PYROPHORUS. 467 



base ; the terminal dorsal segment is pallid in colour and, no doubt, also luminous. 

 In the form of the genitalia of the males it differs greatly from P. pellucens, in this 

 respect showing a close affinity with P. noctilucus. P. strabus probably has greater 

 luminous powers than any other known Pyrophorus. 



3. PyrophorilS pellucens. (Tab. XX. figg. 20, genitalia, 6 ; 21, genitalia, $ ; 

 21 a, base of abdomen.) ' 



Pyrophorus pellucens, Esehseh. in Thon's Archiv, ii. 1, p. 32 *; Germ. Zeitschr. fur Ent. iii. p. 17 2 ; 



Cand. Monogr. Elat. iv. p. 18 3 . 

 Pyrophorus surinamensis , Sturm, Cat. p. 67 (1843) 4 . 

 Pyrophorus luscus, Cand. Ann. Soc. Ent. Belg. 1889, p. 113 (Elat. Nouv. iv. p. 47) '. 



Hab. Mexico (coll. Janson, ex Bejean), Playa Vicente, Chiapas (Salle), Misantla 

 (Edge), Atoyac, Teapa (H. H. Smith) ; British Honduras, R. Sarstoon (Blancaneaux) ; 

 Guatemala 5 , Yzabal (Salle), Cubilguitz, Coban, Senahu, San Juan, Chacoj, Panima, and 

 Purula, all in Vera Paz (Champion); Nicaragua, Chontales (E. M. Janson); Costa 

 Rica (Pittier, in Mus. Brit. ; Salle, Van Patten) ; Panama (Salvin), Bugaba, Volcan de 

 Chiriqui (Champion), Chiriqui (Bibbe) — Colombia 2 ; Guiana 2 3 4 ; Ecuador; Brazil 1 2 3 ; 

 ? Antilles. 



This is the common large fire-fly, or " cocuyo," of Central America. According to 

 Dr. Candeze 3 , it ranges from California to Rio Janeiro ; the locality " California," 

 however, requires confirmation, as we have no evidence of the insect occurring north 

 of the Mexican State of Vera Cruz. P. pellucens is chiefly confined to the low 

 country, it being seldom seen at a higher elevation than 3000 feet. The genitalia of 

 the males are very differently formed from those of the closely-allied P. noctilucus. 

 The flanks of the thorax are marked beneath the vesicles with orange-yellow, of which 

 there is no trace in P. noctilucus. P. luscus, the types of which I have examined, does 

 not differ from P. pellucens. 



4. Pyrophorus indistinctUS. (Tab. XX. fig. 22, genitalia, tf .) 

 Pyrophorus indistinctus, Germ. Zeitschr. fur Ent. iii. p. 20 1 ; Cand. Monogr. Elat. iv. p. 20 2 . 



Hab. Mexico, Teapa in Tabasco (Salle) ; Nicaragua, Chontales (E. M. Janson) ; 

 Costa Rica (Van Patten). — Guiana, Demerara 2 , Cayenne 12 ; Amazons. 



Seven examples of this insect have been received from within our limits. P. indi- 

 stinctus is a very close ally of P. pellucens ; but it is smaller, the thorax is more 

 sparsely punctured and has the sides less rounded and more sinuate, and the apices of 

 the elytra are more feebly mucronate. The genitalia of the males scarcely differ in 

 form in the two insects. The two Teapa specimens are discoloured and in bad 

 condition ; they differ inter se, one of them not showing any trace of the light colour 

 on the propleurse. 



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