TENEBRIONID^E 205 



Group I Type obsoleta Lee. 



This group is moderately rich in species and considerably diversi- 

 fied, the elytra are rather uniformly and finely granulate throughout, 

 the granules becoming still more minute and more or less simple 

 punctures suturally; the tibiae are subcylindric as in Pelecyphorus. 



Elytra with a short carinule near the side margin; also with two other 



more or less evident raised lines on each 2 



Elytra never with more than feeble evidence of the lateral carinule or 



raised lines 3 



2 Prothorax rather well developed, always much more than half as 

 wide as the elytra; legs of the usual length and moderately slender. 

 Head feebly impressed, not coarsely, somewhat closely punctate, 

 the antennee slender and short, piceous-black; prothorax moderately, 

 the elytra more strongly, shining, the former black, subparallel, with 

 broadly rounded sides, becoming sinuate at the prominent and 

 slightly everted basal angles, about a fourth wider than long, the 

 apex generally but little narrower than the base, moderately deeply- 

 sinuate; punctures usually rather strong, deep and close, the surface 

 broadly reflexed and concave and more coarsely punctate at the 

 sides, feebly, transversely impressed along the basal margin; elytra 

 black or very nearly, two-fifths to one-half wider than the prothorax 

 and two and one-half to nearly three times ( 9 ) as long, oblong-oval, 

 the sides broadly, subevenly arcuate, the apical lobe well developed. 

 Length (cT, 9) 13.7-17.0 mm.; width 7.3-8.5 mm. (California 

 Bolcan Mt., 5000 feet elevation, near Julian, San Diego Co.), 



Ricksecker. [Pelecyphorus obsoletus Lee.] obsoleta Lee. 



A Larger and broader than obsoleta, black, rather shining, the head 

 transversely impressed and also with a rounded posterior im- 

 pression as in the preceding, strongly but more loosely punctate; 

 prothorax larger and broader, two-fifths wider than long, more 

 narrowed at apex and with more rounded sides, less sinuate near 

 the hind angles, otherwise similar; elytra broader and more oblong, 

 rather less convex, each with three distinct costuliform lines, 

 rather more rounded toward the humeri. Length 19.0 mm.; 

 width 9.4 mm. California (Bolcan Mt., 5000 feet). 



expansa n. subsp. 



B More ventricose than in either of the two preceding, with relatively 

 smaller anterior parts and with the entire surface less shining or 

 subopaque, deep black; head similar, except that the transverse 

 impression is much wider and shallower, the pit at the middle 

 of the vertex deep; prothorax throughout nearly as in obsoleta, 

 strongly and closely punctured in the type, the. transversely 

 elevated part behind the middle flatter and less accentuated; 

 elytra more posteriorly inflated, nearly two-thirds wider than 

 the prothorax, the sides evenly converging and broadly, feebly 

 arcuate basally, the three fine raised lines on each very feeble 

 in the type though evident. Length 16.0 mm.; width 8.4 mm. 

 California (Julian), Dunn opacella n. subsp. 



