreni- form. Antenne eleven jointed, the last three or four usually notably compressed, last joint frequently though not always smaller than the preceding.

Prothorax variable in form, usually applied against the bases of the elytra. Scutellum always present, distinct and equilateral.

Elytra of variable form and sculpture, in many species prolonged into a cauda behind; epipleure always distinct, broader at base and always visible at the humeral angles, gradually narrowing to apex.

Legs moderately long, but somewhat variable in this respect; femora never strongly clavate, profemora most so, the mesofemora slightly, the profemora frequently armed in one or both sexes with a tooth of variable form, rarely all the femora armed; tarsi usually channelled and setose beneath, first and second joints of the protarsi frequently slightly thickened beneath and often the first two or three joints are clothed with a tuft of silken hairs, or dilated and densely covered with a spongy pubescence beneath. Spurs of the meso- and metatibie well developed, moderately slender, narrowing from base to apex, acute, the internal more or less longer than the external. Varying more or less in the different species.

The above characters are those applicable to the whole genus; characters peculiar to certain groups will be given as of subgeneric value.

The genus /leodes is one of the largest of the Tenebrionide and contains many more species than all of the other genera of the present tribe put together (United States). It is also the most polymor- phous and has been the most difficult to subdivide of any in our fauna. The study of the genitalia has greatly reduced this difficulty, but extreme variations in many individuals of each species will yet be a source of great perplexity.

The most salient extreme characters observed in the genus may now be reviewed :

Color.—Black, sometimes reddish along the elytral suture as in acuta, obsoleta, and hispilabris,; rarely fusco-piceous as in longicollis

32 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

and énsularis, probably from immaturity, or from aging in the cabinet ; in one instance the elytra are described as castaneous (sub- cylindrica Casey) ; this unusual coloration is undoubtedly due to im- maturity. Dead specimens from long exposure to climatic inclemency become fuscous and even castaneous. In a lmited number of species the legs are dark brown throughout, as in brunnipes Casey.

Form.—Notably large and elongate as in the males of gigantea, oblong as in tricostata, elongately oblong as in acuta and texana, oval in veterator, inflated as in ventricosa and depressed in tibialis.

Size.—Largest in acuta, texana, and grandicollis; smallest in clavi- COrNIS.

Surface.—Glabrous and shining, as in dentipes, gigantea, and omissa,; opaque as in tricostata and opaca.

Sculpturing—Whule usually simple it becomes tuberculate in gra- nosa and granulata; rugoso-muricate in cordata and muricate to a varying degree in many.

Pubescence.—Body clothed with long flying hairs as in longipilosa, pilosa, and hirsuta, or confined to the elytra as in letcheri; hairs short, recumbent and abundant in veterator and opaca,

Characters that vary within specific limits ——These are the factors which make the limitations of species extremely difficult. Each species may have its extreme large (gigantism) and small (nanism) forms; its smooth and rough forms, elongate and robust forms, while the sculpturing varies from comparatively smooth to rough inde- pendently of size or form. This can be accounted for by environment to a great extent and to certain inherent factors.

With robustness there is a relative shortening of the appendages and also of their segments, as for instance the joints of the antenne from the fourth to the seventh or eighth tend toward equality of length, while in the elongate forms there is a more or less inequality of length evident, the joints decreasing in length more or less from the fourth to the eighth, these joints being comparatively and rela- tively longer as a part of the general habitus.

These remarks apply most emphatically to the tarsi and their joints as well; the antenne and legs as a whole exhibit this variation of length; the head varies in size and relative length and breadth even in any particular form.

So it can be seen why in this particular genus (and this fact is worthy of broader application) that the relative length of parts of any appendage can not always be given as evidence of specific dis- tinctness. These conclusions have been arrived at after a long and tedious recourse to micrometrical treatment of hundreds of specimens.

In many specimens, especially in the subgenus /eodes, there is to be observed a more or less evident smooth median pronotal line

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 30

that may extend from the apical to the basal margins; this line is most pronounced as a rule in 2. acuticauda var. laticollis, where it often becomes a distinctly impressed line; usually it is only observable as a line in surface luster. The significance of this character is obscure.

Another very interesting character is that observed in the hind tibiz of the males of certain species of the subgenus H'leodes. The metatibie are slightly arcuate and narrow in basal half, rather ab- ruptly dilated and straight in apical half. In the literature I find this character mentioned by Doctor Horn as one of the male char- acters of . wickhami. This is not a staple nor a specific character, but 1s observed as peculiar to the male of certain species, but not in all forms of those species; it is seen in the caudate forms of F’. esch- scholtzi and luce, in armata and in the elongate form of dentipes; other males of the same species have the metatibiz perfectly straight, some have them arcuate in basal half but not abruptly dilated apically.

Individuals of many species exhibit what must be considered as a normal tibial arcuation, which must be distinguished from a common fortuitous arcuateness; the latter usually appears exaggerated and is generally a part of a general abnormal habitus, and it frequently accompanies unusual shortness of the legs.

ANALYTICAL KEY TO SUBGENERA OF ELEODES.

The genus Hleodes may be subdivided by clearly defined female genital char- acters into the following subgenera:

Internal lobe of the valvular apex well developed, membranous, although fre-

quently chitinous; external lobe obsolete; appendage directed backward

ANTON CH SOULE eRNTS Cl mee aes ee es ee ae nm eae ee ee SE ee fk ee ee be Bee 1 Wxternal apical lobe well developed, always membranous; internal lobe feebly developed; appendage directed backward and inward____-~~~1 Melaneleodes. 1. Superior pudendal membrane not broadly exposed________________________ 2 Superior pudendal membrane broadly or fully exposed; body and apical lobe of valve fully chitinized; appendage minute _____________ Steneleodes. 2. Appendages present, apical lobe defined from body of the valve____________ 3

Appendages obsolete; apical lobe not defined from body of the valve. Heteropromus. 3. Appendages moderate in size, subconical to semiellipsoidal and flattened; inferior margins of the valves not contiguous throughout their entire

length but separated by a fusiform genital fissure___________ 4 Appendages minute and punctiform; inferior margins of the valves con- tiguous throughout; genital fissure closed____________________ Discogenia.

4, Apical lobe subacute, triangular, membranous or more or less semichit- MGI AS lag sk ae Se ee Se te a eee es sees 5

59780—Bull. 68—09 3

34 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Apical lobe rounded at apex, depressed, well chitinized, more or less concave beneath conmyexinboVves 2:25 25 te ee Se eee \Wetablapylis.

5. Dorsal plate variable in form, not broadened externally, finely, very sparsely punctate, more or less feebly and very sparsely pubescent Dorsal plate broadened externally, margin strongly arcuate, rather coarsely punctate and sparsely clothed with rather long flying hairs on outer

MOLety Ve! ee ee ee ee Promus.

6. Submarginal groove not visible from above; surface of dorsal plate at most but) feebly. concave: generally” planes a ee 1 Submarginal groove dorsal or visible at some point from above; surface of dorsal plate more or less deeply concave__—________-__= Eleodes.

7. Superior outline of genital segment quadrate, triangulo-parabolic to para- DOC 2s See Pelee ee Ee ee en ee ee ee 8

Superior outline more or less triangular.

Outline triangular; dorsal plate oblong-triangular, external border at most but slightly arcuate, internal border not strongly arcuate dit) WaS@S ssc. es Fe ee aoe eee Blapylis.

Outline subequilaterally triangular; external border of dorsal plate arcuate, angle obsolete; superior membrane reaching to middle Of dorsal™ plates a =e ee ee ee Tricheleodes.

8. Superior outline of genital segment quadrate to triangulo-parabolic; superior membrane variable in length; dorsal plate oval-oblong, internal border re- flexed and impunctate; external border more or less arcuate, angle evident; apex small and membranous; appendage large, more or less semieliiptical to“subconical= depressed 2. 222 oe ee ee a ee ee eee Litheleodes.

Superior outline parabolic, short; dorsal plate subovate, extending upon the apical lobe beyond the appendage, sides not reflexed; appendage short, pro- jecting from beneath the outer border of the apical margin of dorsal plate; genitale fissure Subapi Callas ts a ee ee ee ee Pseudeleodes.

The student must bear in mind in resorting to the use of the above table that care must be taken to familiarize himself with the general structure of the genital segment.

Besides the distinct generic differences there are in each subgenus specific characters which can only be worked out positively with large series, and, while of scientific interest, would not be of practical im- portance in the separation of species.

The male genital characters may be summarized as follows:

Apicale of the edeagophore broadly triangular, depressed on dor- sum and more or less broadly membranous centrally; apex more or less rounded =22 3234523 eee eee eee eee

Apicale triangular and slightly elongate, convex dorsally; apex more or less produced and subacute.

Steneleodes. Metablapylis.

Melaneleodes. Dorsum with an evident median, more or less membranous | Hleodes. STOOVE) beurd Soak ee ee a ee et ar cen al Litheleodes. Promus.

Dorsum without median groove, except in tibialis___.____________ Blapylis.

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 35

SYNOPSIS OF GENERAL SUBGENERIC CHARACTERS,

Anterior femora at least, armed in both sexes (except in caudifera and longi- PiUOsMaN Were wine n Lectin aren VoUTaHvie) l= sw n-.2 = et hee Pt ae Hleodes. Anterior femora armed only in the male or mutic. Anterior tibial spurs dissimilar in the sexes; femora mutic__J/elaneleodes. Anterior tibial spurs similar in the sexes. Tarsi similar in the sexes, or nearly so.

Middle lobe of the mentum large, lateral lobes rudimentary, in- visible without dissection ; anterior tarsi with first joint more or less slightly thickened at tip beneath; anterior femora armed OL SUI AC ees Ae = re SS ee Oe Sere EN De eee. Discogenia.

Middle lobe of the mentum small; anterior tarsi comparatively simple beneath, groove entire. .

Lateral lobes of the mentum fully exposed; sculpturing com- paratively simple; femora mutie_____________1 Vetablapylis. Lateral lobes moderately exposed; species opaque to shining;

elytra tuberculate; anterior femora not sinuate, mutic. Pseudeleodes.

Anterior tarsi dissimilar in the sexes. Species pubescent throughout. Hairs long and flying; femora mutic; anterior tarsi with first joint scarcely produced ventro-apically, ventro-apical spinules noticeably produced in the female, not so in the

male plantar Zroovesidistineta..— === ea Tricheleodes. Hairs short, yellowish and recumbent; form oval, opaque, Sul Ge WRES Se Cees eee ae ee ee Heteropromus,

Species not usually pubescent, rarely so.

Form elongate, usually large; first joint of the anterior tarsi slightly thickened at tip beneath, bearing a small trans- verse tuft of yellowish or brownish modified spinules which interrupt the groove in the male; simple in the female.

Steneleodes.

Form ovate or fusiform; the first one or two joints of an- terior tarsi in the male more or less thickened and some- times flattened beneath, densely clothed with fine pubescence ; tarsi simple and unmodified in the female; anterior femora ArMeds OLA MUbC2=—— sans s Ss Se es ee ee Promus.

Form short ovate, moderate in size to small, robust (elon- gate and depressed in tibialis); anterior tarsi of the male with first two or three joints feebly thickened at tip be- neath and clothed with dense silken or brownish pubescent tufts, obliterating the groove; joints simple with grooves entire in female; femora mutic___________________ Blapylis.

Form ovate, moderate in size, less robust; first joint of the anterior tarsi more or less thickened and slightly more prominent ventrally than the others, pubescent tuft variable, most evident in extricata; in the male first joint with a minute tuft of silken pubescence at tip beneath __Litheleodes.

36 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. Subgenus MELANELEODES, new.

Anterior spurs of the anterior tibie dissimiliar in the sexes, and more or less curved. Longer and slightly thicker than the posterior in the male; notably longer, much broader and stouter and most strongly curved in the female. z

In the males of humeralis and rileyi the anterior spurs are much more strongly developed than in the same sex of the other species of the subgenus.

The anterior femora are mutic and the first joint of the anterior tarsi is more or less thickened and feebly produced at tip beneath in both sexes. The male generally has a minute pencil of yellowish or brownish modified spinules on the produced tip; this is surrounded by a few closely placed, ordinary piceous spinules; in the female the produced tip bears only a few ordinary spinules.

Subgeneric genital characters—M ale——<Apicale of the edeagophore triangular, distinctly longer than wide, more or less convex above, with a more or less well marked semimembranous median groove; apex more or less acute and rather attenuated; base more or less lobed at middle.

The membrane closing the interlobar sinus of the sternite is always more or less sparsely setose across the bottom of the sinus. This character is rarely observed in any other subgenus.

Female.—Genital segment quadrate to trapezoidal. Each valve has the dorsal plate oblong and more or less distinctly explanate ex- ternally. The external lobe of apex is strongly developed, the inter- nal small and rudimentary. The appendage is mammilliform, rarely visible from above, and directed backward and inwards.

Superior pudendal membrane is longitudinally rugulose, reaching apically to the base of the internal apical lobe.

The greater development of the external lobe of the apex is the most distinctive subgeneric character and is not observed in any other division of the genus /leodes.

I can not at present devise a scheme by which the genital charac- ters can be used in the diagnosis of species; they apparently vary sufficiently to obscure the few constant specific characters.

Variations.—The individuals constituting the specific aggregations of the present subgenus are particularly prone to pronotal variations. This apparent instability is due to the degree to which the pronotal sides are arcuately deflexed, and a certain amount to the degree to which the extreme margin is carried downward and more or less inflexed against the propleure as it were. The actual marginal curve is quite constant in each species making up Group L

ee

REVISION OF ELEODITNI—BLAISDELL. od

Morphologically the pronotum is widest at the middle in both sexes; but in the female there is a stronger lateral declivity, with a varying amount of lateral compression behind the middle to make the sides appear more or less straight from middle to base; con- versely, there is less deflexion anterior to the middle so that indi- viduals of the same species and sex may be more or less strongly arcuate before the middle. In hwmeralis there is less deflexion than in any other species of J/elaneleodes, the marginal bead being nearly always visible in the typical form when the pronotum is viewed vertically from above.

