MECAS. 203 
MECAS. 
Pyrobolus (partim), Chevrolat, Rev. Zool. 1838, p. 284 (nom. preoccup.). 
Mecas, Leconte, Journ. Ac. Phil. ser. 2, ii. p. 155 (1852); Horn, Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. vii. p. 44 (1878) ; 
Crotch, Check List Col. Am. North of Mexico, p. 92 (1874). 
Oberea, Harold & Gemminger, Mun. Cat. p. 3196 (1878). 
Phytecia, Haldeman, Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. x. p. 57 (1847). 
Dylobolus, Thomson, Physis, ii. 195 (1868). 
In this genus, omitted in Lacordaire’s great work ‘ Genera des Coléoptéres,’ the claws 
are bifid as in Phytwcia; but the body is long, subcylindrical, or linear, as in Oberea, to 
which some of the species bear a great general resemblance. The proportions of the 
ventral segments are as in Phytecia. The head is not retractile, and is often very tumid 
behind the eyes. Six species have previously been described, from the United States 
and Mexico. 
1. Mecas senescens. 
M. inornaie (Say) proxime affinis et similis; differt corpore angustiore, magis lineari. Cinerea, thorace cylin- 
drico lateribus fere rectis, guttis quinque dorsalibus nigris nudis, quarum mediana supra lineam dorsalem 
longiore ; elytris subtiliter punctulatis punctis hic ilic lineatim seriatis; antennis cinereis supra 
nigrescentibus ; ¢ segmentum apicale ventrale valde concavum. 
Long. 5-6 lin. ¢ Q. 
Hab. Mexico, Puebla (Sallé), Mineral de Zimapan (Hegewitsch, coll. Bates). 
Compared with a series of Texan specimens of UW. inornata, this, species differs in 
being decidedly narrower and more parallel-sided ; the number of glabrous specks on 
the disk of the thorax seems also to be a good specific character. | 
2. Mecas rubripes. 
M. senescenti affinis et forsan ejus varietas. Elongato-linearis, supra subplanata, sordide cinereo dense pubescens, 
femoribus rufis ; thorace cylindrico, disco utin WM. senescenti maculis quing ue glabris ; elytris fortius punc- 
tatis suturaque pallidius cinerea. 
Long. 5-6 lin. ¢ 9. 
Hab. Mexico (Sturm). 
I have adopted for this species or variety the name given to it by Sturm in the Sallé 
collection. 
3. Mecas ambigenus. 
Brevior, cylindrica, sordide cinerea, setosa, capite longius hirsuto; antennis grossius filiformibus, griseo-annulatis ; 
thorace transverso, lateribus rotundatis, disco punctis tribus glabris ; elytris punctulatis, apice obtusissime 
oblique breviter truncatis; ¢ segmentum apicale yentrale profundissime foveatum. 
Long. 54 lin. 
- Hab. Muxico (Sturm). 
2d 2 
