SPH^EKOPHTHALMA. 333 



1 (2). The head transverse behind cleonica. 



2 (1) . The head roundly convex behind. 



3 (4). The part of the head behind the eyes more than twice their length; a 



stout tooth on the base of the thorax janira. 



4 (3) . The part of the head behind the eyes not twice their length ; no tooth 



on the base of the thorax panamensis. 



^37. Sphaerophthalma cleonica. (Tab. XIV. fig. 17, $ .) 



Long. 8 millim. § . 



Hab. Mexico, Temax in North Yucatan (Gaumer). 



Head slightly wider than the thorax, punctured, densely covered all over with a 

 thick dull silvery pubescence; the eyes projecting beyond the posterior part, which is 

 a little longer than their diameter; behind it is transverse, but with the sides rounded ; 

 the apex of the clypeus almost transverse ; the mandibles for the greater part ferru- 

 ginous. The scape of the antennae sparsely pilose ; the flagellum more or less dull 

 ferruginous beneath ; the third joint hardly one-half longer than the fourth. The 

 mesonotum is rounded at the base ; very coarsely punctured and sparsely haired ; the 

 basal half rounded, dilated ; the apical half narrower, but dilated at the extreme 

 apex ; on the basal half are two small teeth, and there is another small one at its 

 apex; the tubercle shining, large. The median segment is sharply oblique at the 

 apex ; the top rounded. The basal part of the propleurse is depressed, but not exca- 

 vated, shining, very finely striated, and reddish in colour; the apical part projects 

 sharply from it, is somewhat triangular, and closely punctured. The mesopleurse are 

 finely shagreened. The metapleura3 are impunctate, shining, and shallowly excavated. 

 The first and second segments of the abdomen black, closely punctured and covered 

 with short, depressed black hair; the second segment with two large oval maculae of 

 golden hair ; the other segments covered all over with golden hair, which is of a paler 

 hue than the maculae. The base of the first ventral segment is ferruginous, rounded, 

 broader than long ; the keel a little dilated at the base. The punctuation of the 

 second segment is rather strong, that of the others very fine and at the apical fourth 

 only. The second ventral segment bears white hair all over ; the others are fringed 

 with long white hair at the apex. The femora are sparsely, and the tibiae and tarsi 

 densely, covered with long white hair ; the tibial spines long ; the calcaria white. 



In having the eyes projecting beyond the back part of the head this species agrees 

 with 8. janira, but it differs from that insect in the following characters :— the upper 

 part of the propleurae does not project into a distinct tooth visible from above ; the 

 middle of the thorax is much more deeply incised and toothed, it being also of about 

 the same width as the head (in S. janira the head is distinctly wider than the thorax) ; 

 the thorax wants the silvery pubescence; the third and following abdominal segments 



