TTIE LAMELLICORX BEETLES. 



993 



Fig. 411a. Xyloryctes salyrus. 

 Female. Natural size. 



shining; under surface paler and rather thickly 

 clothed with reddish-brown hairs. Male with the 

 front hall' of thorax almost perpendicular, the slope 

 with irregular transverse rows of oblong punctures ; 

 basal half convex, very finely and sparsely punc- 

 tured; sides rounded, thickly fringed with brown 

 hairs; female with thorax strongly convex, but 

 slightly sloping in front of middle. Elytra striate, 

 with rows of rather fine, feebly impressed punc- 

 tures; the stri;e deeper and punctures larger in 

 female. Length 25-28 mm. (Figs. 41.1 Ilia.) 



Wells, Marion, Monroe and Posey coun- 

 ties ; scarce. June 3-September 8. Probably occurs sparingly over 

 the southern two-thirds of the State. The larva 1 are said to be in- 

 jurious to ash trees by feeding upon their roots, and the adults are 

 usually found in the vicinity of these trees. 



XXXIV. DYNASTES Kirby. 1825. (Gr., "a ruler.") 

 To this genus belong the largest of known beetles, some of the 

 tropical species being nearly three inches in length and more than 

 an inch in thickness. In the southern United States and extend- 

 ing northward over the southern third of Indiana is one species, 

 sometimes called the "unicorn beetle." The generic name Dy- 

 iui*tcs having the same origin as the English "dynasty," and mean- 

 ing sovereignty, has been given to these beetles 011 account of their 

 large size and imposing appearance. 

 1855 (5SSG). DYNASTES TITYUS Linn., Syst. Nat., 1T6G. 



Broadly oval. Usually green- 

 ish-gray, with brownish or pic- 

 eous spots scattered irregularly 

 over the elytra ; rarely uniform 

 dark chestnut-brown. Male with 

 thorax three-horned, the ones on 

 sides short and curved, the me- 

 dian one bearded with yellowish 

 hair beneath, bifid at tip and pro- 

 jecting forward to meet a long 

 curved horn arising from the 

 head. Females with only a slight 

 tubercle on middle of head. En- 

 tire upper surface of male almost 

 wholly smooth ; female with tho- 

 rax sparsely and finely punctate, 

 more densely and coarsely on 

 sides and near front angles; ely- 

 tra with coarse and very fine 

 punctures intermingled on basal 

 half, apical half smooth. Length 

 of male 40 to 5<> mm., exclusive of horns; of female, 45 mm. (Fig. 412.) 