The degree to which the angles are deflexed also gives a varying aspect to the pronotum. By a careful study of the different species in this respect the student will observe that really the pronotum is broadly, evenly, and rather strongly arcuate in the anterior two- thirds and thence to base more or less feebly sinuate.

The above remarks apply to what I call a normal subgeneric varia- bility.

Certain fortuitous deviations do occur which are not always easy to explain. The unique specimen described by me a number of years ago as interrupta is a case in point where environment has given evi- dence of lusus nature.

The legs vary considerably in regard to length and stoutness of the different segments; sometimes these variations depend upon certain inherent traits of ancestral or developmental origin, constituting an abnormal condition in the relative proportions of the appendages and body. These evasive factors may affect any appendage or somitic part, and a student must bear these data in mind when deal- ing with the diagnosis of species or referring specimens to their place in the schema taxonomicum.

On account of this variability within specific limits, I have given attention to the general relative proportions of parts under each species. I have been induced to do this from the extraordinary large series of specimens at hand.

Distribution—The species of JMelaneleodes inhabit the follow- ing States and countries: Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Montana, South Dakota, California, Lower California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Indian Territory, British America (Medicine Hat, Riley) (?), Mexico (see humeralis and quadricollis) , lowa, Wyoming.

Distributed through 19 States out of the 23 west of the Mississippi River. I have no record of specimens from Missouri, Arkansas, Minnesota, and Louisiana. I expect to hear of their occurrence in one or more of those regions.

38 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Diagram showing distribution.

| | |

: lA a we a i a a 2 B z | 8 Bs ales FI ie N o o : Sie a | 8 s : | 3 Pate Se Vie d/H\Sla las cele lig 5 a | oe & 5 oS ot eee 5 bl 3 as s 5 eB 73 os | + ail be OY Sy Eel ch | ce Os ce eS Nery luce [oa [tee ercsenaces Bal | Se NES ey | ccf | Pee Negeri SS) Prete icy melee een pee o | 2 3 e S s o I ° Ss o ae) Ua is ‘iS os 5 | Et UZ fet Wie | ET iNT STS ete eee Sree ace le Say — one eee = |= sole : aes ETS ee SSR Se eeeeiee | eeee = (alaial| /='e;eil/s:='='el| ol='=jaifetemiell orotate = ratal (niet fie ae ere ele eee ieee eee |e | CarbdOnaria......<=- 4 x x Jo-2-] [asec |e sesfen ese ee e|ece feces | eee eleeee|e ne e|eceelecee|e nn e|eneeleees VAT. SOTO) =~ << = <0 SCS ark are a mvareitntmlole||feimtete iy oja atoll teint eis jeimratar | eta eratlpereraie let ated| ace ere lettin teat tel ead eee CID Oem caer = Nesters SESS il ecer las wo %eie |e = aber 5 stein israel evetenes | me veretd teeta mcm tee rece eteare|tenmtetes Leelee | este Var: @olosa......6-2: Bote | Bice eh Norse rete raeet eater arctan wecelecee[ee seen ee |e eee ]e ee |eee-[ee eens foe e c/o nese eee QUSOLELON. oases meee > Gl ASA eel oe (eb: aul seal laccrallocre miwietel| ie Dl) SRR [eee cl ere rates Peet bee eee NS var. porcata......- SSSA lop Culino eillaeealHeas| bee coc |Fereseee' eeeyetesl overs sllietere cs emacs lleeisnenl reese (meererel Saveal seal eel ote | NGUSIU Rees cee ee lsiee Kea | Eyelet | eiaterai Se S| ferocel| eeetstel several wx Sel| = eyed fs sterell Sone operate] Sissel eee Sitar | ey Seen eee GMUESO aaa Nasal [Eee Ee oleae [eee ata rae Hen IES See ene ed seeped | ate ef ete oN see ee | Var. PYGJMBA....---|.--.)----)----/---- Joos] nsisiclaicroin 1 Spel == inl aime =| f~, alain nrelaye flntatatn| =!=hal=iajeie'ai|lseleinl|afel=ei| iene ela var. peninsularis...|....|...-|..-- [eee | See ree Vesela SG UNS ine areca tee eeanrees see ence lace cereal sete a 7 | | | ‘ | | QUAETICOMIS OS > torte) Seis |e |'aisjers|| eisrts [fear ation | voters NE len stetesey| hak=rel sere aver fateea feces etenerel erate rece acer : | | var. anthracinad ....|....|----| om | eoratelteeoie || si eerie ISBScleosal anos sacdlecad sessseas sb.qelece sect tate ep eaae | | | | | Var. lsivans 22 sa\eat- Sai eal oleosole leer tepreelt eats shearers seeeleeee) sees] eee e|e eee lee eres A : | | | | | | CUNEAECONIS xe ace leeea |e see | See al eetes eee eaeel eee CT eS raiall avers Seiste|lewele|ioeie| Stee eis sic] sata sefee| Sere eres ; | | | humeralis 6......--.- tera seemlstos lerseelea Ee Scapa se | eee eel Iteesce [ocala ected | ene | ee Meron | | 2 | LOUIE ae se atatctare wiaretars |= == a|oaee | X |escs}-ee-|oeee|an=- |n2--|--2- [feted ter =ts event seen fe cheater eelae erevet fet ofe ey tal aioe Ree ies laral SS R UMCOSLALG sa s-seenes x XK je---] X J----] X |----]---- as sities Ho isratetelh) CMa II ete tmlell eveimtn || BOS en RO Be | PEMINOTAES rs <:-)2-)-)a'=,- | ance ceisler cel see |e eer | Sach eee eee y= /ao| earn [leis | rovers mallets NEOMERICANG ...---- io x ce See cera Sere joes | Se ee alficr eee iS aes | | |

“ Quadricollis—Sonora, Mexico. In the Biologia Cent. America (Vol. IV, Pt. 1, p. 80) the author writes that he had seen specimens from Mexico. They probably belonged to a race or a closely related species. I have not seen an authentic example from Lower California. A specimen so given by Dr. George Horn—and examined by me—is probably a closely related species (Proc. Cal. Acad. Sciences, 2d ser., IV, Pt. 1, p. 350). The specimen was anatomically defective and has since been destroyed.

» Humeralis.—Mexico ? In the Biologia (reference as above) the author writes: “There is an example of this species in Mr. F. Bates’s collection labeled as from Mexico ; possibly some mistake about the locality.” I agree with this.

Dr. George Horn, in the Proc. Cal. Aead. Sciences, 2d ser., IV, Pt. 1, p. 350, gives this species as occurring at Sierra Laguna, San Francisquito, La Chuparosa, and San José del Cabo, Lower California. I have studied these specimens in the collection of the academy and find them not humeralis at all. (See tibialis.)

Genealogy—In the accompanying diagram I have presented my present views regarding the descent and relationships of the species and races of the subgenus J/elaneleodes.

From the subgeneric trunk divergence occurred along the lines of Groups I and II.

In Group I the principal divergence is manifest in the calcarine development as set forth for the Carbonaria and Quadricollis sec- tions.

In the Quadricollis section the calearine modification is most strongly perpetuated, the specific differentiation resulting in the mod- ification of surface sculpturing, cuneaticollis being intermediate be- tween guadricollis and humeralis, but retaining greater affinity with

REVISION OF ELEODIINI

BLAISDELL. 39

the former; antennal modification resulted in racial divergence in quadricollis, while greater calcarine development characterized the humeralis ramus. ii

In the Carbonaria section crural development seems to have taken place, not affecting the main carbonaria stem where surface seulptur- ing has undergone modification along two lines, the smooth and the asperate as indicated in the synopsis of the species.

Group I appears to be very plastic and reactive to modifying forces; Group IT less so. In Group I there is evidence of greater specific and racial differentiations.

one Obsoleta hao Onmtissa. oo a Peninsularis ee fe Debilis Tustrans, Anthracing Quadricollis

aN Cuneaticollis Be Humeralis Ampla eta

Pedinoides ANG Quadricollis Section /_—— N°omeXicana Section on Oy

D. olosa oD SN < Z cok Tricostata,

Subgeneric Trunk

Fic. 1.—GENEALOGICAL DIAGRAM OF THE SUBGENUS MELANELODES.

The species of the present subgenus may be divided into two groups as follows:

Elytra elongate oval, convex, comparatively narrow, feebly emarginate at base, humeral angles not rectangular; thorax not conspicuously broadened at base, angles obtuse, not overlapping humeral angles of elytra, more or less arcuately declivous at the sides, marginal bead rarely entirely visible when viewed TGC EN I iyamebors TIN END OC eat ree re ee ee a ee Group I.

Elytra broad, flattened, truncate at base, humeral angles rectangular; thorax conspicuously broadened at base, angles rectangular, overlapping the humeral angles of the elytra; pronotum but slightly arcuately declivous at the sides, marginal bead distinctly visible from above._-—-—~~-____--~_---=-_ Group II.

Group I may again be conveniently divided into two sections:

Anterior spur of anterior tibiz: more or less gradually narrowed from base to ERG NEE ATTN ORME RECS ce Reka thas Lie Peg ee ie pel ete thnk Fe ey aE Carbonaria Section. Anterior spur of anterior tibiz: more or less decidedly thickened in both sexes; gradually narrowing from base to apex in the male; much thickened and sub- parallel, narrowed more or less gradually beyond the middle third or basal half, subacute or obtusely rounded when worn__--__--~ Quadricollis Section.

40 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

s)

1

6.

9

-~*

GROUP I.—CARBONARIA SECTION,

Legs moderate in length ______________ eee ee ee ee ei al begs lone; elytra rather, more pointed: behind? =e 6 Surface smooth; shining; punctures simples. 22232)" > 2 ee 7 Surface more strongly sculptured, punctures more or less muricate______ 5 Smaller: species... 2 221 ee ee ee eee ee 2 eareer ‘SPECIES’ 2-2 = oe a a ak eee nee eer 4

Elvtra with distinct and rather distant series of moderately sized punctures, with a single interstitial series of irregularly spaced, fine punctures (form SEMANA FOX CAEL COL) Sa eae ae ap a debilis.

Elytra with distinct series of rather coarse punctures, punctuation never diffuse.

Pronotum usually widest just before the middle (females at least). East of the. Colorado River ee eee eee carbonaria. Pronotum quite quadrate, sides evenly rounded, equally narrowed before and behind (form somewhat similar to a smooth, finely punctate Joryty... “Dexas ees Se. Se ee eee ee var. soror.

Elytra usually more or less diffusely punctate, series frequently more or less

evident, punctures generally subequal in size. West of the Colorado River. Larger size: Apical angles of thorax obtuse, apex feebly emarginate or truncate;

elytra -widest= at: 1d dil esa sa ee eee ee omissa, Apical angles subacute, apex moderately emarginate; elytra usually widest behind the middle; surface polished___—__ var. peninsularis.

Smaller size. Thorax more or less quadrate; males slender__var. pygmed. Elytra more or less subasperately sculptured; surface moderately shining, punctures irregularly, rather densely placed and submuricate, rarely sub- SUT ek A Si ea 2 es en ee ee SG knausii. Elytra muricately punctate; surface dull. father robust. Elytra striato-punctate; sometimes estriate and dif-

fusely punctate; intervals more or less moderately convex____obsoleta.

More elongate. Elytra sulcate, intervals strongly Convex___var. porcata. Surface more or less opaque througheut; pronotum broader ____-~-—__~ ampla, Surface more or less shining, pronotum quadrate and polished____var. dolosa,

GROUP 1I.—QUADRICOLLIS SECTION,

Anterior spur of the anterior tibise, moderately produced in both sexes__--1 Anterior spur of the anterior tibise, strongly produced in both sexes (less in the male) 2222 222 ee ee ee ee ae eee 2

Klytra striato-punctate to diffusely punctate. Antenne moderate in length; surface more or less shining; epistoma

coarsely and. contiuently punctates 2 22e ee eee quadricollis, Antenne long. Epistoma more finely and not confluently punctate.

Marcer- species: surtace: dull= =. 2- see var. anthracina.

Smaller species; surface polished and shining ___—___ var. lustrans,

Elytra with punctures irregularly distributed, without serial arrangement, but producing a strongly rugulose appearance by mutual semicoales-

cenee! 22-222 2 = ee oo Se es Se eS CUneaticollis: Elongate species___---~~ eae oe 3

Shorter; more? robust species =). = 23 =. 2 ee eee ee eee 4

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 41

3. Elytra opaque, densely muricately punctate (Washington); frequently granulato-muricately (Nevada and California) or tuberculo-muricately

(Colored 0) Ap UN CLUE Cees tS Be See ee es ee humeralis. 4, Elytra shining, subasparately punctate, punctures rather sparse, often with M@oteehlehlinesimarranecemen t=. ieee eee ee es rileyi.

Virals COStAtCl= = es ee eee Pee Pe a ee elect Eh A aA Se eer 2 1 Hilyiraenoteinechemicas tecostates- se ae reer ee OR ee eee

1. Elytra with alternate interspaces more elevated, at times all quite evenly SOP Se SULLA Ce yO DA QM C2 eae ee ees et a ek ee ae ee ee tricostata.

