PHALACRID^E 57 



Elytra with micro-reticulation, usually transversely strigiliform, some- 

 times obsolete basally and, in obscurus, generally covering less than 



half the surface 9 



3 Body moderate in size for the present family 4 



Body very minute, not over I mm. in length and generally less 8 



4 -Elytra with a rather clearly defined apical paler area 5 



Elytra unicolorous or sometimes gradually pallescent apically 7 



5 Male with a broadly triangular and sharply defined tooth at the middle 

 of the hind margin of the third segment, -the fifth broadly and feebly 

 sinuate at the middle, the edge near the tooth of the third segment 

 bearing some short stout setiform spinules. Body stout, convex, 

 polished, and sculptureless throughout, pale reddish-brown in color, 

 the apical more flavate areas large, their inner margins oblique 

 posteriorly toward the suture; head distinctly less than half as wide 

 as the prothorax, the antennae rather long; prothorax short, between 

 two and three times as wide as long, the strongly convergent sides 

 rather strongly and evenly arcuate; scutellum triangular, with 

 arcuate sides, but little wider than long; elytra only slightly longer 

 than wide, two and one-half times as long as the prothorax, the sides 

 feebly oblique from the base nearly to the apex, there more rapidly 

 rounding through the very obtuse tip; stria coarse and deep; punc- 

 tures scarcely traceable at any part, the basal stria oblique along the 

 scutellum nearly to the suture; prosternal process expanded and 

 arcuate at apex, bearing six or seven long stiff setae; oblique outer 

 margin of the plate behind the middle coxae prolonged posteriorly as a 

 feeble groove nearly to the hind margin of the metasternum. 

 Length 1.8-2.2 mm.; width 1.2-1.38 mm. North Carolina, Iowa, 

 Missouri, Texas (Austin and El Paso), Arizona and California (San 

 Francisco one example taken by the writer) ; also one female from 

 Sta. Cruz, Calif., taken by the writer, which however seems to be 

 materially narrower and with fewer long prosternal setae than the 

 others, and which therefore may not be exactly the same specifically. 



Moderately abundant viduus Csy. 



Male without trace of an apical tooth on the third abdominal segment. .6 

 6 Form rather short and stout, oblong-oval, very obtuse behind, pol- 

 ished, pale brown above, the apical areas of the elytra more flavate, 

 becoming more distinct in specimens having darker brown coloration; 

 head somewhat more than half as wide as the prothorax; antennae 

 rather slender, with notably slender club, the first joint larger and 

 much thicker than the second, third shorter than the next two 

 combined, as usual in the genus, the ninth obtriangular, rather 

 longer than wide; prothorax short, nearly as in the preceding, not 

 beaded at base; scutellum almost similar; elytra but little longer than 

 wide, the stria somewhat finer than in viduus; surface with excessively 

 fine punctulation in abbreviated series internally, and with the apical 

 region feebly reticulate; prosternal process as in viduus, the rounded 

 expanded apex bearing a close-set fringe of about seven long setae; 

 outer oblique margin of the post-coxal plaque continued as a very 

 fine impressed line for some distance, gradually becoming obsolete. 

 Male with a very feeble broad sinus at the apex of the fifth ventral. 



