PTILODACTTLA. 649 



behind. Scutellum large, minutely punctured, notched in the centre in front. Elytra elongate, very little 

 wider than the base of the prothorax, acutely margined at the sides, subparallel in their basal half, and 

 strongly and rather broadly produced at the apex, the apices separately rounded and dehiscent at the 

 suture, the humeri rounded ; obsoletely and very finely seriate-punctate, the row of punctures next the 

 suture placed in a shallow stria, and with a row of coarse punctures within the margin, the interstices 

 flat and sparsely, minutely punctate. Beneath sparsely, finely punctate, the propleurae closely granulate- 

 punctate. Fifth ventral segment broadly and deeply emarginate at the apex and broadly depressed in the 

 middle behind, the depression limited on either side by a strongly raised oblique ridge which is fringed 

 with long golden hairs. Tarsal claws with an acute curved tooth. 



2 • Antennae serrate ; elytra with the apices moderately and rather sharply produced ; tarsal claws rectangu- 

 larly dilated. 



Length 6-8|, breadth 2f-3£ millim. 



Hob. Guatemala, Cerro Zunil {Champion); Nicaragua, Chontales (Belt) ; Panama, 

 Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion). 



Two males and one female from Nicaragua, a male from Chiriqui, and a female from 

 Guatemala. Differs from all the other Central-American species in the caudate elytra 

 of the males, and the extraordinary form of the fifth ventral segment in this sex. The 

 females may not belong to the same species. 



Three others of the same sex, from Chiriqui, all in a mutilated condition, differ from 

 these in having the elytra more rounded and less produced at the apex, and the sides 

 more broadly margined. A male from Chontales is figured. 



41. Ptilodactyla tropicalis. 



Oval, broad or moderately broad, convex, slightly flattened above, shining ; sparsely clothed with long, 

 decumbent, brownish hairs ; black, piceous, or rufo-castaneous, the antennae and legs testaceous or 

 obscure testaceous. Head broad, sparsely granulate-punctate, the eyes very large and prominent; 

 antennae long and slender, the joints 4-10 each with a moderately long ramus in the male and serrate in 

 the female. Prothorax short, transversely convex in front, acutely margined laterally and at the apex, 

 slightly explanate at the sides behind, the sides rounded and rapidly converging from the base, the hind 

 angles acute ; the base trisinuate, denticulate, and with a projecting tooth in the centre ; the surface 

 sparsely and conspicuously granulate-punctate. Scutellum sparsely punctured, deeply notched in the 

 centre in front. Elytra moderately Ions:, broader than the prothorax, slightly rounded and broadly 

 margined at the sides, gradually narrowing from a little below the base, somewhat flattened on the disc 

 anteriorly, the apices rather sharp, the humeri rounded ; distinctly seriate-punctate — the punctures placed 

 in almost obsolete striae, becoming coarser outwards and shallower towards the apex, — and also with a 

 row of coarse punctures within the margin, the interstices flat, finely and rather sparsely punctate. 

 Fifth ventral segment feebly emarginate at the apex in the male. Tarsal claws with an acute, curved 

 tooth in the male, rectangularly dilated in the female. 



Length 5|-7f , breadth 2|-3| millim. ( d $ .) 



Bah. Mexico, Atoyac in Vera Cruz (H. H. Smith) ; Guatemala, Panzos and San 

 Juan in Vera Paz (Champion) ; Nicaeagua, Chontales (Belt) ; Panama, Bugaba, Caldera, 

 Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion). 



Found in numbers in Chiriqui, rarely elsewhere. Varies greatly in size and colour, 

 the males often being much smaller and more parallel than the females. This species 

 may be distinguished from the allied forms by the conspicuous scattered granules on 

 the thorax (resembling coarse punctures, when viewed under an ordinary lens). The 



biol. centr.-amek., Coleopt., Vol. III. Pt. 1, May 1897. 40 