2. Elytra glabrous and shining, with regular strize of moderately large punctures, interstices equally and very feebly convex ; pronotum with basal

GEDEES SONS Rae eens os eee wet ee aes Merry mney nantes ke pedinoides. Elytra opaque, diffusely punctate; basal depressions of pronotum obso- LOU Giese stk bt Bir. Tee ee. ee Se airk abies PW Peele ye var. neomexicana.

GROUP I.—CARBONARIA SECTION.

ELEODES DEBILIS LeConte.

Eleodes debilis—LEContTrE, Proc. Nat. Sci. Acad. Phila., 1858, p. 185.— Horn, Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc., XIV, 1870, p. 308.—Casry, Annals N. Y. Acad. Sci., V, Nov., 1890, p. 396.

Ovate, moderately robust, glabrous and shining.

Head twice as wide as long, feebly convex, rather coarsely punctate, punctures very sparse on the vertex, denser on the epistoma; surface more or less impressed laterally and along the frontal suture. An- tenne moderate, reaching to the base of the prothorax, subequal in the sexes, outer four joints very feebly compressed, scarcely dilated, third joint about equal to the next two taken together, fourth hardly longer than the fifth, the latter, sixth and seventh subequal, eighth feebly triangular, ninth and tenth suborbicular, scarcely transverse, eleventh ovate.

Pronotum subquadrate, widest at the middle, about one-fifth to one-third wider than long; disc rather strongly and evenly convex from side to side, feebly so antero-posteriorly and more or less de- clivous at the apical angles, finely and sparsely punctulate, rather more strongly so laterally; apex teebly and evenly emarginate, usu- ally obsoletely margined; sides converging a little anteriorly, rather evenly and moderately arcuate in apical two-thirds, thence to base obliquely straight or feebly sinuate, finely margined; base rather broadly rounded and finely margined, about a third wider than the apex; apical angles subacute; basal angles obtuse.

Propleure smooth, sparsely and more or less obsoletely punctulate, slightly rugulose.

Elytra oval, widest at the middle, about a third longer than wide; base broadly and very feebly emarginate, scarcely wider than the

AQ BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

contiguous base of the prothorax; hwmeri more or less acute; sides evenly arcuate, apex obtusely and narrowly rounded; disc evenly and moderately convex, laterally more strongly rounded, evenly and quite strongly arcuately declivous posteriorly, punctate, punctures shghtly separated, moderate sized and arranged in rather distant series; intervals flat with a single series of irregularly spaced and usually fine punctures, both series becoming more or less confused at the sides and apex.

Epipleure moderate in width, superior margin feebly sinuate be- neath the humeri, very gradually narrowing to apex; surface gla- brous and more or less finely and sparsely punctulate.

Sterna more or less glabrous, irregularly and more or less densely punctate, rugulose.

Parapleure rather coarsely and somewhat densely punctate.

Abdomen shining and glabrous, sparsely, and finely punctulate, more or less rugulose.

Legs moderate. Anterior femora mutic in the sexes; anterior tibial spurs slightly dissimilar; first jomt of the anterior tarsi produced at tip beneath and feebly dissimilar in the sexes.

Male.—Slightly robust. Thorax quite quadrate; abdomen sub- horizontal, first two segments more or less broadly impressed at middle, intercoxal process slightly concave; anterior tibial spurs comparatively small and slender, the anterior one scarcely widened. First joint of the anterior tarsi with a minute pencil of brownish modified spinules surrounded by dark spinules on produced tip be- neath.

Female.—Moderately robust.. Thorax slightly transverse. Abdo- men horizontal and rather strongly convex. Anterior tibial spurs a little larger and longer, the anterior spur shghtly widened but grad- ually narrowed from base to apex. First joint of the anterior tarsi with dark spimules on the produced tip beneath.

Measurements.—M ales: Length, 12-13 mm.; width, 5.5 mm. Fe- males: Length, 12.8-14.8 mm.: width, 6—6.5 mm.

Genital characters, male.

Edeagophore elongate oval, acutely pointed at the apical extremity and shghtly arched.

Basale oblong, evenly convex, sides shghtly arcuate.

Apicale triangular, rather evenly convex above, with a narrow median membranous groove at the middle third; sides feebly arcuate at base, thence broadly and more or less strongly sinuate to apex, the latter appearing attenuated; base strongly and moderately narrowly arcuate at middle, laterally broadly sinuate.

Sternite rather short and transversely parabolic. Each lobe with the external border evenly arcuate to apex, the latter narrowly rounded; internal border oblique; surface feebly convex, shining,

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 43

very sparsely punctate and setose apically, setae moderately short. Sinus triangular, membrane slightly setose at bottom.

Female.—Genital segment quadrate, valves reflexed at the sides, setose, glabrous and shining.

Valvula (Plate 4, fig. 26).—Dorsal plate oblong, explanate exter- nally and slightly deflexed, internally reflexed and impunctate in apical half; surface convex externally, very sparsely punctate, punc- tures denser on convexity, each with a long seta; external margin straight ; angle rectangular and prominent, sometimes feebly rounded, with a few moderately long setxe; apical margin squarely truncate to moderately and arcuately produced in outer half, more or less sin- uate over the appendage; internal margin more or less arcuate. Apex short, triangular and acute, set with a few moderately long sete.

Appendage (cercopod) short and moderate in size, conical or feebly depressed, bearing moderately long sete.

Basal promimences not evident.

Superior pudendal membrane feebly and distinctly longitudinally rugulose, reaching to about the middle of the dorsal plate.

Ventrolateral surface moderately convex, scarcely concave before the apex; submarginal groove broad and shallow beneath the ex- planate external border of dorsal plate; surface finely punctate and setose, setze minute. The internal borders of the valvule are con- tiguous in basal sixth; genital fissure fusiform and moderately wide, with the inferior pudendal membrane visible in basal half.

Habitat—New Mexico (Santa Fé, C. V. Riley) ; Arizona (Sulphur Spring Valley, Hubbard and Schwarz); Texas (Alpine, elevation 4,400-6,000 feet, H. F. Wickham).

Number of specimens studied, 3 males, 6 females.

Type in the LeConte collection.

Type-locality—New Mexico; collected by Mr. Fendler.

Salient type-characters——Thorax subquadrate, slightly narrowed anteriorly; sides broadly rounded; apical angles acute, the basal ob- tuse; base broadly rounded. Elytra oval and convex, strongly de- clivous posteriorly, not acuminate at apex; base broadly emarginate; humeri acute; disc quite strongly striato-punctate, intervals with a single series of fine punctules (LeConte).

Diagnostic characters——In size and shape debilis resembles a smooth extricata, from which it differs in having the anterior femorz unarmed in both sexes, and by the distinct and rather distant series of moderate punctures, with a single interstitial series of irregularly spaced fine punctures.

The punctuation in debilis somewhat resembles that observed in carbonaria, from which it can be separated by its smaller size and female genital characters; the latter also separates it from all other members of the subgenus.

44 BULLETIN 638, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

A specimen before me has been compared with the LeConte type and pronounced typical by Mr. F. Blanchard. |

This species has been considered as identical with carbonaria, and I agree with Col. Thomas Casey “ in considering it a distinct species.

The genital characters are somewhat aberrant to the present sub- genus, but on account of the greater development of the external lobe of the valvular apex, I have placed it here; the apical margin of the dorsal plate is quite squarely truncate and the appendage more strongly exposed. In all specimens examined the female genital characters were constant. .

On account of the homogeneous structure exhibited by the small series before me, I am unable to indicate with any feeling of certainty, its relationships and descent. A large series illustrating the lines of variation is necessary for this purpose. I might tentatively suggest that debidlis may tend toward the subgenus Promus. I would about as soon accept this postulate as to consider it identical with car- bonaria.

The mentum? is moderate in size, and more or less triangulo- trapezoidal in outline; surface rather coarsely and somewhat densely punctate, laterally with rather broad, shallow, and subfoveate im- pressions, with a median longitudinal subcariniform convexity ; each puncture bears a short inconspicuous seta.

The prosternum between the coxe is rather prominent ventrally. convex to nearly horizontal and mucronate behind. The mucro is variable in size, sometimes pointed and at others broad and obtusely rounded.

The mesosternum is more or less arcuately oblique and concave.

The intercoxal process of the first ° abdominal segment is shghtly transverse and equal in length to the post-coxal portion. The meta- sternal salient is about two-sevenths narrower than the abdominal process.

In the male the second abdominal segment is equal in length to the post-coxal part of the first and about a third of its length longer than the third segment, the latter being about a fourth of its own length longer than the fourth segment.

In the female the second segment is noticeably longer, being about a fourth of its own length longer than the post-coxal part of the first. The fourth is about half as long as the second, while the third is about a fourth of its own length longer than the fourth.

The profemora are somewhat tumid externally, the tibial grooves are well developed, concave, and glabrous, margins subcariniform, converging and meeting at basal third.

“VII. Coleopterological Notices, II, Oct. 6, 1890, p. 396. >The mentum refers to the middle lobe unless otherwise stated. © In all descriptive remarks only the visible segments are considered.

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 45

The meso- and metafemora are each subequal in width, the former is scarcely compressed, the latter distinctly so. The tibial grooves have their margins feebly subcariniform and gradually converging to become contiguous and evanescent at basal thirds.

The protibiz are feebly compressed ; all the tibiz are without tarsal grooves, and muricately sculptured.

The tarsi are moderate in length and comparatively slender. The protarsi are about a fourth of their length shorter than a mesotarsus; first four joints subequal in width; the second, third, and fourth are about as long as wide, the fourth shghtly smaller than the third; the fifth is about as long as the preceding three taken together; the first is longer than wide, and rapidly narrowing to the base.

The mesotarsi are about a fifth of their length shorter than a metatarsus. First four joints are subequal in width, gradually and shightly diminishing in length from the second to the fourth. Joints one and five are each separately subequal to the combined lengths of the second and third.

The metatarsi are about two-fifths of their length shorter than their metatibie. The fourth joint is about equal to the combined lengths of the second and third; the first is a little longer than the same, and the second is just a little longer than the third.

The comparative tarsal measurements were made on the female.

ELEODES CARBONARIA (Say).

Blaps carbonaria Say, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., IIT, 1828, p. 260.

Eleodes carbonaria LECoNntTE, Complete Writings of Thomas Say, II, 1859, p. 125; Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1851, p. 181.—Horn, Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc, XIV, 1870, p. 308.—CHAMPION, Biol. Centr.-Amer., IV, Pt. 1, 1884, p. 8308.—Casry, Annals N. Y. Acad. Sci.. V, Nov., 1890, p. 395.

Hleodes soror LECoNTE, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1858, p. 185.

Eleodes immunis LECon?TrR, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1858, p. 186.— Horn, Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc., XIV, 1870, p. 308.

Oblong-ovate, moderately elongate, smooth, more or less shining, estriate, elytral punctures arranged in series.

Head twice as wide as long, more or less convex, rather densely and irregularly punctate, punctures denser anteriorly, sparser about vertex, surface more or less impressed along the frontal suture and laterally. Antenne moderately long, reaching to or very slightly beyond the base of the prothorax, subequal in the sexes, outer four joints feebly compressed, just perceptibly dilated, third joint about equal to the next two taken together, fourth just noticeably longer than the fifth, the latter, sixth and seventh subequal, eighth triangular and as wide as long; ninth and tenth more or less feebly transversely oval; eleventh ovate.

Pronotum subquadrate, widest at or a little in advance of the middle, and about one-fifth to one-third wider than long; désc evenly

46 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

and moderately convex, more or less arcuately declivous laterally and at the apical angles, finely and sparsely punctulate, punctures slightly denser and coarser along the margins laterally; apex slightly emargi- nate or truncate, finely or more or less obsoletely margined; sides evenly and more or less moderately arcuate from base to apex, or more strongly arcuate in the anterior two-thirds, and thence to base oblique and convergent, or very feebly arcuate, sometimes obsoletely sinuate, finely beaded; base feebly arcuate, finely to more or less obsoletely margined, and one-fifth to one-fourth wider than the apex; apical angles distinct, scarcely at all rounded; basal angles obtuse.

Propleurw finely and very sparsely submuricately punctate and more or less distinctly rugulose.

Elytra oval, widest at the middle, less than twice as long as wide; base slightly emarginate, more or less feebly sinuate laterally, a little wider than or equal to the contiguous base of the prothorax; humeri subacute or feebly obtuse; sides evenly arcuate, apex obtuse; disc moderately convex on the dorsum, at times slightly depressed, later- ally quite strongly and evenly rounded, evenly and arcuately decli- vous posteriorly, serially punctate, strial punctures usually rather large and somewhat deeply impressed, at times rather small and not impressed, the individual punctures are usually more distant from each other than their own diameters; intervals flat, frequently feebly convex, with a single series of very small, distantly and irregularly spaced punctures; laterally the interstitial punctures. become larger, and both series more or less irregular and somewhat confused.

Epipleure gradually narrowing from base to apex, superior margin feebly sinuate beneath the humeri; surface finely to obsoletely or dis- tinctly and sparsely punctate.

Sterna shining to subopaque, finely and rather densely punctate, at times rugulose.

Parapleure rather coarsely and quite densely punctate.

Abdomen more or less glabrous, finely and sparsely punctulate, first segment more strongly sculptured; surface obsoletely to dis- tinctly rugulose.

Legs moderate. Anterior femora mutic in the sexes; anterior tibial spurs and tarsi slightly dissimilar in the sexes.

Male.—Body comparatively slender. Elytra rather gradually narrowed and evenly arcuato-obliquely declivous posteriorly. Ab- domen slightly oblique, very moderately convex, first two segments more or less impressed at the middle. Anterior spurs of the anterior tibie shghtly the stouter, almost twice as long as the posterior and gradually narrowing from base to apex, both comparatively slender and acute. Tarsi distinctly longer than in the female, the anterior with first joint bearing a minute pencil of brownish modified spinules, surrounded by ordinary piceous spinules on the thickened tip beneath.

