112 eeotylim:. 



surpassing, those of the Scaphidomorphi and Prepophari. The elytra are at the same 

 time very parallel, and often have their apices truncate or even serrate, and are some- 

 times spotted with black in a peculiar manner. One or two of Lacordaire's species, as 

 Crotch remarks, do not seem to belong to the genus ; but Crotch has himself added 

 fifteen species, very few of which I can recognize as Prioteli. A few have been 

 described by Erichson and Kirsch. Altogether, of true Prioteli, about twenty species 

 are described. They appear to be almost exclusively confined to the tropics of South 

 America ; but one species, originally described from Mexico, is distributed all over 

 Central America, and, according to Lacordaire, extends its range to Colombia. 



1. Priotelus apiatus. (Tab. VI. fig. 20.) 



Erotylus apiatus, Chevr. Col. Mex. Cent. ii. fasc. 5, no. 122 (1835) 1 . 

 Priotelus apiatus, Lac. Monogr. Erotyl. p. 498 2 ; Crotch, Cist. Ent. i. p. 552 3 . 



Hal. Mexico 1 3 , Toxpam, Catemaco, Santecomapan (Salle), Jalapa, Tapachula in 

 Chiapas (H'oge), Teapa in Tabasco (H H. Smith) ; British Honduras, R. Hondo 

 (Blcmcaneaux) ; Guatemala, El Reposo, San Isidro, Zapote, Purula, Panima, San Juan 

 in Vera Paz, Sabo (Champion) ; Nicaragua, Chontales (Belt); Costa Rica, Cache 

 (Bogers); Panama, Bugaba (Champion). — Colombia 2 . 



Numerous specimens of this species have been sent ; these vary in length from seven 

 to twelve millimetres. In most examples the thorax has two dots in front and one very 

 small one immediately before the scutellum on the base ; but in some, as in those 

 from Chontales, it is spotless. P. apiatus is very like P. tigrinipennis, Lac, from 

 Colombia ; but differs from it in the apex of the elytra being entire, instead of being 

 obliquely truncate. I have not seen examples of P. apiatus from south of the Isthmus 

 of Panama, and its presence there is doubtful. An individual from El Reposo is figured. 



HOMCEOTELUS. 



Omoiotelus, Hope, Rev, Zool. 1841, p. 112; Chapuis, Gen. Col. xii. p. 71; Lacordaire, Monogr. 



Erotyl. p. 506. 

 Homceotelus, Erichson, in Wiegmamr's Archiv fur Naturg. 1847, i. p. 177 ; Crotch, Cist. Ent. i. 



pp. 150, 559. 



Homceotelus, like Priotelus, is distinguished among the ' Erotylides ' by its long, thin 

 antennse ; but is separated from it by its more or less scaphiform body, acuminate in 

 front and behind, and by the small head with small eyes. 



The elytra are never spotted, but are red or dark with the margins and suture lighter ; 

 in one instance the suture is produced in the middle into a remarkable spine. Lacordaire 

 enumerates nine species, but in Crotch's catalogue the number is brought up to twenty- 

 two ; and several others undescribed as yet are known to me. Priotelus limbatus, Crotch, 

 from Guayaquil belongs here, The distribution is the same as that of Priotelus, but the 

 species are more numerous. We have received four species from Central America. 



