PRIONOMERUS. 217 
triangularly dilated on each side posteriorly, transversely gibbous below the base, the apices broadly 
subtruncate, with the sutural angles rounded, the humeri somewhat pointed externally and obliquely 
truncate in front; deeply punctate-striate, the interstices flat, alutaceous, and minutely punctulate, the 
first with a large, somewhat compressed, conical elevation before the middle, Anterior tibixe very obliquely 
truncate at the apex, finely serrate and ciliate on the inner edge to about the middle. 
Length 3}; breadth at the shoulders of the elytra 2715, at the apex 23 millim. (? 9.) 
Hab. Panama, Bugaba (Champion). 
One specimen. Easily distinguishable by the acutely dilated postero-lateral margins 
of the elytra and the conical prominence near the suture. The elytral pubescence is 
extremely fine and short. P. trigonus approaches P. leprieuri, Guér., from Cayenne, 
but the general coloration is different, the elytral tubercles are not so prominent, and 
the margins are less acutely produced. 
9. Prionomerus esopus. (Tab. XII. figg. 14, 142.) 
Rhynchenus esopus, Fabr. Syst. Eleuth. ii. p. 481°. 
Prionomerus esopus, Boh, in Schénh. Gen. Cure. vii. 2, p. 2487. 
Subtriangular, broad, robust, opaque, black, the prothorax (a narrow, anteriorly widened median vitta 
excepted), the elytra with the base on each side, the dorsal elevations on the inner side, and the disc 
thence to the apex, the abdomen, the meso- and metasternum in part, the antenna, the tip of the rostrum, 
the intermediate and hind legs entirely, the anterior tarsi, and the anterior femora and tibic at the base 
and apex, rufescent or rufo-testaceous; the elytra with the dorsal prominences and the apical declivity 
clothed with rather long ochreous pubescence, for the rest very sparsely and finely pubescent, the prothorax, 
legs, and under surface with greyish hairs, the vestiture of the scutellum white. Head smooth, the eyes 
very large; rostrum stout, short, not nearly so long as the prothorax, shining, rugosely punctured at the 
base, for the rest sparsely punctate, the antenne inserted about the middle, the club of the latter as long 
as the funiculus. Prothorax conical, a little broader than long, constricted in front, finely punctate. 
Elytra very broad, quadrate, transversely gibbous below the base, obtusely, subtriangularly dilated on 
each side posteriorly, the sutural angles rounded, the humeri rounded externally and obliquely truncate 
in front; deeply punctate-striate, the interstices flat, alutaceous, and minutely punctulate, the first with 
a very large, flattened, conical elevation before the middle. Anterior tibis finely serrate and ciliate on 
the inner side to about the middle. Intermediate and hind legs rather stout. 
Length 33; breadth at the shoulders of the elytra 22, at the apex 23 millim. (? ¢.) 
Hab. Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion). —SourH America!?, Colombia 
(Mus. Brit.). 
Broader than P. trigonus, the elytra with the dorsal elevations much larger and 
divergent, the postero-lateral dilatation rounded externally, and the pubescence longer 
and somewhat abundant on the apical declivity. The hairs on the surface are clogged 
with the ochreous efflorescence. ‘The antennal club is slightly infuscate at the base. 
The single specimen obtained merely differs from the one in the British Museum in 
having the elytra a little more explanate at the sides posteriorly. 
P. expansus, Pasc., is also an allied form. 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Coleopt., Vol. IV. Pt. 4, May 1903. OFF 