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 47

Female.—Body quite robust. Elytra rather broadly oval, rounded and more or less arcuately and vertically declivous posteriorly. Ab- domen horizontal, evenly and rather strongly convex. Anterior spurs of the anterior tibiz distinctly the stouter, more gradually narrowing from base to apex and about a third longer than the posterior. First joint of the anterior tarsi transversely clothed with ordinary spinules on thickened tip beneath.

The material before me and referred to the present species is quite variable and presents a number of incipient races, of which three may be recognized to aid in the placing of specimens:

Forma glabra.—Smooth and shining. Elytral punctures fine and not impressed, with a tendency to some irregularity on the disc, in- tervals flat.

Forma typica—FElytra with rows of rather large, impressed and distinctly defined punctures, intervals flat.

Forma interstitialis——Elytra with very strongly impressed punc- tures, intervals feebly convex.

The above forms or incipient races are connected by an abundance of mesotypes and when properly arranged make an instructive morphological series.

Measurements.—Males: Length, 15.8-18 mm.; width, 5.5-6.5 mm. Femates: Length, 17-20.5 mm.; width, 7.8-9 mm.

Genital characters, male-—Kdeagophore rather elongate, fusiform, somewhat strongly arched and well chitinized.

Basale oblong, rather strongly convex and more or less gibbous basally; sides evenly and rather moderately arcuate.

Apicale triangular and feebly elongate; surface evenly convex, with a median longitudinal groove extending from near the apex to near the base, membranous in apical half, linear towards base; s?des broadly and very feebly sinuate at middle third, apex subacute: base broadly and arcuately lobed at middle, very feebly sinuate laterally.

Sternite parabolic in outline and slightly transverse. Each lobe with the external border more or less evenly arcuate, apex more or less evenly rounded, angle feebly evident at times; internal border short; surface rather evenly convex and glabrous, quite coarsely and densely punctate apically, more sparsely so towards base, setose, setae moderate in length, longer about apex, and not very dense.

Sinus short, with the membrane very sparsely setose at bottom.

Female.—Genital segment quadrato-trapezoidal, somewhat de- pressed and setose.

Valvula (Plate 3, fig. 16).—Dorsal plate oblong, sometimes slightly widened at base, frequently deflexed apically, gradually explanate externally from basal third to apical margin with which it is directly continuous; surface plane, finely to rather coarsely and sparsely punctate, setose, setee rather short; external border feebly sinuous to

48 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

scarcely arcuate; apical margin not defined from the external apical lobe.

Apex with the outer lobe well developed, the latter three-fourths as wide as the dorsal plate, rather broadly rounded and slightly sem1- membranous at tip; internal lobe small and membranous; both lobes set with long flying sete.

Appendage short and more or less conical, sometimes slightly visible from above, directed backwards and shghtly inwards. Fossa moderate and fringed with moderately long hairs.

basal prominences moderate.

Superior pudendal membrane longitudinally rugulose and reach- ing to the side of the internal lobe of the apex.

Ventrolateral surface rather short, not strongly convex, but more or less gradually sloping to the apex, not usually transversely impressed but sometimes more or less so just behind the narrow transverse basal convexity; submarginal groove well defined beneath the explanate external border of the dorsal plate, not markedly bending inwards at apex to fossa; surfaces finely and sparsely punctate, setose, sete very short, at apex short and flying. Internal margins of the val- vule contiguous for a very short distance both at base and apex; genital fissure broadly fusiform, with basal half closed by the inferior pudendal membrane.

Remarks on female genital characters—Forma glabra has the genital segment quadrate in outline and more thickly setose at apex, with the basal convexities more strongly developed. Forma intersti- tialis has the dorsal plate more strongly and coarsely punctate.

Habitat—F¥orma typica.—Texas (Alpine, June, elevation 1,400- 6,000 feet, H. F. Wickham; Uvalde, elevation 930 feet; Granjino, May; Marfa, elevation 4,600-4,800 feet, July, Wickham); New Mex- ico (Albuquerque, March, Wickham; Santa Fe Canyon, August, elevation, 7,000 feet, F. H. Snow); Arizona (Fort Grant; Oak Creek Canyon, Snow) ; Colorado (La Junta, Garland, Pleasant Val- ley, on the Arkansas River, Snow; Wickham’s List).

Forma glabra.—Texas; New Mexico (Highrolls, May and August; Cloudcroft, June, Warren Knaus); Colorado (Garland, June; Salida); Arizona (Chiricahua Mountains, May; Sulphur Springs Valley, June).

Forma interstitialis.—Texas (Kl Paso, July, elevation 3,700-3,800 feet, Wickham) ; New Mexico (Deming, July, Hubbard and Schwarz; Luna; Albuquerque, March); Arizona (San Simon, July; Sulphur Spring Valley, May; Tucson, April; Chiricahua Mountains, May, Hubbard and Schwarz).

Number of specimens studied, 100.

Type destroyed.

ee

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 49

Type-locality as given by Thomas Say: “ Region of the Arkansas River and near the Rocky Mountains.”

Salient ty pe-characters.—Thorax subquadrate; sides regularly arcu- ate; apex very slightly emarginate; base nearly rectilinear, a little arcuate each side near the angles, the latter obtuse. Elytra without impressed strive; six regular series of punctures, which are more dis- tant from each other than the length of their diameters; interstitial | lines with a few remote, acute, minute punctures; sides rounded and irregularly punctured (Say).

Diagnostic characters —Easily recognized from the other members of the subgenus by the smooth polished surface, the elytra being sculptured with rather distantly placed series of coarse punctures; the intervals are flat, with a single series of small distantly spaced punctures. At times the punctures of both series may be equal in size, and the species is then with some difficulty separated from omssa (see p. 72 and forma glabra) ; typically the intervals are flat, but often become feebly convex and approach porcata (see p. 63 and forma interstitialis). The extreme heterotypical specimens are apt to have a subasperate punctuation.

Immunis LeConte appears to be a true synonym, probably more closely related to var. soror. (See p. 50.)

The mentum is moderate in size, triangulo-trapezoidal to parabolo- triangular in outline; surface rather broadly foveate laterally with a median longitudinal ridge, sometimes feebly sculptured, more or less strongly punctate and not noticeably bearded.

The prosternum is variable; frequently continuously rounded be- tween the coxe and behind, but not with the precoxal portion, not mucronate; often almost horizontally produced, at other times convex between the coxee and with a more or less strongly developed mucro behind.

The mesosternum at times is quite vertically declivous, at others oblique and more or less feebly concave.

The metasternal process is as wide as the abdominal salient is long.

The abdominal intercoxal process (male) is shghtly transverse, a little wider than the metasternal salient, and equal to the post- coxal portion; the latter is also equal in length to the second seg- ment; the third segment is one-third of its length longer than the fourth.

In the female the abdominal process is quadrate, and about a fifth of its width wider than the metasternal salient, and equal in length to the second segment; the latter is about twice as long as the fourth; the third segment is equal in length to the post-coxal part of the first.

59780—Bull. 63—09——4

50 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

The profemora (male) are clavate, gradually tumid externally and subeylindrical in section; less so in the female and frequently somewhat compressed. The tibial grooves are more or less well defined by subcariniform margins which become contiguous and evanescent at basal fourth; the floors of the grooves are usually con- cave, glabrous or sometimes minutely subasperate.

In both sexes the mesofemora are subtumid at middle, with the grooves rather narrow and limited by subasperulate margins, which are more or less evanescent before becoming contiguous at basal third.

The sexes have the metafemora usually just noticeably widening from base to apex; grooves as on the mesofemora.

The protibie are frequently subarcuate, feebly compressed. All the tibiae are without tarsal grooves and more or less muricate; the articular cavities are closed.

The tarsi are moderate in length and stoutness. The protarsi are about a half of their length shorter than a mesotarsus. Joints two, three, and four are subequal, and combined subequal to the fifth; the first is longer than wide.

. The mesotarsi are subequal to (male) or a seventh of their length shorter than (female) a metatarsus. Joints one and five subequal in length, either one is subequal to the combined lengths of the third and fourth; jomts two to four subequal in width and length, or just feebly diminishing in length in the order named.

The metatarsi are about a third of their length shorter than a meta- tibia. The third joint is slightly shorter than the second, both com- bined about equal in length to the fourth; first jomt equal to the combined lengths of joints two, three, and four of a mesotarsus.

ELEODES CARBONARIA var. SOROR LeConte.

Form as in carbonaria, smooth and more or less feebly shining, sides of the pronotum apparently evenly arcuate; elytral punctures usually moderately small.

[Head twice as wide as long, more or less moderately convex, some- what coarsely, irregularly, and sparsely punctate, punctures shehtly denser on the epistoma; surface usually impressed laterally. An- tenne moderate in length, reaching to the base of the prothorax, sub- equal in the sexes, outer three joints scarcely compressed or dilated, third joint about equal to the next two taken together, the fourth very slightly longer than the fifth, the latter, sixth, and seventh sub- equal, eighth subtriangular, and slightly shorter than the seventh, ninth and tenth suborbicular, eleventh subovate.

Pronotum quadrate, widest at the middle, where it is one-eighth to one-sixth wider than long, slightly narrowed before and behind; disc moderately convex, quite strongly and arcuately declivous along

ed

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 51

the lateral margins, finely and sparsely punctulate; apex subtruncate and more or less obsoletely margined; sides evenly, broadly and moderately arcuate from base to apex when viewed vertically from above, more strongly so in the anterior three-fourths when viewed obliquely from the side and obsoletely sinuate before the basal angles, margin finely beaded; base broadly arcuate, quite finely margined, and about one-fourth to one-third wider than the apex; apical angles more or less subacute; basal angles obtuse.

Propleure smooth, finely and sparsely punctulate, more or less sparsely rugulose.

Elytra oval, widest at the middle, rather strongly emarginate at the base and equal to or a little wider than the contiguous base of the prothorax; humeri acute and slightly prominent anteriorly ; sides evenly arcuate, apex obtuse and rather narrowly rounded; disc mod- erately convex on the dorsum, strongly and evenly rounded laterally, evenly and rather strongly arcuately declivous posteriorly, punctate, punctures moderate in size and arranged in moderately distant, scarcely impressed series; intervals more or less irregularly and sparsely punctulate, especially along the suture, laterally the series usually remain distinct.

E'pipleure rather wider than in carbonaria, and gradually narrow- ing from base to apex; superior margin feebly and broadly sinuate beneath the humeri; surface smooth, sparsely and irregularly punc- tulate.

Sterna shining, irregularly punctate and more or less rugulose.

Parapleure irregularly and more or less closely punctate.

Abdomen shining, evenly and sparsely punctate, usually obsoletely rugulose; intercoxal process more strongly sculptured.

Legs moderate as in carbonaria. Anterior femora mutic in the sexes; anterior tibial spurs comparatively small and slightly dissimi- lar in the sexes, the anterior spur but slightly longer than the pos- terior. Anterior tarsi with the first joint feebly thickened at tip beneath and shghtly dissimilar in the sexes.

Male.—Body moderately slender, elongate-subovate. Elytra grad- ually narrowing, arcuately and somewhat obliquely declivous pos- teriorly. Abdomen slightly oblique, moderately convex, more or less broadly impressed at middle of the first two segments, intercoxal process distinctly concave. Anterior spur of the anterior tibia grad- ually narrowing from base to apex. First joint of the anterior tarsi with a small pencil of modified spinules surrounded by ordinary spinules on the thickened tip beneath. :

Female.—Body moderately robust. Elytra rather broadly oval, arcuately and somewhat vertically declivous posteriorly. Abdomen horizontal and somewhat strongly convex. Anterior spur of the anterior tibiz slightly thickened, acute, and gradually narrowing

.

52 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

from base to apex. First joint of the anterior tarsi set with ordinary spinules on tip beneath.

Measurements—Males: Length, 16.5 mm.; width, 6.5 mm. Females: Length, 18.3-19 mm.; width, 8-8.5 mm.

Genital characters.—Male characters as in carbonaria.

Female.—As in carbonaria, except that the dorsal plate of each ralve is narrower, with the sides more parallel and less explanate externally; the outer lobe of the apex is less broadly rounded.

[Tabitat—Texas (Eagle Pass and San Antonio, LeConte; Browns- ville, Wickham. )

Number of specimens studied, 8.

Type, a female in the LeConte collection.

Ty pe-locality.—Kagle Pass; Texas.

Salient type-characters.—Thorax quadrate, slightly narrowed an- teriorly and posteriorly ; sides broadly rounded; anterior angles acute, the posterior obtuse. Elytra strongly striato-punctate, intervals sparsely punctate (LeConte).

Diagnostic characters.—On aceggnt of the form of the prothorax it somewhat resembles a smooth goryi, and LeConte differentiated it from that species as follows: “ The thorax is more quadrate and not more narrowed towards the apex than towards the base; the elytra are more deeply emarginate at base, and transversely much less convex, and those of the female are much less dilated; the punc- tures are more regular and never have the appearance of fovee.”

All the specimens that I have received have either been labeled gory? ov wudentified, and it is undoubtedly confused with that spe- cies in collections generally. In all cases of doubt the subgeneric and genital characters must be carefully studied.

The scuplturing 6f soror is quite like that of a typical carbonaria, except that the serial punctures on the dorsum of the elytra are smaller, although as large or slightly larger and more distinctly de- fined laterally, the surface is feebly duller, the pronotum more quad- rate on account of the strongly deflexed sides of the dise and conse- quently less strongly rounded when viewed from above, and usually not more narrowed toward the apex than the base, but this character may be variable.

