TENEBRIONID/E 169 



any sexual relationship between bifurca and connivens* I also 

 fail to comprehend the reference of them to Pelecyphorus by LeConte, 

 as the fourth male palpal joint is in no way large and scalene as it 

 is in that genus. My single specimen of bifurca described above is 

 not identifiable sexually, but appears from its notably long antennae 

 to be a male. All of these remarkable species inhabit the regions 

 about Cape San Lucas and a more thorough examination will doubt- 

 less disclose more allied species in that neighborhood. I at first 

 considered the type of tantilla as representing connivens, because it 

 seems to have the same thoracic angles and elytral costae; but, on 

 more closely reading LeConte's description of connivens quoted 

 above in the table, where the elytra are said to be much wider than 

 the prothorax even in the male, it became evident that they are 

 by no means the same. Tantilla and exilis are among the smallest 

 and by far the slenderest American members of the Asidini, being 

 much more slender than Pactostoma obtecta, and tantilla is even 

 shorter, being probably subsimilar in dimensions to Stenosides 

 texanus Wick. 



Asidina n. gen. 



The general form in this genus is narrow and parallel, with the 

 dorsal surface flattened, but occasionally it becomes broader and 

 more oval; the integuments are more or less smooth, sparsely and 

 finely punctate, the punctures bearing very short, stiff and simple 

 erect setae, which are altogether inconspicuous. There is nothing 

 peculiar in the head, labrum, eyes and prosternum, the latter being 

 very steeply declivous or vertical behind, but the antennae are 

 more or less slender, with the tenth joint wider, betraying an ap- 

 proach to the next genus, from which it differs in the mentum, this 

 being transversely parallelogramic and in close contact at the sides 

 with the sides of the very shallow buccal opening, these lateral 

 projections being as excessively short and obtuse as in Glyptasida 

 and Pelecyphorus; but the gular pedestal is rather long, only mod- 

 erately wide and is deeply sinuate medially. The legs are mod- 

 erately short, slender, clothed with very short and stiff hairs, the 



* To set this matter finally at rest it may be stated that since this was written I have 

 received a specimen agreeing fairly well with LeConte's description of connivens and 

 having the elytra more than one-half wider than the prothorax. It is about 13.0 mm. 

 in length and the protruded sexual organs show clearly that it is a female. 



