LIOOLIUS.—THAPTOR. 205 
the scutellum is more distinct. Strize or punctures are not to be seen; but the surface 
appears alutaceous between the pubescence, where it is visible. I have only found two 
specimens as yet of this insect. 
5. Lioolius ovulum. 
Ovatus, nitidus, parce pubescens, subtiliter crebrius punctatus, haud striatus, rufo-piceus. Long. 1-15 millim. 
Hab. Nicaracua, Chontales (Janson); Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion). 
The distinguishing characters of this species are its small size, which is scarcely more 
than 1 millim., the total absence of any punctured strie, although under a very strong 
lens, with a magnifying-power of 60 to 80, numerous flat-bottomed punctures are 
evident. In two examples from Chontales the whole insect is covered with brown 
pubescence; in one of these the two terminal joints of the antenne are as wide and, 
taken together, as long as the one preceding them, while in the other examples they 
are narrower. I think this is very probably a sexual character. One example from 
Chontales is entirely free from pubescence ; but this may be owing to greater maturity. 
I have only found four examples in all which I can with any confidence unite under 
this description. 
THAPTOR. 
Corpus oblongum ovale, antice et postice angustatum. Caput in thoracem receptum; antennee 10-articulatz, 
articulo primo magno basi latissima, 2° late suborbiculari, 3° obconico, 4° ad 7™ transversis, 5° et 7° 
interne admodum ampliatis, 8° elongato, 9° et 10° subquadratis clavum formantibus. Thorax antice 
fortiter angustatus, prosterno minuto minute bifurcato. Mesosternum minutum; metasternum antice in 
medio productum, bimucronatum. Pedes recepti, femoribus subcompressis carinatis, tarsis brevibus. 
The three species of this new genus agree very closely; the most remarkable feature is 
the structure of the club of the antenne, of which the first joint is as long as the two 
succeeding it; and these two are more closely connected than they are with the first, so 
that at first sight the club appears two-jointed. The extreme reduction of the meso- 
sternum is only a character which they possess in common with other genera of the 
Dorcatomini here noticed, but which has not received the attention due to it. It is by 
this reduction of its outward surface that the front and intermediate coxe are brought 
into juxtaposition, the front edge of the metasternum and the hinder edge of the side 
pieces of the pronotum forming a groove between them, into which their coxe are 
received in repose. ‘The first segment of the abdomen is so short, and so much 
excavated for the reception of the hinder coxe and femora when folded upon them, 
that it only appears as a wide triangular piece between these coxe. ‘The elytra 
present a single deep stria at the apical half of the margin. 
1. Thaptor pupatus. (Tab. X. fig. 11.) 
Oblongo-ovatus prothorace antice attenuato, nigro-brunneus, brevissime cinere-pubescens, elytris stria apicali 
submarginali antice abbreviata. Long. 4 millim. 