The actual form of the pronotal margin in both sexes is like that of a male carbonaria, widest at the middle and not noticeably more strongly arcuate in the anterior moiety, as in the female of car- bonaria.

From the members of the guadricollis section of the present sub- genus it 1s to be known by the form of the anterior spurs of the anterior tibie.

I am indebted to Professor Wickham for the specimens in my collection,

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 53

LeConte separated the species described by him as ¢mmunis from soror as follows: “ Of the same form as sovor, but the thorax is more narrowed behind, almost as in #’. guadricollis; the punctures of the rows of the elytra are sometimes placed in distinct grooves, while in other specimens the surface is even.” (See carbonaria.)

Mr. Blanchard has pronounced my specimens undoubtedly the same as LeConte’s type from Eagle Pass, Texas. He also writes that the type and a male from “ Texas” have the elytra and under side shining, and two other females from “ Texas” are dull.

The mental, sternal, abdominal, and crural characters are as in carbonaria, except that the meso- and metafemora appear to be slightly more slender. The protarsi appear to be subequal in length in the sexes, and the mesotarsi appear relatively slightly shorter.

ELEODES AMPLA, new species.

Subfusiform to fusiform-ovate, subopaque, and smooth.

Head twice as wide as long, more or less moderately convex between the eyes, rather broadly flattened anteriorly, usually feebly impressed laterally, sometimes across base of the epistoma; frontal suture dis- tinct and frequently bisinuate; evenly and sparsely punctate, pune- tures coarser on the epistoma and finer on the vertex. Antenne reaching a little beyond the base of the prothorax, very feebly com- pressed in outer four joints, scarcely dilated, third joint scarcely as long as the next two combined; the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh subequal in length; eighth triangular and as long as wide; ninth suborbicular; tenth slightly transversely oval; eleventh oval to ovate, and generally distinctly obliquely truncate at tip.

Pronotum widest at or a little in advance of the middle, about one- fourth wider than long; moderately and evenly convex from side to side, feebly so antero-posteriorly, more or less arcuately declivous laterally along the sides; finely and sparsely or almost obsoletely punctulate; apex slightly and evenly emarginate, more or less obso- letely beaded; sides almost evenly arcuate from base to apex when viewed vertically from above, more strongly so in the anterior three- fourths, and obsoletely sinuate at basal fourth when viewed obliquely from the side, finely beaded ; base quite broadly rounded and more or less feebly sinuate at middle, finely beaded, and about a fourth to a third wider than the apex; apical angles subacute; basal angles obtuse.

Propleurw rather smooth, finely and sparsely punctulate, usually distinctly rugulose.

Elytra oval, less than one-half to about a third longer than wide; base more or less emarginate, frequently sinuate laterally, scarcely to a little wider than the contiguous prothoracic base; huwmeri subacute, scarcely prominent anteriorly; sides evenly arcuate, apex obtuse and

54 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

eather narrowly rounded; disc more or less moderately convex, some- times slightly flattened on the dorsum, more strongly and rather evenly rounded laterally, arcuately declivous posteriorly, punctate; the strial punctures are rather small to moderate in size and some- what closely placed in moderately distant series, usually not at all, but sometimes moderately impressed; intervals flat, rarely slightly convex, and with a single series of rather widely spaced, very fine punctures which at times become slightly irregular, especially later- ally and about apex.

Epipleurw woderate in width, gradually narrowing from base to apex, Superior margin very broadly and slightly sinuate beneath the humeri; surface smooth, obsoletely to finely and sparsely punctulate.

Sterna more or less shining, strongly punctate, and rugulose.

Parapleure rather densely, finely, and subscabrously punctate.

Abdomen usually shining, sparsely and quite regularly punctulate, more or less rugulose; intercoxal process and fifth segment more strongly sculptured.

Legs long, comparatively moderately stout. Anterior femora mutic and the anterior tibial spurs moderately long, slightly dissimilar in the sexes. Anterior tarsi with the first joint feebly thickened at tip beneath.

MJale—Body moderately slender and more or less fusiform, an- tenn reaching a short distance beyond the base of the prothorax. Elytra quite gradually narrowed in posterior fourth, arcuately and obliquely declivous. Abdomen distinctly oblique, moderately convex, first two segments more or less impressed at middle, process concave. Anterior spur of anterior tibize about a third longer and a little stouter than the posterior, and narrowing moderately from base to apex. First joint of the anterior tarsi with the minute pencil of modified spinules on tip beneath scarcely evident and surrounded by the ordinary spinules. ;

Female.—Robust. Antenne reaching just beyond the base of the prothorax. Elytra broadly oval, somewhat gradually narrowed and arcuately declivous posteriorly. Abdomen horizontal and rather strongly convex. Anterior spurs of the anterior tibize about a half longer than the posterior and feebly broadened, with sides rather slowly but evenly narrowing to apex, the latter acute. Anterior tarsi with ordinary spinules on the thickened tip beneath, the latter trans- verse and narrow.

Measurements —M ales: Length, 19-23 mm.; width, 6.5-8.5 mm. Females: Length, 23-25 mm.; width, 6.2-9.5 mm.

Edeagophore elongate, flaxseed-shaped (flattened, oblong-ovate) and more or less arched.

Basale oblong; surface strongly convex towards base; sides feebly

arcuate.

Genital characters, male.

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 55

Apicale triangular and slightly longer than wide; surface evenly convex, with a narrow median groove in apical half; sides broadly sinuate at the middle, apex gradually narrowed and subacute; base broadly lobed and feebly sinuate laterally.

Sternite transversely parabolic in outline. Each lobe subtriangular with the external border evenly and broadly arcuate, apex rounded but not narrowly; internal border rather short; surface evenly con- vex, glabrous at basal third, sparsely punctate and setose apically, setee moderate but longer at apical border. Membrane sparsely setose across the bottom of the sénus.

Female.—Genital segment subquadrate, sometimes shghtly deflexed at apex, setose.

Valvula (Plate 4, fig. 27).—Dorsal plate oblong, moderately ex- planate externally; sides subparallel, and shghtly sinous; surface nearly plane, slightly longitudinally concave, glabrous and im- punctate in basal third, elsewhere coarsely, sparsely, and irregularly punctate, setose, sete rather long and reclining; apical margin on external lobe strongly arcuate in outer three-fourths, internally sinuate. Both apical lobes set with long hairs; external lobe large, the internal very small.

Appendage submammilliform and scarcely projecting beyond the fossa, hardly visible from above. Fossa rather large.

Basal prominences scarcely evident.

Superior pudendal membrane longitudinally rugulose and reach- ing about to the base of the internal lobe.

Ventrolateral surface rather strongly convex at base, scarcely to feebly transversely concave before the apex; submarginal groove broad extending beneath the apex to the margin of the fossa. In- ternal margins of the valves contiguous at basal eighth; fissure broadly fusiform and closed in basal half by the inferior pudendal membrane.

Habitat—Arizona (Oracle, July 15, Hubbard and Schwarz; Pinal Mountains, collection, University of Nebraska; Santa Rita Mountains, elevation 5,000-8,000 feet, July, F. H. Snow); New Mexico (Santa Fé Canyon, August, elevation 7,000 feet, F. H. Snow) ; Texas (Brownsville, June, F. H. Snow).

Number of specimens studied, 13.

Type in my own collection.

Ty pe-locality—P inal Mountains, Arizona.

Salient type-characters.—Subopaque. Prothorax widest at (male) or in advance (female) of the middle. Elytra noticeably narrowing at apical fourth in both sexes; striato-punctate, striae not impressed, strial punctures rather small, the series rather distant, interstitial punctures very fine. Legs long.

56 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Diagnostic characters.—In collections the females of the present species are usually associated with swbnitens, while the males are placed with guadricollis or carbonaria.

On account of its large size and dull integuments ampla has to be carefully differentiated from swvbnitens, from which it differs in the sides of the pronotum, being more strongly rounded and widest at or in advance of the middle, by the less prominent apical angles, and the subgeneric characters.

Ampla bears no resemblance to a typical carbonaria,; the dull luster, fine and unimpressed elytral punctuation readily separates it from the latter species, and besides the males are quite fusiform in outline and the legs are distinctly longer, characters never observed in car- bonaria. A male from Santa Fé canyon, New Mexico, has the strial

punctures of the elytra moderately large and slightly impressed, but

the form is elongate and fusiform.

From quadricollis it differs by the anterior spurs of the anterior tibie of the females, being much narrower and evidently narrowed from base to apex, and by the long legs.

Specimens from about Brownsville, Texas, are more shining than those observed from elsewhere.

For characters separating it from its race dolosa, see below.

In fact, ampla is the largest species in the present section of the subgenus.

The mentum is very moderate for so large a species and varies quite a little in form—triangulo-trapezoidal to trapezoido-parabolic; the surface is moderately strongly punctate, and the sete are very small, laterally with shallow foveate impressions, rather broadly and longi- tudinally convex at the middle.

The prosternum is variable, usually feebly convex between the coxe, rounded behind and very feebly mucronate at middle, or with a mod- erate mucro; sometimes horizontally produced, compressed, and ob- liquely truncate.

Mesosternum more or less declivous and feebly concave.

The metasternal process is about as wide as the abdominal salient is long.

The abdominal intercoxal process is slightly transverse (male) or subquadrate (female), and about a fifth of its width wider than the metasternal process, and subequal in length to that of the post-coxal part of the same segment, the latter being quite equal to the second (male), the second segment a little longer (female) than the former. The third segment is about a third longer than the fourth.

The profemora are feebly tumid to rather strongly so (male), less strongly and as variable in the female, in both sexes usually more or less shgehtly compressed, or subcylindrical, in transverse section in certain specimens (males) ; tibial grooves not strongly limited by the

a a

REVISION OF ELEODITNI—BLAISDELL. 57

moderate subcariniform margins that converge, become contiguous, and then evanescent at basal fourth. The grooves are not notably concave.

The mesofemora are moderately compressed, subfusiformly and not strongly tumid (male), or gradually wider to near apex in outer half (female) ; grooves not usually well defined, margins rather feeble.

The metafemora are feebly widened outwardly with sides sub- parallel; grooves less defined, margins more or less asperulate and evanescent near the middle.

The protibiew are scarcely compressed; all the tibiz are without tarsal grooves.

The tarsi are moderately long and comparatively stout.

The protarsi in the male are about a third longer than in the female.

In the male the protarsi are about a fifth of their length shorter than a mesotarsus. Joints subequal in width, two, three, and four subequal in length and width, the fifth scarcely as long as the three preceding taken together; the first not as long as the two following combined. In the female the joints are relatively and proportionally the same.

The mesotarsi (male) are a little shorter than a metatarsus. Joints one and five subequal in length; two and three are subequal in length, the fourth a little shorter.

A metatarsus (male) is about a fourth of its length shorter than its metatibia. Joint one, three times as long as the third, the fourth quite equal to the combined lengths of the second and third, the latter two are subequal in length. In the female the joints are proportion- ally the same.

ELEODES AMPLA var. DOLOSA, new.

Elongate-ovate, more or less shining, pronotum polished.

Head with the frontal suture obsolete or more or less well marked.

Pronotum quadrate, widest at the middle in both sexes, and a little wider (;4) than long; disc polished and shining, very finely and sparsely punctulate, punctures a little denser laterally; sédes rather evenly and not strongly arcuate from apex to base, obsoletely sinuate at the basal fourth; base more or less finely and obsoletely beaded and about a fourth wider than the apex.

Elytra with the disc striato-punctate, strial punctures feebly im- pressed, each puncture moderate in size and separated by about their own diameters; interstitial punctures small, distantly spaced, both series more or less irregular at the periphery.

Legs long. Anterior tibial spurs moderately short. Otherwise as in ampla.

58 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Male—Body moderately narrow, elongate-ovate. Elytra moder- ately narrowed in posterior fourth. Otherwise as in ampla.

Female.—Moderately robust. Elytra less gradually narrowed in the posterior fourth. Otherwise as in ampla.

Measurements.—Males: Length, 18-21 mm.; width, 7—-7.5 mm. Females: Length, 21 mm.; width, 9 mm.

Genital characters, male —Edeagophore scarcely at all arched.

Basale elongate and suboval. 5

A picale elongately triangular; surface extremely sparcely and finely punctulate.

Sternite somewhat transverse. Each lobe triangulo-quadrate, with the external border broadly and feebly sinuate at basal three-fourths, thence arcuate to apex, the latter more or less rounded; internal border short and oblique. Otherwise as in ampla.

Female.—Genital segment quadrate.

Valvula.—Dorsal plate scarcely concave.

Appendage very small.

Ventrolateral surface quite broadly concave before the apex. Otherwise as in ampla.

Habitat—Arizona (along the Colorado River, Beverly Letcher).

Number of specimens studied, 7.

Sexitypes in my own collection.

Type-locality.—Western Arizona.

Salient type-characters—More or less shining, elongate-ovate. Pronotum quadrate, polished, widest at the middle. Elytra striato- punctate, strial punctures not impressed (male) or feebly impressed and coarser (female). Legs long.

Diagnostic characters—M surface lustre and sculpturing resembles carbonaria; by its larger and more elongate form and long legs it is

most closely related to ampla.

Mr. Blanchard writes me that it is not to be referred to any species in the LeConte collection. It has heretofore been referred to car- bonaria, but the long legs will quickly separate it from that species.

A specimen in Mr. Blanchard’s collection has the sides of the pro- notum more strongly arcuate.

The mental, sternal, abdominal, and crural characters are practi- cally the same as in ampla. The anterior tarsi are apparently less elongate in the male, and in both sexes for that matter; in the female joints two, three, and four are comparatively a little smaller.

