CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 297 



third; labial palpi small, three-jointed, joints cylindrical, decreasing in 

 thickness, last longer than the second and shorter than the first, affixed 

 obliquely; gular sutures distinct, distant, straight and parallel; eyes large, 

 rather finely granulate, not very prominent; antennas ll-jointed, strongly 

 geniculate, slightly incrassate toward tip, second joint longer than the 

 third. Prosternum acutely carinate ; mesosteruum narrowly separating 

 the coxre, not carinate. Tibias terminated l>y two small, slightly unequal, 

 spurs, spinulose along the exterior edges and at tip. Tarsi 4-5-5- jointed; 

 first joint of the posterior variable in length; claws small, robust, feebly arcu- 

 ate. Integuments strongly alutaceuus. Hind wings rudimentary, consisting 

 of two small thick membranous appendages of a coarse cellular structure. 



The species of this genus live on the ocean beach in de- 

 composing seaweed; they are narrow, depressed, having the 

 sides parallel, the elytra much shorter than the pronotum, 

 and the abdomen strongly margined with a thick and rather 

 depressed border. Pontomalota bears a somewhat close 

 resemblance at first sight to Phytosus, but is in reality 

 much more closely allied to Homalota, from which it differs in 

 the structure of the maxillary lobes and most decidedly in 

 appearance. The length of the first joint of the posterior 

 tarsi varies greatly in the three species, and cannot be 

 assumed as a generic character. 



Our three species may be distinguished as follows: 



Head testaceous. 



First joint of the posterior tarsi fully two-thirds longer than 

 the second; fourth visible dorsal and sometimes the 



base of the fifth clouded with castaneous Opaca 



Head blackish. 



First joint of the posterior tarsi scarcely longer than the 



second; abdomen entirely black callfomica 



First joint of the posterior tarsi about one-third longer than 

 the second; apex of the third, the fourth and the base 

 of the fifth dorsal segments clouded with blackish cas- 

 taneous nigriceps 



P. opaca, Lee. Phytosus opacus, Lee. Sm. Misc. Coll. vi., p. 28. — Slender; 

 sides parallel; testaceous, fourth visible dorsal segment of the abdomen 

 clouded with dark castaneous toward the middle of the disk; pubescence 

 fine, short and very sparse, recumbent; integuments not shining, very 

 strongly alutaceous, rather sparsely and very feebly punctate. Head sub- 

 orbicular; surface feebly convex. Pronotum slightly wider, a little wider 



