466 HETEROMERA. 
OTHNIUS*. 
Elacatis, Pascoe, Journ. Ent. i. p. 52 (1860) ; Gemminger & Harold, Cat. iii. p. 905. 
Othnius, Leconte, Class. Col. N. Am. p. 103 (1861) ; Horn, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. 1868, p. 182, and 
1871, p. 8333 ; Leconte & Horn, Class. Col. N. Am. p. 891 (1883) ; Horn, Trans. Am. Ent. 
Soc. 1888, p. 27, t. 3. figg. 24, a, b,c; Gemminger & Harold, Cat. Col. vii. p. 2063. 
Eight species of Othnius have been described, and these show a very remarkable 
distribution, three being from the Eastern Archipelago f (Borneo, Ceylon, Batchian, and 
New Guinea), four from North America, and one from Mexico; six are now known 
from Central America, the genus ranging throughout our region. O¢hnius is not closely 
allied to any known genus, and is very easily recognized by its prominent eyes and 
general facies (resembling various Cleride); the tarsi are all heteromerous in both sexes. 
In all the Central-American species the elytra are intricately and more or less distinctly 
spotted or marked with testaceous (their general pattern will be best understood from 
our figures); and the antenne have the last three joints widened and forming a very 
distinct club (the N.-American O. longicornis is described as having the three outer 
joints very feebly clavate in the male only), the ninth joint in the male of one of our 
species, O. antennalis, being obliquely produced within. Dr. Horn (Trans. Am. Ent. 
Soc. 1888, p. 28, t. 3. fig. 24, 6) states that the males may be distinguished by the 
mentum having a foveate hairy depression on each side of the middle. This character 
I do not find of much value in separating the sexes of the Central-American species, 
the females of the two examined (0. mexicanus and O. sticticopterus) also having the 
mentum shallowly foveate on each side; the last-mentioned sex may, however, be 
distinguished by the elytra having a common sutural oblong depression (very distinct 
in O. mexicanus, Horn) at a little distance before the apex, the depression being absent 
in the male. The different species are found upon herbage, and are very active; one 
has been found under decomposing Opuntia-leaves and another in the withered stems 
of Senecio; they are doubtless of predatory habits. ; 
The following table will assist in the identification ef the Central-A merican 
species :— 
Antenne short, not or scarcely reaching the base of the prothcrax. 
. Head and prothorax opaque, densely rugose, and clothed with appressed 
hairs... . . - 2 « senecionis. 
Head and prothorax shining, closely and coarsely punctured, sparsely 
‘pubescent. . . . 2 1 wp ew ew ew we soe 6 « « .) antennalis. 
* The name Othnius is here adopted in preference to Elacatis for this genus, as the author of the latter 
suggests (Ann. & Mag. N at. Hist. ser. 4, viii. p. 347) that the name Othniide should be retained for the 
family ; moreover, there is a prior Hlacate already in use in Zoology (Cuvier, 1829). 
+ Mr. Pascoe has kindly lent me one of these for comparison with the American forms, with which it seems 
to be absolutely congeneric. 