ELEODES OBSOLETA (Say).

Blaps obsoleta Say. Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., III, 1823, p. 261.— LECONTE, Complete Writings of Thomas Say, II, 1859, p. 1538. Eleodes obsoleta Horn, Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc., XIV, 1870, p. 308. Eleodes obsoleta var. porcata Casry, Ann. New York Acad. Sci., V, Nov., 1890, p, 396.

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 59

Oblong-ovate, slightly elongate, black, feebly shining to subopaque; elytra striate and slightly scabrous, frequently reddish along the suture.

Head twice as wide as long, moderately convex, frontal suture usually distinct, more or less feebly impressed laterally, rather finely and not very densely punctate, punctures slightly sparser on the ver- tex. Antennw moderate and subequal in the sexes, about reaching to the base of the prothorax, outer four joints feebly compressed, slightly and gradually dilated, third joint equal in length to the next two taken together, fourth just perceptibly longer than the fifth, the latter, sixth and seventh subequal, eighth slightly triangular, ninth and tenth irregularly orbicular in outline, eleventh oval and very slightly longer than wide.

Pronotum widest at or slightly in advance of the middle, sub- quadrate one-fourth to one-third wider than long; disc moderately and quite evenly convex, more or less declivous at the sides, finely, usually irregularly but quite evenly punctate; apex feebly and evenly emarginate to subtruneate, finely to obsoletely beaded; sides nearly evenly arcuate from base to apex when viewed vertically from above, or more strongly so in the anterior three-fourths, thence oblique and more or less feebly sinuate to base, finely beaded; base more or less evenly and shghtly rounded, finely margined and about a third wider than the apex; apical angles distinct and subacute; basal angles usually obtuse. —

Propleure finely, more or less irregularly and submuricately punc- tate, rugulose.

Elytra oval, less than twice as long as wide, usually widest at about the middle; base feebly emarginate, scarcely to slightly wider than the contiguous prothoracic base; humeri subobtuse, scarcely at all prominent anteriorly; s¢des evenly arcuate, apex obtusely rounded; disc rather evenly convex, slightly flattened on the dorsum, laterally more strongly and rather evenly rounded, arcuately declivous pos- teriorly; striate, rarely estriate or smooth, strive impressed and rather coarsely, uniseriately punctate near the suture to more irregularly so externally; intervals flat to moderately convex, sparsely and irregu- larly punctate, punctures more or less feebly scabrous; striae less de- fined and punctures more irregular and denser laterally.

Hpipleure moderate in width, gradually narrowed from base to apex, superior margin beneath the humeri very feebly and broadly sinuate; surface finely and muricately punctate.

Sterna finely to obsoletely punctate.

Parapleurw rather densely and finely punctate.

Abdomen more or less polished, finely, sparsely punctulate, and more or less rugulose; intercoxal process more strongly sculptured.

60 BULLETIN 63,.UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Legs rather slender and moderate in length; anterior femora mutie in the sexes; anterior tibial spurs dissimilar; anterior tarsi feebly dissimilar in the sexes, first joint slightly thickened at tip beneath.

Male.—Elongate, elytra rather gradually narrowed posteriorly, quite evenly and arcuately declivous behind. Abdomen moderately oblique, not strongly convex, more or less feebly impressed at middle on first two segments; intercoxal process somewhat concave. Anterior spurs of the anterior tibiz about twice as long as the posterior, shghtly curved, just feebly widened and gradually narrowed from base to apex, the latter acute. First joint of the anterior tarsi with the minute tuft of modified spinules scarcely evident, ordinary spinules present on the thickened tip beneath.

Female.—Robust. Elytra somewhat broadly oval, and slightly narrowed posteriorly, usually arcuately and rather vertically decli- vous behind; abdomen horizontal and strongly convex. Anterior spurs of the anterior tibiz usually about a third to a half longer than the posterior, moderately curved and rather gradually narrowed from base to apex, noticeably widened. First joint of the anterior tarsi with ordinary spinules on the thickened tip beneath.

Four forms may be recognized :

Forma glabra.—Elvtra estriate and more or less smoothly sculp- tured.

Forma typica.—KElytra striato-punctate, intervals slightly convex,

subasperate.

Forma annectans.—Elytra rather strongly striato-punctate, inter- vals strongly convex; sculpturing subasperate. a ees

Forma punctata.—Elytra estriate, irregularly and more or less muricately punctate.

Measurements.—Male: Length, 12.5-16 mm., width, 5-7 mm. /e- male; Length, 14.5-18 mm.; width, 6.5-7.5 mm.

Genital characters, male—Edeagophore (Plate 3, fig. 1) flax-seed- shaped (flattened oblong-ovate), scarcely arched.

Basale oblong-oval, glabrous, moderately convex; sides more or

less feebly arcuate.

Apicale slightly elongate and triangular; surface in basal moiety evenly convex, in apical half a median longitudinal membranous groove; sides moderately arcuate in basal half, sinuate at middle, hence feebly or scarcely arcuate to apex, the latter acute but not acuminate; base broadly lobed at middle two-fourths, broadly and feebly sinuate laterally.

Sternite (Plate 3, fig. 2) parabolic in outline. Each lobe with the external border more or less evenly arcuate from base to apex, fre- quently slightly sinuate in basal half; apex evenly rounded, angle usually not evident; internal border more or less oblique and feebly sinuous; surface rather sparsely punctate in apical moiety, setose,

a eh te

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 61

sete not dense and moderate in length, longer on apical border. Membrane very sparsely setose across the bottom of the sinus.

Female.—Genital segment (Plate 3, fig. 3) quadrate, somewhat de- pressed and setose.

Valvula.—Dorsal plate oblong, explanate externally from base to apex, glabrous; sw7face more or less plane, never excavated, some- times with the apical portion slightly deflexed, sparsely punctate, setee moderate in length, longer apically; external margin feebly sinuate towards base, feebly arcuate towards apex, the latter with the external lobe strongly developed, three-fourths as wide as the dorsal plate and broadly rounded; internal border straight to feebly sinuous, the inner lobe of apex minute and separated from the ex- ternal by a small sinuation; apex set with long flying sete.

Appendage minutely mammilliform, usually invisible from above; fossa fringed with fine and rather long hairs.

Basal prominences not conspicuous.

Superior pudendal membrane longitudinally rugulose, reaching to ° the base of the internal apical lobe.

Ventrolateral surface (Plate 3, fig. 4) with the basal swollen por- tion quite short, more or less broadly and transversely concave before the apex; surface glabrous, sparsely punctate and minutely setose ; submarginal groove broad and shallow beneath the expanded sides, curving inward beneath the external lobe to the base of the internal lobe. Internal margins of the valves not contiguous at apex; genital fissure broadly fusiform, and nearly closed by the longitudinally rugulose inferior pudendal membrane.

Habitat—Forma_ glabra.—Arizona (Williams, Barber, and Schwarz) ; Colorado (Arboles, C. F. Baker).

Forma typica—Texas (Mobeetee, H. S. Barber); Nebraska (Grant, July, C. V. Riley; Pine Ridge, Sand Hills, Sioux City, col- lection University of Nebraska); Kansas (F. H. Snow); Colorado (Golden, E. J. Oslar; Colorado Springs, June, elevation 6,000—7,000 feet, H. F. Wickham; Sterling, collection University of Nebraska; Platte Canyon, October, Greeley, H. Soltau; La Junta, Durango, South Park, San Luis Valley, Pueblo, West Cliff, Canyon City, Den- ver; Wickham’s List) ; Wyoming (Cheyenne, C. V. Riley and H. F. Wickham); Oklahoma (Fort Supply, October, H. S. Barber) ; Mon- tana (Assiniboine, Hubbard and Schwarz; Moose Jaw, August, A. N. Caudell; Helena); South Dakota (Badlands, Pine Ridge, September, L. Stejneger; Hot Springs, collection University of Nebraska).

Forma annectans.—Colorado (Gulnare, Las Animas County, July 8).

Forma punctata.—New Mexico (Coolidge, Wickham) ; Colorado (Edith; Denver, collection of E. C. Van Dyke).

62 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Number of specimens studied, 200.

Type destroyed.

Ty pe-locality.—Say received his specimens from the “Arid plains of Arkansas and Missouri, in the vicinity of the Rocky Mts.”

Salient type-characters.—Body oblong-subovate, elytra with im- pressed striae, which are slightly scabrous with minute elevated points and impressed punctures; interstitial lines also punctured; sutural margin obsoletely reddish brown (Say).

Diagnostic characters——This common species is to be recognized from the other members of the group by its duller integuments and striato-punctate elytra. In the typical form the elytra are feebly scabrous at the central part of the disc and more strongly so at the periphery; the striz are very obvious; in some specimens the striz are obsolete or feebly evident and the sculpturing slightly more scabrous (forma punctata), while in some there is a more or less dis- appearance of the asperate punctuation so that they are quite smooth and feebly shining and the striz are feebly marked (forma glabra) ; this form appears to be rare, as I have only seen four samples, and has no doubt heretofore been referred to guadricollis.

The small and shghtly more robust form, reddish along the elytral suture, is to be considered the typical form. Say’s measurements are one-half to three-fifths of an inch in length. This form in Colorado and elsewhere has very convex elytral intervals and is here spoken of as forma annectans, and is the homologue of porcata.

The var. porcata is a larger and much more elongate form with strongly convex elytral intervals. (See p. 63.)

The mentum is moderate in size and varies in form from triangulo- trepezoidal to trapezoido-parabolic; the surface is moderately punc- tate, sete minute, convex at middle, and more or less foveate laterally.

The prosternum is rather short before the coxe and protuberant ventrally with the coxw, usually rounded antero-posteriorly between the same; in the small forms not mucronate, but in a few specimens there was a very slight mucro. In the larger individuals and in the punctate form the mucro becomes evident, but I have never seen it well developed.

The mesosternum is at times feebly convex, never strongly concave, more or less oblique, but at times it is rather vertically declivous.

The metasternal process is about as wide as the abdominal salient is long (male) or slightly narrower (female).

The abdominal process is quadrate (male) or shghtly transverse (female) and about a fourth of its width wider than the metasternal salient, equal in length to the post-coxal part of the first segment, the latter being equal in length to the second (male); the second is a little longer in the female, where it is a half longer than the third;

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 63

in the male the third is a little longer than the fourth, and in the female a little less than twice as long as the fourth.

The metasternum laterally between the cox is as long as the width of a mesotibia at apical third.

The femoral and tibial characters are practically as in ampla, ex- cept that the legs are much shorter.

The tarsi are moderate in length and rather slender.

The protarsi in the male are a little stouter than in the female; the difference in length is less marked, those of the male being just a little longer.

The protarsi are about a third (male) or a little less (female) of their length shorter than a mesotarsus. Joints two, three, and four are subequal in size, each about as wide as long and together scarcely as long as the fifth; the first is a little longer than wide.

The mesotarsi are about a third (male) or a sixth (female) shorter than a metatarsus. Joints two to four diminish just a little in length in the order named; the fifth is about equal to the combined length of the second and third, and subequal to the first.

The metatarsi are about a fourth of their length shorter than a metatibia. Joint three is just noticeably a little shorter than the second, and the two together are subequal in length to the fourth, the latter subequal with the first.

ELEODES OBSOLETA var. PORCATA Casey.

Oblong-ovate, moderately elongate, black, elytra suleate.

Head twice as wide as long, frons slightly flattened to feebly con- vex, faintly impressed laterally, frontal suture usually finely im- pressed ; surface somewhat densely punctate, more coarsely so on the epistoma and finely and sparsely on the vertex; autennw moderate in length and stoutness, outer four joints very slightly compressed, more or less feebly dilated, third joint about equal to the next two taken together, the fourth slightly longer than the fifth, the latter, sixth, and seventh subequal, eighth feebly triangular, ninth and tenth circular in outline, eleventh oval to ovate and very slightly longer than wide.

Pronotum subquadrate, one-fourth to one-third wider than long, widest in advance of the middle as viewed vertically from above, at the middle when viewed obliquely from the side; disc gabrous and shining or feebly alutaceous, moderately and evenly convex, more or less arcuately declivous laterally, finely and rather sparsely punctate, the punctures becoming a little coarser, but not very dense laterally ; apex sightly emarginate in circular arc, finely or obsoletely mar- gined; sides quite evenly and moderately arcuate in anterior two- thirds, thence less arcuate and oblique to base as viewed vertically

64 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

from above, or more strongly arcuate at the middle, thence oblique and moderately convergent, feebly sinuate to base as viewed obliquely from the side, finely beaded; base quite evenly and feebly rounded, finely to somewhat obsoletely margined and about one-fifth wider than the apex: apical angles distinct, not acute, frequently narrowly rounded; basal angles obtuse, sometimes more or less rounded.

Propleure finely, sparsely to rather densely submuricately punctate and more or less rugulose.

Elytra oval, usually widest at about the middle, less than twice as long as wide; dase broadly and feebly emarginate, as wide as or slightly wider than the contiguous prothoracic base; humeri more or less feebly prominent: s¢des evenly arcuate, apex not very narrowly rounded; disc quite evenly convex, occasionally slightly flattened on the dorsum, laterally rather evenly and strongly rounded, arcuately declivous posteriorly, deeply sulcate, the sulci finely, uniseriately to irregularly and muricately punctate; intervals about equal in width to the sulci, very convex, usually strongly defined, finely, sparsely, and irregularly punctate; inflexed sides feebly sulcate, intervals feebly convex, irregularly and rather more densely punctate.

Epipleure moderate in width and gradually narrowing from base to apex, superior margin feebly and broadly sinuate beneath the humeri; surface finely, more or less sparsely, submuricately punctate.

