CACOPSALIS. 33 
CACOPSALIS, gen. nov. 
Rostrum in utroque sexu parum dissimile, breve ; caput sat clongatum, posterius haud constrictum, collo lato, 
capite latiore. Abdomen segmentis basalibus parum elongatis. 
The extremely interesting insect which forms this genus is similar in appearance to 
the North-American species of Eupsalis, but differs in the structure of the head and 
the insertion of the antenna, so that the two genera, notwithstanding the great super 
ficial resemblance, cannot be considered as closely allied. We appear, indeed, in this 
case, to have a remarkably primitive form of Brenthid, resembling in details of colour, 
sculpture, and general appearance the more normal genus Lupsalis. 
In Cacopsalis the structure of the rostrum is not very dissimilar in the two sexes, and 
is, in fact, intermediate between that of the male and the female of Hupsalis, where there 
is a strong sexual disparity. ‘The insertion of the antenna is also little different in the 
two sexes, the place being a little behind the middle. ‘The mandibles are similar in 
the two sexes, approximate, rather small, very strongly toothed, the sharp apical points 
directed upwards. In the form of the head there is a marked distinction between the 
sexes, it being more elongate in the female, while in the male it is not only somewhat 
shorter, but is also a little constricted behind. The apical three joints of the antenne 
are longer than the others, but do not form a definite club. The first and second 
segments of the abdomen are not distinctly divided, and are unusually short, each being 
only half as long as broad. The tarsi have the lobes of the third joint remarkably 
largely developed. ‘The femora are dentate, and the other characters are much the 
same as in Hupsalis. 
In the present very unsatisfactory condition of classification of the Brenthide, it is not 
easy to decide on a position for this genus. Lacordaire placed Hupsalis in his group 
Arrhenodides, a position that would be quite unsuitable for Cacopsalis. Power removed 
Hupsalis from this position (Ann. Soc. Ent. France, 1878, p. 477) and placed it in a group 
with Amorphocephalus, but Cacopsalis would be equally misplaced there. The genus, in 
fact, exhibits a peculiarity not found in either the Arrhenodina or the Amorphocephalina, 
inasmuch as the fovea cn the underside of the head is not connected with the trans- 
verse constriction separating the head from the neck, but is placed at some distance 
in front thereof. This character appears to be of considerable importance in the 
classification of the Brenthide, and would bring Cacopsalis into the neighbourhood of the 
Nemocephalina, and some of the ‘ Brenthides vrais’ of Lacordaire. There is, however, 
an important difference arising from the similarity of the sexes of Cacopsalis. 1n the 
Nemocephalina there is a great dissimilarity between the sexes in the structure of the 
rostrum, as a result of which, in the female, the fovea is placed at the base of the head 
in connection with the transverse constriction, while in the male it is much anterior 
thereto. In Cacopsalis, as already stated, there is but little difference between the 
sexes, and in both the fovea is placed in front of, and separated from, the transverse 
constriction. 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Coleopt., Vol. LV. Pt. 6, July 1895. FF 
