414 STUDIES IN AUSTRALIAN ENTOMOLOCiY, 



respect, for, though in most of the species the posterior coxfe are 

 in close proximity, or even contiguous, U. cyaneuni and some others 

 have them distinctly separated. 



Table of the j^riacipal Genera of Australia allied to Pterostichus. 



I. Abbreviated stria of elytra on base of first interstice (ventral 

 segments never transversely sulcata). 



A. Elytra with interstices costate or carinate Homalosoma. 



AA. Elytra with interstices neither costate nor carinate. 



a. Legs short ; posterior femora broadly dilatate towards 

 apex and strongly channelled below Prionophorus. 



aa. Posterior femora not dilatate towards apex, or 

 channelled below. 



h. Third interstice of elytra punctate. 



c. Apterous, punctures of third interstice of elytra not (or 

 very rarely) near second stria Pterostichus. 



cc. Winged; third interstice of elytra 3-punctate, the basal 

 puncture on the course of the third stria, the two hinder 

 ones on the course of the second stria Leptopodtis.* 



* The genus Leptopodus appears never to have been diagnosed by its 

 author ; it was proposed by de Chaudoir (Ann. Mus. Civ. Genov. 1874, vi., 

 p. GOO) to receive three species, viz., Pterostichus sollkitus, Erich., P. holome- 

 lanus, Germ., and Feronia (Pmcilus) iridipennis, Casteln., whicli he placed 

 under it without comment. The Rev, T. Blackburn (P.L.S.N.S.W., 

 18S9 (2), iv., p. 730), says, Leptopodus was "proposed by the Baron de 

 Chaudoir for Pterostichus holomelanus, Germ." and he then proceeds to give 

 the characters distinguishing that species as diagnostic of the genus ; 

 adding the following note: — "I am unable to find any structural characters to 

 distmguish tuis genus from Simodontus except the strong declivity of the 

 median tooth ot the mentum and the strongly sulcate tarsi." I do not 

 know- why Mr. Blackburn says Leptopodus was founded for P. holomelanus, 

 but if this be the case, it should merge with Simodontus ; the form of the 

 median tooth of the mentum and the sulcus of the external side of the 

 joints of the tarsi being characters on which little reliance can be placed in 

 the Feronini. Only two of the species mentioned by de Chaudoir as 

 belonging to Leptopodus, viz , Pterostichus holomelanus, and Per. (i'cecihis) 

 iridipennis, are known to me ; I think the latter should be considered the 

 type of the genus, in which case it will be very distinct from iiimodnntus, 

 and as well characterised as any Australian genus of the Feronini. It can 

 be distinguished readily by the characters given in the present table. 



