446 PHYTOPHAGA. 



OMOTOTUS. 



Omototus, Clark, Cat. of Halticidae, p. 208 (1860) . 



More than twenty species of this genus, all from Tropical South America or the 

 Antilles, have been described by Clark. In appearance Omototus resembles many 

 species of Octogonotes, Allochroma, and Cerichrestus ; the posterior tibiae, however, are 

 distinctly armed with a single spur, and the thorax has the sides perfectly straight, 

 while the close and thick pubescence of the elytra distinguishes the genus from most 

 species of Allochroma. No species has been described from any part of Central 

 America till now. 



1. Omototus discoidalis. 



Rufous; the terminal joints of the antennae black, dilated; head and thorax closely granulate-punctate • elytra 



sparingly pubescent, rufous, the middle of the disc piceous. ' 



Length 2 lines. 



Head scarcely longer than broad, the vertex closely granulate-punctate ; the frontal tubercles smaU but 

 strongly raised; palpi incrassate; antennas rather short, the five terminal joints slightly thickened short 

 and black, the others fulvous; thorax slightly broader than long, the sides straight, the surface obsoletely 

 and longitudinally depressed at the sides and at the middle, closely granulate-punctate, sparingly clothed 

 with yellow pubescence; elytra broad, strongly punctate-striate, clothed with longer (and at the sides 

 more dense) pubescence than the thorax, the base and the margins rufous, the rest of the surface piceous • 

 posterior tibiae armed with a single spur. ' 



Hdb. Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui [Champion). A single specimen. 



At once distinguished from any of the other species of the genus Omototus by the 

 coloration of the upper surface. 



2. Omototus albomaculatus. (Tab. XXVI. fig. 15.) 



Subquadrate, brownish fuscous, clothed with yellow pubescence ; the seventh and eighth joints of the antenna* 

 white; thorax bituberculate ; elytra deeply punctate, each with three transverse rows of white spots the 

 intervals costate. e ' 



Length l|-2 lines. 



Head rugose-punctate, with an obsoletely raised tubercle at the middle of the vertex ; the clypeus and labrum 

 smooth obscure fulvous, shining ; palpi strongly incrassate ; antenna short, the terminal joints thickened 

 the six lower joints fuscous or piceous, the two following ones white, the three terminal joints fuscous • 

 thorax transversely subquadrate, the sides straight, the angles not produced, the anterior ones furnish d 

 with a single hair, the surface near the anterior margin raised in the form of two large tubercles scarcelv 

 visib y punctured, and sparingly clothed with golden-yellow pubescence, which is more „7tte 

 basal and lateral margins; scuteUum triangular, its apex acutely pointed; elytra much broader than he 

 thorax, the base distincly raised, the surface longitudinally costate throughout, the interstices strl^ 

 and closely punctured, clothed with thin yellowish pubescence (more marked and forming a narrowVenfw 

 stripe along the suture each elytron with three transverse rows of irregularly place! whi"pZcZ 

 ZlVlZ f me r iB 8ltU f d immediatel ^low the basal elevation, the second below the mldX 

 rlgle spur "" ^ ^ ; ^ fGm0ra C ° Ver Gd Wlth yelW ^ White P ul ™ ; Parlor tib'S 



Hab. Nicaragua, Chontales (Janson); Panama, Bugaba, Volcan de Chiriqui, David 



(Champion). 



