BRACHYDIRUS.—PLOCIOPTERUS. 351 
of the last ventral plate, and the hind margin of the preceding segment is slightly 
emarginate. 
This species and B. fungicola are closely allied to B. testaceus, Fab., Er., but have 
the elytra much less closely punctate. The yellow cincture on the hind part of the 
sixth segment is a little broader in B. championi than in most of the allies. 
6. Brachydirus fungicola. (Tab. VIII. fig. 20.) 
Fulvo-testaceus ; abdomine nigro, apice flavo-testaceo, antennis pedibusque testaceis, illis extrorsum fuscis ; 
elytris parce punctatis, abdominis segmentis 4° et 5° transversim albido-pubescentibus. 
Long. 11-13 millim. 
Hab. Panama, Bugaba 800 to 1500 feet, Volcan de Chiriqui 3000 to 4000 feet 
(Champion). 
This species is very closely allied to B. championi, but has the antenne dark 
externally, and the hind body less punctate, the second and third segments being 
entirely without punctuation, and the yellow cincture of the hind margin of the sixth 
segment is narrower. The male characters are the same. A series of about a dozen 
individuals has been found of each species, and the above characters are quite constant. 
The unusually small amount of the punctuation of the hind body of B. fungicola 
greatly aids its recognition. 
PLOCIOPTERUS. 
Plociopterus, Kraatz, Ins. Deutsch. ii. p. 589. 
Staphylinus, Fam. IV. Erichson, Gen. et Spec. Staph. p. 355. 
This genus comprises about fifteen described species, and is confined to Tropical 
America. ‘These insects are found in fungi, which, like their allies the Brachydiri, 
they no doubt frequent for predaceous purposes. In some species the males are 
scarcely distinguishable from the females by external peculiarities, but in others the 
male characters become extraordinary and conspicuous. 
1. Plociopterus fetialis, 
Staphylinus fetialis, Er. Gen. et Spec. Staph. p. 3577. 
Hab. Mexico’, Cordova (Sallé); Panama, Boquete 3500 feet (Champion). 
The examples from Boquete (four in number) differ but slightly from the Mexican 
exponents; the male characters indeed appear identical. 
2. Plociopterus varipes. 
Niger; antennis (medio excepto), mandibulis, palpis, abdominis segmentis duobus ultimis pedibusque testaceis ; 
tibiis intermediis et femoribus tibiisque posterioribus nigricantibus ; elytris viridescentibus fasciis duabus 
cinereo-pubescentibus ; abdomine parce punctato, segmentis medialibus parce cinereo-pubescentibus. 
Long. 12-15 millim. 