Sterna more or less finely, densely, submuricately punctate and rugulose.

Parapleuvre finely and rather densely punctate.

Abdomen somewhat shining, sparsely to more or less densely punec- tate, especially on the first and last segments, more or less rugulose.

Legs moderate, comparatively rather longer than in obsoleta. Anterior femora mutic in the sexes. Anterior tibial spurs dissimilar. Anterior tarsi dissimilar in the sexes, first joint shghtly thickened at tip beneath, with a small tuft of spinules.

Male—Body somewhat slender. Elytra rather gradually nar- rowed posteriorly, evenly arcuately and somewhat obliquely declivous at apex. Abdomen slightly oblique, moderately convex and more or less broadly flattened at middle on first two segments, intercoxal process more or less concave. Anterior spurs of the anterior tibiz about a half longer than the posterior, distinctly wider and gradually narrowing from base to apex. Anterior tarsi longer than in the female, first joint with a minute and inconspicuous tuft of modified spinules, surrounded by ordinary spinules on the thickened tip beneath.

Female.—Body robust. Elytra rather broadly oval, rather rapidly narrowed, arcuately and vertically declivous posteriorly. Abdomen horizontal and strongly convex. Anterior spurs of the anterior tibiz about a third longer than the posterior, distinctly broadened,

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 65

gradually but less rapidly narrowing from base to apex. First joint of the anterior tarsi with tuft of ordinary spinules at tip beneath.

Measurements.—Males: Length, 12-18 mm.; width, 6-7 mm. Fe- males: Length, 18.5-21 mm.; width, 7.5-9.5 mm.

Genital characters, male-——Edeagophore flaxseed-shaped (flattened oblong-ovate), slightly elongate and not usually arched.

Basale oblong, glabrous, evenly convex; sides more or less parallel.

Apicale triangular, shghtly elongate, apical region more or less deflexed; surface glabrous, rather strongly convex at middle, with a long median membranous groove reaching nearly to the base, groove linear in basal third; s¢des broadly sinuate at middle third, slightly arcuate toward base; apex acute and rather gradually narrowed; base very broadly lobed at middle and very feebly sinuate laterally.

Sternite slightly transverse. Each lobe with the external border feebly arcuate and oblique, becoming arcuate at apex, the latter broadly rounded or feebly subtruncate, angle scarcely evident; inter- nal border nearly straight; surface rather sparsely punctate in apical two-thirds, setose, setee moderately long on apical border, shorter toward base. Membrane sparsely setose across the bottom of the sinus, which is narrow and triangular.

Female.—Genital segment quadrate and setose.

Valvula (Plate 3, fig. 14).—Dorsal plate somewhat broadly oblong,

moderately explanate externally and at apex, frequently with a marked antero-posterior convexity; surface plane, sparsely punctate along the internal moiety and at apex, sete not long; external and internal borders more or less straight and quite parallel; apex with the external lobe broadly rounded and apparently semi-chitinous, the internal lobe small and membranous as usual and separated from the external by a small sinuation at junction of the first and second inner fourths of the apical margin of the dorsal plate. External lobe set with long flying sete, a few on the internal lobe.

Appendage small, inferior, and more or less compresso-mammilli- form. Fossa rather large and fringed with sete.

Basal prominences not conspicuous.

Superior pudendal membrane as in obsoleta.

Ventrolateral surface feebly convex toward base, broadly and shal- lowly concave before the apex, glabrous, finely and very sparsely punctate, sete: minute, denser at apex; submarginal groove shallow and not well defined at the apex, not reaching the internal lobe. Internal margins of the valves contiguous at basal sixth. Genital fissure quite broadly fusiform. Inferior pudendal membrane regulose and largely visible.

It is to be noted that the sides of the dorsal plates are not as strongly explanate as in obsoleta,

09780—Bull. 683—09——5

=.

66 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Habitat—Arizona (Fort Apache, Casey; Galiuro Mountains, May ; Fort Grant, July; Chiricahua Mountains, May, Hubbard and Schwarz; Williams, July; Ash Fork, June; Flagstaff, July, Barber and Schwarz; Kearn’s District, Navajo Indian Reservation, April A. W. Barber; Peach Springs, Walnut, Winslow, July; Seligman, July, H. F. Wickham; Prescott, H. C. Fall); New Mexico (Pecos, July).

Number of specimens studied, 85.

Type is in Col. Thomas Casey’s collection.

Type-locality—F ort Apache, Ariz.

Salient type-characters.—Prothorax with the dise evenly convex, finely, sparsely punctate, the punctures becoming rather coarse later- ally but not very dense; apex feebly emarginate; sides more strongly arcuate before the middle, thence moderately convergent and gradu- ally feebly sinuate to the basal angles, which are very obtuse but not distinctly rounded; base feebly and evenly arcuate. Elytra with the dise very deeply sulcate, the sulci finely, rather sparsely and muricately punctate, the intervals equal in width to the sulci, very convex, finely and sparsely punctate (Casey).

Diagnostic characters.—The strongly sulecate elytra separates this race from all others of the group. The individuals are unusually larger and more elongate than obsoleta.

Well developed specimens appear quite distinct from obsoleta, but they mark a heterotypical variation which is connected to the typical form of obsoleta .by an abundance of mesotypes of all sizes and sculpturing, so that it can only be considered as a good variety. Some individuals are nearly as large as ampla, notably a series from Fort Grant, Arizona, collected by Hubbard and Schwarz. I have authentic examples. before me kindly contributed to Mr. Charles Fuchs and myself by Colonel Casey.

The mentum is moderate and varies in form from trapezoidal to trapezoido-parabolic; surface is rather strongly punctate, sete small, moderately convex and more or less strongly foveate laterally and narrowly impressed along the apical margin, the latter being fre- quently deflexed.

In Casey’s types the prosternal process is prolonged and prominent. In the series before me it is very variable—from a small mucro to well developed, or compressed and subtruncate behind.

The mesosternum varies relatively with the foregoing, concave to convex, shghtly oblique to vertically declivous.

The intercoxal process of the first abdominal segment is subquad- rate (male) or slightly transverse (female), and about a third of its width wider than the metasternal salient.

The metasternum laterally between the coxe is as long as the width of a mesotibia at apex.

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 67

The post-coxal part of the first segment is equal in lengtn to the process, equal in length to the second segment in the male, and the third segment in the female.

In the male the third segment is a third of its length longer than the fourth; in the female the second is twice as long as the fourth.

The legs are usually quite strongly sculptured. The profemora and the metafemora are as in carbonaria. The mesofemora are usu- ally, gradually and feebly widened from base to apex.

The protibize are subcylindrical in transverse section. All the tibie are without tarsal grooves and the articular cavities are closed.

The tarsi are moderate in length, comparatively a little stouter than in obsoleta.

A protarsus in the male is about a sixth of its length longer than in the female, and subequal in stoutness in the two sexes.

The relative proportions of the tarsi to each other, and the con- stituent joints of each one to each other is practically the same as in obsoleta.

ELEODES KNAUSII, new species.

Oblong-ovate to ovate, more or less shining, estriate and moder- ately convex.

Head twice as wide as long, feebly convex, frontal suture feebly marked, frons very slightly impressed laterally, somewhat coarsely, irregularly and more or less densely punctate, especially on the epis- toma. Antenne moderate in length, outer four joints feebly com- pressed, distal three slightly dilated, third about as long as the next two taken together, fourth scarcely longer than the fifth, the latter, sixth and seventh subequal in size and about as wide as long, eighth shorter and apparently a little wider than long, ninth subtriangular and shghtly transverse, tenth transversely oval, eleventh ovate.

Pronotum subquadrate, widest just in advance of the middle when viewed vertically from above, at the middle when viewed obliquely from the side, and about a third wider than long; disc evenly and moderately convex, rather arcuately declivous at the sides and apical angles, quite finely, irregularly and somewhat sparsely punctate. punctures shghtly denser at the sides; apea more or less feebly emarginate in circular arc, finely and more or less obsoletely beaded ; sides moderately arcuate in anterior three-fourths, thence obliquely convergent to base as viewed vertically from above, or more strongly arcuate anteriorly, thence convergent and more or less sinuate to base when viewed obliquely from the side, finely beaded; base feebly arcuate, sometimes feebly sinuate at the middle, finely and more or less obsoletely beaded, one-fifth to one-third wider than the apex; apical angles distinct, not at all prominent anteriorly, sometimes very feebly and narrowly rounded; basal angles obtuse.

68 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Propleurw obsoletely to finely, sparsely submuricately punctulate and rugulose.

Elytra oval, distinctly less than twice as long as wide, widest at the middle; dase more or less emarginate, usually feebly sinuate each side of the middle, and generally shghtly wider than the contiguous prothoracic base; humert more or less exposed and obtuse; sides evenly arcuate, apex obtuse and rather narrowly rounded; disc mod- erately convex on the dorsum, quite evenly and strongly rounded at the sides, arcuately declivous posteriorly; almost coarsely, irregu- larly and rather densely punctate, the punctures are subequal in size and obsoletely muricate, frequenty there is a tendency to an arrange- ment into rather distant rows on the dorsum; laterally there is a shght tendency to rugulosity.

Epipleurw moderate in width and gradually narrowing from base to apex; superior margin feebly and broadly sinuate beneath the humeri: surface dull, finely and irregularly punctate.

Sterna obsoletely to rather densely and finely punctate, more or less rugose.

Parapleure finely and quite densely punctate.

Abdomen finely, sparsely, and irregularly punctate, more or less rugulose, more coarsely sculptured on the first segment, the fifth coarsely punctate.

Legs rather short and somewhat slender, more or less strongly sculptured. Anterior femora mutic; anterior tibial spurs compara- tively small and feebly dissimilar in the sexes. Anterior tarsi with the first joint shghtly thickened at tip beneath and a httle dissimilar in the sexes.

JMale.—Oblong-ovate, moderately slender. Antenne reaching to the base of the prothorax. Elytra moderately narrowed in apical fourth, arcuately and scarcely obliquely declivous posteriorly. Ab- domen moderately oblique and convex, more or less broadly im- pressed at middle of the. first two segments. Anterior spur of the anterior tibie about a half longer than the posterior, rather slender and gradually narrowing from base to apex, acute and feebly curved. First joint of the anterior tarsi with a small in- conspicuous pencil of modified spinules, surrounded by ordinary spin- ules on the thickened tip beneath.

Female.—Ovate and robust. Antenne not quite reaching to the prothoracic base. Elytra feebly narrowed and arcuately, vertically declivous in apical fourth. Abdomen horizontal, strongly convex. Anterior spurs of the anterior tibie about a half longer than the posterior, slightly broadened, gradually narrowed from base to apex; both spurs rather strongly curved. First joint of the anterior tarsi with ordinary spinules on the thickened tip beneath.

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 69

Measurements—Males: Length, 14.5 mm.; width,6mm. Females: Length, 14-16 mm.; width, 7-8 mim.

Genital characters, male—Kdeagophore subfusiform and rather elongate, not arched.

Basale oval-oblong, evenly convex, with sides feebly arcuate.

Apicale triangular, slightly elongate; surface evenly convex with a

median membranous groove extending from near the tip almost to the base, where it becomes shghtly less membranous; s¢des arcuate in basal half, thence more or less sinuate to apex, the latter very gradually and slightly decurved and very narrowly rounded. _ Sternite quite parabolic in outline. Each lobe with the external border quite evenly arcuate; apex rather narrowly rounded, angle not evident; internal border short, straight and oblique; surface slightly convex, glabrous, rather coarsely punctate in apical half, setose, setae moderate in length; punctures denser and sete longer at apex. Membrane slightly setose at bottom of the sinus.

Female.—Genital segment quadrate, somewhat depressed, setose and not strongly chitinized.

Valvula (Plate 4, fig. 24.)—Dorsal plate oblong and glabrous; surface plane, finely and sparsely punctate, with rather short reclin- ing sete arising from the same; external border straight or feebly sinuous, gradually explanate from the basal third to the apical margin, the latter rounded and explanately produced upon the ex- ternal lobe in outer three-fourths, directly and arcuately continuous with the external border; external apical lobe rather feebly mem- branous beneath and concealed from view from above; internal lobe moderate and separated from the external by a small sinuation in the apical margin; internal border straight or sinuous; apical region set with a few long, flying, soft sete.

Appendage slightly visible from above, directed backward and feebly inward, conico-mammilliform. Fossa inferior, rather large, and fringed with long, flying sete.

Superior pudendal membrane longitudinally rugulose and reaching to the base of the internal apical lobe.

Basal prominences not noticeable.

Ventrolateral surface not strongly convex in basal moiety, more or less concave laterally before the apex, but not transversely so; sub- marginal groove broad and shallow beneath the explanate external border of the dorsal plate and apical lobe, meeting the fossa at its external edge; external apical lobe not strongly developed beneath ; surface finely and irregularly punctulate and very finely setose. Inter- nal margins of the valves contiguous for a short distance at base and apex, between which the fissure is rather broadly fusiform, and closed in basal two-thirds by the inferior pudendal membrane, the latter feebly rugulose.

70 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Habitat—New Mexico (Cloudcroft, James Canyon, June, Warren Knaus).

Number of specimens studied, 8.

Sexitypes in my own collection.

Ty pe-locality.—Cloudcrott, New Mexico.

Collector, Warren Knaus.

Salient type-characters.—More or less shining, estriate and moder- ately convex. Pronotum subquadrate; disc rather finely, irregularly

and sparsely punctate, punctures denser at the sides; apex very feebly

emarginate; apical angles distinct and not at all prominent ante- riorly; basal angles obtuse.

