MORDELLA. 273 
transverse. In six specimens of small size from the State of Panama the antennal 
joints 5-11 are less widened, and 11 is very little narrower.than 10; these examples 
are connected by intermediate forms and apparently belong to the same species. The 
pygidium varies in length, but it is usually short and blunt at the tip in both sexes. 
In the single specimen (of large size) from the Volcan de Irazu the antenne are still 
more strongly clavate, and the pygidium is longer than usual; others from Oaxaca, 
collected with the ordinary form, also have the pygidium unusually elongate; two 
from Guatemala (Sai/é) have traces of a median groove on the upper portion of the 
head. The second joint of the maxillary palpi is more slender than in MW. scutellaris. 
The genus Sphalera, Lec., was based upon this species. Like many other Vordelle, 
M. melena varies very greatly in size. 
5. Mordella metallica. (Tab. XI. fig. 22.) 
Short, broad, metallic bluish-green with brassy reflections, the upper surface rather sparingly punctured, 
sparsely clothed with blackish pubescence, the pubescence on the pygidium, scutellum, head, and anterior 
margin of the prothorax cinereous. Head obsoletely canaliculate behind, emarginate in the middle at 
the base ; palpi testaceous, the last joint of the maxillary pair darker, the latter stout, cultriform ; 
antenne with the basal five joints testaceous, the rest black, very short and clavate, joint 5 triangular, 
much wider than 4, 6-11 broadly widened and forming a compact club, 7-10 more than twice as broad as 
long ; prothorax bisinuate and with a projecting median lobe in front, distinctly depressed within the 
basal margin on either side of the middle; scutellum large, triangular ; elytra more than twice as long 
as the prothorax, rather convex, gradually narrowing from the base, the suture a little depressed beyond 
the middle ; beneath cinereo-pubescent, the sides metallic green, the ventral segments more obscure; 
pygidium very short and stout, truncate at the apex, about one and a half times the length of the 
hypopygium ; legs black, rather stout. 
Length to end of the elytra 5, to tip of the pygidium 54, millim.; breadth 23 millim. 
Hab. Mexico, Playa Vicente (Sal/é). 
This peculiar species agrees very closely with the description of the European 
M. viridipennis, Muls.; but it is evidently much broader in shape, and has more 
clavate antenne and a much shorter pygidium. ‘The only other American species of 
Mordellide known to me with similar coloration is Cothurus iridescens. The pubes- 
cence of the upper surface is rather sparse and it does not hide the punctuation, which 
is only moderately dense upon the elytra and more diffuse and finer upon the thorax. 
One specimen only has been received ; it is probably a female. 
6. Mordella zruginosa, (Tab. XI. fig. 23.) 
Elongate, rather broad, cuneiform, black; the head clothed with coarse ashy-eruginous pubescence ; the 
prothorax with two narrow parallel black lines on the middle of the disc (nearly reaching the base), for 
the rest thickly clothed with coarse ashy-eruginous or eruginous pubescence; the scutellum and elytra 
eeruginous-pubescent ; the latter with a rather broad angulated fascia just beyond the middle, two 
narrow parallel slightly oblique stripes on the disc extending from the base to the fascia, a short 
oblique humeral stripe, the suture very narrowly, and the apex black; the pygidium ashy- or ashy- 
seruginous-pubescent, with a narrow black line along the middle. Head obsoletely canaliculate ; last 
joint of the maxillary palpi long and stout, cultriform, its apical and outer sides subequal, fully twice 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Coleopt., Vol. IV. Pt. 2, Judy 1891. 2NN 
