DITYLUS.—DIPLECTRUS. . 121 
6. Ditylus basalis. (Tab. V. fig. 25, 2 .) 
Elongate, rather narrow, somewhat thickly pubescent ; the head and prothorax shining, the elytra opaque, the 
head black, the prothorax flavous with the base broadly black, the elytra dark violaceous. Head densely and 
finely punctured, as broad as the prothorax, dilated on each side behind the eyes, and abruptly constricted 
behind, the eyes prominent, the antennw black ; prothorax broader than long, strongly rounded at the sides 
anteriorly and much constricted behind, the disc with an arcuate impression in the middle before the 
base and vaguely impressed on each side before the middle, the base impressed on each side towards the 
acute hind angles, the surface very minutely and densely punctured, a narrow ill-defined longitudinal 
space on the middle of the disc smooth; elytra moderately long, feebly convex, rather narrow at the base, 
widest beyond the middle, thickly and very minutely punctured, the punctures separate one from another, 
the disc without distinct coste, a longitudinal ridge at the sides extending from below the shoulder nearly 
to the apex, the suture also a little raised; beneath, the head and prothorax excepted, piceous-brown, 
- finely and densely punctured and pubescent; legs piceous ; fifth ventral segment truncate. 
Length 8? millim. ( 9.) 
Hab. Guatemana, Tepan 6000 feet (Conradt). 
One female example. Narrower, less parallel, and more convex than D. meaicanus ; 
the eyes more prominent; the thorax shorter, more minutely punctured, more shining, 
and differently coloured; the elytra with exceedingly minute punctures, the punctures 
not connected by oblique strige. 
DIPLECTRUS. 
Diplectrus, Kirsch, Berl. ent. Zeitschr. xxx. p. 210 (1866). 
This genus was proposed by Kirsch for a single species, D. ferrugineus, from Colombia, 
of which he had, apparently, only the female before him. Several other species from 
Central America are here referred to it, and @demera (Nacerdes) marginata, Guér., 
from Colombia, and various undescribed forms from Tropical South America are, no 
doubt, congeneric with them. Our species are of large size and elongate-parallel 
shape, and they agree in the following particulars: —Antenne 11-jointed in both sexes ; 
apical joint of the maxillary palpi elongate-triangular or cultriform, with the apex very 
obliquely rounded or truncate, that of the labial palpi more or less securiform ; 
mandibles bifid* ; eyes rather finely granulated, feebly emarginate, moderately large, 
transverse when viewed from above; prothorax as long as or longer than broad, - 
rounded at the sides in front, constricted behind, and with prominent hind angles ; 
elytra very long, more or less parallel; anterior tibiee with two spurs; tarsi with all 
the joints, except the apical one, densely tomentose beneath; claws feebly dilated at 
the base. Male with the ‘fifth ventral segment more or less emarginate in the 
middle; the sixth segment visible through the emargination of the fifth, or extending 
a little beyond it, divided down the middle, and with the dorsal and ventral portions 
about equally developed; the sheath of the cedeagus with an accompanying, separate, 
spoon-shaped piece (the lateral ldbe of an additional segment f) on each side. Female 
with the fifth ventral segment feebly emarginate or rounded. 
* The form of the mandibles is not stated by Kirsch. 
+ In the Cistelide the corresponding spoon-shaped piece forms part of the sixth ventral segment; in 
Diplectrus it is part of an additional, or seventh, segment. 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Coleopt., Vol. IV. Pt. 2, January 1890. BRR 
