148 MALACODERMATA,. 
8. Thanasimus? subviolaceus. 
Niger, nitidus; elytris subviolaceis, tuberculato-asperis, fascia obliqua ante medium ex maculis duabus albis 
formata, alteraque ante apicem indistincta e pube grisea consistente ; prothorace modice elongato, antice et 
postice attenuato et constricto. Long. 9 millim. 
Hab. Costa Rica, Volcan de Irazu, Rio Sucio (Rogers). 
A species not very satisfactorily placed here, yet better so than in Clerus. It is 
rather depressed, shining, black, with a faint brassy tint upon the underside. The head 
is sparingly punctured, the thorax scarcely with distinct punctures, but a little rough- 
ened, and with a flat depression extending from the middle of the anterior constriction. 
The elytra have a tubercular elevation on each side of the scutellum ; the small rough 
points are pretty evenly distributed over the whole surface, and are interspersed with 
confluent obsolete punctures, which are noticeable on the white spots also. The 
antenne are of moderate length, and have a three-jointed lax club. Only two examples 
of this curious species have come under my notice. 
CLERUS. 
Clerus (Geoffroy), Fabricius, Genera Ins. Mant. p. 230 (1777) ; Mantissa, Ins. p. 125; Spinola, 
Mon. i. p. 284; Lacordaire, Genera Col. iv. p. 446; Gorham, Cist. Ent. 1876, p. 76. 
Fabricius was the first to use this name with a generic signification. I take the first 
of his species, which has not been employed as a type for any other genus, viz. 
C. ichneumoneus, for the type of Clerus. The only other course is to abandon the term 
Trichodes, and rename the present genus. The genus is peculiar to America, and 
almost confined to the Tropics ; species from the United States are not typical, and ought, 
perhaps, to be assigned to Thanasimus, to which they are very nearly allied. The species 
are, however, abundant, both north and south of the Isthmus of Panama. 
I have not at present found it convenient to divide the genus into sections; but the 
species are grouped, as far as possible, according to their natural affinities. 
1. Clerus badeni. 
Clerus badeni, Gorham, Cist. Ent. 1876, p. 80°. 
Hab. Mexico}, Minas Viejas (Dr. Palmer), Cerro de Plumas, Paso del Macho (Hége), 
Tehuantepec (Sumichrast) ; Vera Cruz (Moufler 2). 
Allied to C. 4-signatus, Say, rather larger and more depressed, the subapical white 
band not so distinct ; allied also to C. mexicanus, but less hairy, and the basal tubercle 
is wanting. There are usually two minute white spots of hair on each side of the 
scutellum. ‘The original specimen was sent me by Dr. Baden. Eight specimens have 
been sent from the localities above mentioned; and all agree with the type, varying 
very little inter se. 
