XYLECHINUS. 157 
XYLECHINUS. 
Xylechinus, Chapuis, Syn. Scol. p. 36 (Mém. Soc. Liége, 1873, p. 244). 
The structural characters of the five Central-American species here included in the 
genus are as follows :—Lyes oblong, entire. Antenne inserted laterally at the apex of 
a furrow which extends more or less on to the gular region, with 5-jointed funiculus, 
the joints 2-5 not greatly increasing in size. Club acuminate oval, not compressed, 
thinly pubescent, with transverse pilose sutures, 4-jointed, joints 1-3 subequal, 4th 
shorter. Scutellum scarcely depressed. Elytra separately rounded at the base. 
Prosternum excised in front to the cox, which are separated by a subquadrate 
process. First abdominal segment as long as the two following. Tibiz dilated towards 
the truncate apex, their superior border dentate. Tarsi short, the first three joints 
equal, somewhat flattened, the third emarginate. 
In the larger forms the head is rostrate, the prothoracic epipleura form an angle 
with the dorsum but are not margined, and the teeth of the tibie are long and 
conspicuous. In the smaller forms the head is shorter, the prothorax is more nearly 
cylindrical, and the tibial spines are inconspicuous. The larger species present but 
little resemblance to the European Xylechinus pilosus, Ratz., and the coincidence of 
their generic characters may be no real indication of close relationship. 
1. Anterior tibize strongly spined: length 8 millim. orover . . . . . . 2. 
Anterior tibiz not strongly spined: length under 2°5 millim. . . . . 3. 
2. Elytral sete long ; 2nd interstice not depressed at apex . . . . . . drasus, sp. n. 
Elytral sete not long; 2nd interstice depressed at apex. . . . . . . scabiosus, sp. n. 
3. Elytral interstices convex. . we we ee ee ee ee ee fuliginosus, sp. n. 
Elytral interstices flat. . . . . er: o 
4. Head distinctly subrostrate : length over 2 millim, oe ew ew ee ee bessellatus, sp. 1. 
Head not distinctly subrostrate: length under 2 millim. . . . . . . marmoratus, sp. 0. 
1. Xylechinus irrasus, sp. n. (Tab. VI. figg. 17, ¢ ; 18, head and pro- 
thorax, 2.) 
Oblongus, piceo-ferrugineus, pilis subsquamatis variegatis vestitus; rostro carinato ; prothorace transverso, 
lateraliter rotundato, supra subtiliter punctato, linea media carinata abbreviata; elytris punctato-striatis, 
interstitiis subconvexis, setis longis erectis uniseriatim ornatis, 2°° in declivitate haud i impresso. 
Mas. Rostro impresso, lateraliter marginato, fronte densius pilosa; prothorace lateraliter ampliore, ad apicem 
magis constricto. 
Long. 3°5 millim. 
subemarginatis ; antennis testaceis, clava oblonga, suturis sinuatis ; prothorace fortiter conferte punctato, 
interstitiis nitidis, linea media haud distincta; elytris nigro-setosis, 
Long. 3°5 millim. 
Hab. Cotompra (Wagner, in coll. Schaufuss). 
The variety referred to by Chapuis (Syn. Scol. p. 28) is not before me asI write; from notes made when 
I saw it, it is probably D. vittifrons, Most examples of the genus show a few shining granules on the sides 
of the prothorax before the middle; they are scarcely evident in D. transversalis and are most conspicuous in 
D. vittifrons. 