Elytra with the humeri more or less exposed; dise almost coarsely, irregularly, and rather densely punctate, punctures subequal in size and obsoletely submuricate; laterally denser, with a slight tendency to rugulosity. Legs rather short and somewhat slender.

Diagnostic characters.—Resembles the robust form of extricata or vileyé in general outline. If it inhabited the region where parvicollis is found it might be mistaken for that species; some forms of leconte? resemble it. First of all, the genital characters distinguish it from all the above and associates it with obsoleta which it resembles, but less strongly in general habitus. It is usually confounded with extricata, from which it differs in the mutie anterior femora of the male, the more strongly arcuate sides of the pronotum at anterior two-fourths, and besides the punctuation is quite different.

In rileyi the female has the anterior spurs of the anterior tibiv strongly developed, while in nausti they are but feebly broadened. The spurs have greater development in the male of 7i/eyi also than in the male of Anausi.

In parvicollis and lecontei the lateral margins of the pronotum is distinetly visible from above, while in Anausi the pronotal sides are arcuately declivous. The genital and tarsal characters are also dis- tinctive.

Anausii differs from typical obsoleta in its smooth and shining sur- face and estriate elytra. It is also more robustly ovate than in the smooth form of obsoleta.

IT am indebted to Mr. Warren Knaus for this interesting species, and I take pleasure in dedicating it to him.

Nnausii appears to bear the same relation to the Carbonaria section that ri/ey7 bears to the Guadricollis section. In this respect the two species are analogous.

There is a specimen before me from Cananea, District of Arizpe, State of Sonora, Mexico, that resembles /nausc in form, but it is more alutaceous and smoother, the striae of punctures are more evident and the interstitial punctures smaller and less conspicuous. The anterior tibial spurs are also feebly developed, and while the study of the

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REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. ll

United States specimens leaves the relationships in doubt, a knowl- edge of the Mexican contingent would undoubtedly be more elucida- tive. At present /:nausii appears as a derivative of obsoleta.

The mentum is more or less trapezoido-parabolic, rather densely punctate and subfoveate laterally, somewhat convex at the middle; the sete are scarcely evident.

The prosternum is moderately produced behind, feebly convex or horizontal between the coxe and triangularly dilated behind the median transverse axis of the acetabula; the mucro is small, at times the process is compressed and more or less vertically truncate behind.

The mesosternum is quite vertically declivous and more or less feebly concave.

The intercoxal process of the abdomen is subquadrate (male) or shghtly transverse (female), and about a fourth (male) or a third (female) of its width wider than the metasternal salient.

The metasternum laterally between the cox is as long as the width of a mesotibia at apical third.

The post-coxal part of the first abdominal segment is subequal (male) or equal (female) in length to that of the process.

In the male the second segment is equal to the length of the process; the third is about equal to the post-coxal part of the first; the fourth is about two-thirds as long as the second.

In the female the second segment is about twice as long as the fourth, the third is equal to the post-coxal portion of the first.

The legs are noticeably short.

The profemora of the male are moderately clavate and feebly com- pressed; in the female feebly tumid and moderately compressed ; the tibial grooves are limited by feeble but distinct subeariniform mar- gins which meet and become evanescent at the basal fourth.

In both sexes the meso and metafemora are quite similar. The mesofemora have the surface lines feebly but distinctly arcuate, and the femora in outline may be said to be subfusiform. The meta- femora have the superior and inferior surface lines quite parallel. The grooves are limited by asperulate margins which converge at basal third on the mesofemora and become evanescent, while on the metafemora they become evanescent about the middle without be- coming contiguous.

The tibizw are all more or less feebly arcuate, and rather more strongly widened apically than is usually observed; the tarsal grooves are absent and the articular cavities are closed. The protibixe are observed to be feebly compressed or subeylindrical.

The tarsi are moderately long and rather stout when considered in a comparative sense. The protarsi of the male are about a fourth longer than those of the female.

Tq BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

The protarsi are about a fourth (male) or two-thirds (female) of their length shorter than a mesotarsus.

The mesotarsi are about a ninth—less in the female—of their length shorter than a metatarsus.

The metatarsi are about a seventh (male) to two-fifths (female) of their own length shorter than their respective metatibia.

The relative proportions of the joints of each tarsus are practically the same as in obsoleta.

ELEODES OMISSA LeConte.

EHleodes omissa LECONTE, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1858, p. 186.—Horn, Trans. Amer. Philos. Soe., XIV, 1870, p. 308. Hleodes interruptad BLAISDELL, Ent. News, III, Dec. 1902, p. 241.

Oblong-ovate to ovate, elongate, and more or less shining.

Head twice as wide as long, more or less convex, feebly impressed laterally, frontal suture fine and usually evident, rather finely and not densely punctate, punctures sparser on vertex. Antenne moderate, outer four joints very feebly compressed, scarcely dilated, third joint equal in length to the next two taken together, fourth shehtly longer than the fifth, the latter, sixth, and seventh subequal, eighth just the least shorter, subtriangular, and longer than wide, ninth and tenth somewhat circular in outline, eleventh ovate.

Pronotum subquadrate, widest at or in front of the middle as viewed vertically from above, one-fourth to one-third wider than long; disc evenly and moderately convex, more or less arcuately declivous at the sides, finely, sparsely, and more or less irregularly punctulate, punctures just a little coarser and denser laterally; apex feebly emarginate or subtruncate in circular arc, finely or obsoletely beaded; sides evenly and moderately arcuate in the anterior two- thirds, thence to the base more or less straight and converging (viewed vertically from above), or evenly and rather broadly arcuate, converging and more or less feebly sinuate (viewed obliquely from the side), finely beaded; base shghtly rounded to subtruncate, finely margined, one-ninth to a fourth wider than the apex; apical angles subacute to obtuse, rarely feebly prominent anteriorly; basal angles obtuse, frequently apparently rounded when viewed vertically from above.

Propleure finely and very sparsely punctate, more or less rugulose, rarely rugose.

Elytra oval, widest at the middle, less than twice as long as wide; base feebly emarginate to truncate, usually scarcely wider than the contiguous prothoracic base; humeri obtuse and not prominent ; sides evenly arcuate, apex obtusely rounded; disc moderately convex on the dorsum, rather strongly and evenly rounded laterally, arcuately declivous posteriorly, punctate, punctures frequently of the same

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. (o

size, fine, diffusely arranged, not dense, generally some evidence of a serial order; the strial punctures are frequently slightly the larger, the series are moderately distant and rarely impressed.

Epipleure moderate in width, gradually narrowing from base to apex, very feebly sinuate along the superior margin beneath the humeral region; surface finely and sparsely punctulate.

Sterna more or less shining, rather densely punctate and more or less rugose.

Parapleurw quite densely punctate.

Abdomen glabrous, finely and very sparsely punctulate, usually more or less distinctly rugulose—almost rugose at times.

Legs moderate in length and stoutness, sometimes moderately thickened; anterior femora mutic and the anterior tibial spurs slightly dissimilar in the sexes; anterior tarsi with the first joint shghtly thickened at tip beneath and slightly dissimilar in the sexes.

Male.—Oblong-ovate, rather slender and elongate. Elytra grad- ually narrowing in the posterior third, arcuately and somewhat obliquely declivous posteriorly. Abdomen oblique, moderately con- vex, more or less flattened at middle of the first two segments. Anterior spurs of the anterior tibiwe slightly thickened, nearly twice as long as the posterior, both comparatively short. First joint of the anterior tarsi set with a small tuft of spinules, the modified spinules scarcely evident.

Female.—Ovate and robust. Elytra broadly oval, and somewhat eradually narrowing in the posterior fourth, arcuately and vertically declivous behind. Abdomen horizontal and strongly convex. An- terior tibial spurs rather variable in length, the anterior distinctly broadened and gradually narrowing from base to apex, sometimes with sides slightly arcuate in basal half, and about a third longer than the posterior, both acute, tapering, and stouter than in the male. First joint of the anterior tarsi set with a small transverse tuft of ordinary spinules on the thickened tip beneath.

T have observed only four forms worthy of distinction in the hun- dreds of specimens before me of this variable species.

Forma typica.—Thorax somewhat transverse, apex feebly emar- ginate or truncate, angles somewhat obtuse and not at all prominent anteriorly. Femora distinctly thickened.

Male.—¥lytra rather more elongate than usual.

Female.—FElytra with the sides more strongly arcuate anteriorly than usual.

Forma cataline.—Pronotum more strongly punctate, especially laterally. Femora more or less thickened.

Forma communis.—Thorax as in the typical form. Elytra with the sides less strongly and suddenly arcuate anteriorly. Femora not noticeably thickened.

74 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

Forma emarginata.—Thorax quadrate, apex distinctly emarginate, angles subacute and somewhat prominent anteriorly.

Measurements.—M ales: Length, 16-19 mm.; width, 6-7 mm. Fe- males: Length, 18-23 mm.; width, 8-10 mm.

Anomaly.—The specimen described by me“ as interrupta belongs here. The prothorax has the side margin at middle rather abruptly interrupted. The elytra has the disc sulecate posteriorly. Length, 16.6 mm.; width, 7.1 mm.

Genital characters, male-—KEdeagophore (Plate 2, fig. 1) elongate- ovate to fusiform, and more or less arched.

Basale feebly oblong-oval to oblong; surface evenly convex; sides feebly arcuate, sometimes converging slightly toward the apex.

Apicale triangular, slightly elongate; swrface moderately and evenly convex, with a median longitudinal grove in apical half, sometimes extending from apex to base, shehtly dilated and mem- branous apically, gradually narrowing to become linear basally; sides moderately and evenly arcuate in basal half, thence rather feebly sinuate to apex, the latter subacute; base rather broadly lobed at middle and feebly sinuate laterally.

Sternite (Plate 2, fig. 2) transversely parabolic. Each lobe more or less subparabohe in outline; external border straight to evenly arcuate, the apex being continuously but more narrowly rounded, angle sometimes evident; internal border quite short and_ feebly arcuate; surface scarcely convex, sparsely punctate and setose in apical three-fourths, sete rather long on the apical border. Mem- brane distinctly and sparsely setose at the bottom of the sinus, the latter short.

Female.—Genital segment (Plate 2, fig. 3) quadrate, moderately explanate laterally and setose.

Valvula—Dorsal plate oblong, moderately narrow, sides subpar- allel; surface plane, glabrous, sparsely punctate, impunctate at basal third, setose, setae moderate and reclining; external border straight to feebly arcuate, continuously so with the more strongly and evenly rounded apical border, which is more or less inwardly oblique; in- ternal lobe short and separated from the external by a small sinua- tion; external lobe set with rather long sete, the internal with a few rather short ones; internal border slightly sinuous.

Appendage just visible from above, short mammilliform, with a pencil of sete at tip. Fossa moderate and in the internal wall of the external apical lobe.

basal prominences scarcely evident.

Superior pudendal membrane longitudinally rugulose, reaching

about to the internal lobe of the apex.

4¥Ent. News for Dec., 1902.

REVISION OF ELEODIINI—BLAISDELL. 15

Ventrolateral surface (Plate 2, fig. 4) moderately convex, slightly concave laterally before the apex; surface sparsely punctate and finely setose; submarginal groove well developed beneath the explanate ex- ternal border of the dorsal plate, passing obliquely inward beneath apex to the inner angle of the fossa, ending at the internal apical lobe. Internal margins of the valves contiguous at basal sixth; geni- tal fissure quite broadly fusiform, and closed at basal half by the inferior pudendal membrane.

Mabitat.—Southern California; Santa Catalina Island.

Number of specimens studied, 500.

Type is in the LeConte collection.

Ty pe-locality—San Diego, California.

Salient type-characters—Longer than usual. Thorax slightly con- vex, sides broadly rounded, somewhat narrowed posteriorly, finely and sparsely punctulate. Elytra declivous and obliquely narrowed behind, sparsely, finely, and very irregularly punctate. Femora un- usually thick (LeConte).

Diagnostic characters.—The most common species in Southern Cali- fornia and always heretofore referred to qguadricollis, from which it differs in the smaller and more slender anterior spurs of the anterior tibiz (females) ; from carbonaria, to which it is most closely related, by the punctures of the elytral dise having a less distinct serial ar- rangement, and by the serial punctures being scarcely larger than those of the intervals, the tendency being toward diffuse punc- tuation.

Omissa is with greater difficulty separated from the smooth form of carbonaria, where the elytra punctures are small and of the same size; here locality must be relied upon for their separation. All those specimens from the eastern side of the Colorado River are forms of carbonaria, while all those from the western side are to be referred to the present species.

I do not know of a single specimen taken west of the Colorado River ever having been identified as an authentic carbonaria. In fact I consider omissa as a western modification of carbonaria.

Omissa is a variable species in regard to the form of the pronotum, but in the several hundreds which I have studied I found an abun- dance of all necessary mesotypes, both as regards the form of the pronotum and elytral punctuation.

In a large percentage of those individuals that have the sides of the pronotum evenly arcuate from apex to base, it will be found that they really present a more normal form of the side margin than do those that are widest in front of the middle; for here it will be seen that the sides of the pronotal disc are most strongly declivous behind the middle and that the true margin is displaced downward and not visible when the pronotum is viewed vertically from above;

76 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM.

when viewed obliquely from the side the normal marginal curve will be seen and that in reality the pronotum is widest at the middle.

It must also be borne in mind that the pronotal dise is normally moderately declivous laterally in the present subgenus.

In many specimens (mostly male, but some females as well) the pronotal sides are less strongly deflexed and appear quite evenly rounded from apex to base, and as a result the pronotum is broader as compared to those with strongly deflexed sides where the thorax is less rounded and more narrowed to the base.

Although the punctuation is