COCCOTRYPES.—X YLEBORUS. 193. 
have not been extensively studied, and the distinctions between which are doubtful and 
in some cases to be regarded as provisional. They are widely distributed. in tropical 
and subtropical countries, and the only well-known species, Coccotrypes dactyliperda, 
Fabr., is occasionally imported in dates. In the case of this species the males are 
known to be modified in a similar way to those of Xyledorus, but it is not stated by any 
one who has had the opportunity of examining them whether they are incapable of 
flight. The habits show an analogy with those of some species of Hypothenemus ; they 
have not, however, been closely investigated, and I am not aware that these insects 
have been definitely observed to be ambrosia-feeders. Though more species must occur 
there, one only has reached us from Central America, and though unable to identify 
it exactly with any described form I hesitate to describe it as new. 
1. Coccotrypes, sp. 
Hab. Guatemata, Cahabon in Vera Paz (Champion). 
The single example resembles and may be a variety of C. pygmeus, Hichh., from 
Madagascar, Africa, and San Domingo. It differs as follows:—Shorter in form, the 
prothorax broader and more constricted in front, less remotely granulate; the elytra 
more shining, less convex posteriorly, the punctures more evident though shallow, the 
rows scarcely impressed, the interstitial sete longer, stouter, and paler throughout. 
XYLEBORUS. 
Xyleborus, Eichhoff, Berl. ent. Zeitschr. 1864, p. 37; Rat. Tom. p. 315; Leconte, Trans. Am, Ent. 
Soc. 1868, p. 159; Rhynch. N. Am. p. 358. : 
Anisandrus, Ferrari, Borkenk. p. 24 (pro parte). 
This is one of the most interesting and important of Scolytid genera, and if not sub- 
divided will eventually be the largest. Founded by EHichhoff, it was left by him with 
seventy-four species, of which all but ten had been described by himself. The addition 
of species, principally North-American, which he had not recognized and of the various 
novelties which have since been described, chiefly by Schaufuss and myself, go far 
towards doubling Eichhoff’s total. Nevertheless, the genus is at present smaller than 
Platypus, although in every country, such as Japan, which has been thoroughly 
collected, it is the richer of the two in species. 
In this work 36 species only of Xyleborus are recorded from Central America, as 
against 46 of Platypus; but the numbers of the latter genus are swelled by the 
collections made in Mexico by Sallé for Chapuis’s monograph. A fairer comparison is 
afforded by the fact. that Mr. Champion took 29 species of Platypus, as against 34 of 
Xyleborus, of which the superiority is thus maintained. 
A collation of all the large extant collections of beetles would probably result in the 
identification of from 300 to 400 species of Xyledorus. 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Coleopt., Vol. IV. Pt. 6, January 1898. 2CC 
