LAMPEOSOMA. 97 



20. Lamprosoma testudineum. 



Lamprosoma testudineum, Lacord. Mon. p. 598 \ 



Hab. Mexico \ Tuxtla, Playa Vicente (SalU) ; Nicaragua. 



This species was founded by Lacordaire upon somewhat slight characters, which are 

 difficult to detect unless the type of this and allied species are before one. The present 

 one is compared with L. amethystinum, from which it differs in shape, and the punc- 

 tuation of its thorax and elytra. I must refer the specimens from the above localities 

 to Lacordaire's species, although the specimens differ slightly amongst themselves. 

 The rather long prosternum (nearly double as long as broad) will help to distinguish 

 the species. 



21. Lamprosoma approximans. 



Lamprosoma approximans, Lacord. Mon. p. 601 \ 



Hab. Mexico x , Cuernavaca (SalU) ; Panama (JBoucard). 



Of a uniform brilliant violet-blue above and below, this species, although agreeing 

 with many others in colour, may be recognized by the acutely produced shoulders and 

 distinctly narrowed shape towards the apex. The elytra in this species are very 

 minutely punctured (in one specimen before me almost smooth), and the prosternum 

 is large and slightly broader than long. A specimen from Panama, obtained by 

 M. Boucard, is of a more greenish hue, but scarcely differs from the others in other 

 respects. 



22. Lamprosoma laticolle. 



Ovate, narrowed behind, metallic blue ; above dark violaceous ; head and thorax distinctly punctured, the 

 latter three times as broad as long ; elytra distinctly punctate-striate. 



Length 2| lines. 



Head rather flat, subopaque, with a cruciform depression between the eyes, surface finely and remotely punc- 

 tured; epistome deflexed, more strongly punctured than the head, its anterior margin concave; antennae 

 greenish black, the first joint fulvous below, metallic green above ; thorax very broad, the sides but 

 slightly deflexed, the basal lobe produced and rather pointed, surface punctured like the head, strongly 

 near the base; elytra showing the greatest convexity near the extreme base when viewed sideways, 

 abruptly declined from there to the apex, surface distinctly but not very deeply punctate-striate, lateral 

 lobe not angulate and but little produced ; underside metallic greenish blue ; prosternum rather broader 

 than long, slightly excavated, and distinctly rugose-punctate. 



Hab. Costa Rica, Volcan de Irazu (Rogers). 



The shape of this species, especially that of the thorax, distinguishes it from its 

 allies ; the sides of the thorax are scarcely deflexed, while the reverse is the case in 

 most other species, the shape of the elytra in the present one being an additional 

 character. A single specimen was obtained by Mr. Rogers. 



biol. CENTB.-AMER., Coleopt., Vol. VI. Pt. 1, June 1881. 



