86 FAMILY IV. — CYDNID^E. 



the length of third ; beak reaching or surpassing middle coxae, 

 joints 2 and 3 usually subequal, 4 shorter; pronotum subquad- 

 rate, wider than long, front angles rounded, disk with front 

 portion convex, elevated and separated from the shorter hind 

 one by a more or less evident transverse groove ; scutellum tri- 

 angular, broader at base than long, its tip very acute, the coria 

 meeting behind it; elytra with corium much widened behind, 

 its apex distinctly sinuate; membrane whitish-hyaline, much 

 surpassing the abdomen, its veins evident but very fine ; osteo- 

 lar canal long, slender, attenuated, feebly curved, distinctly 

 grooved, almost reaching outer edge of metasternal plate; 

 metasternum extended backward in the form of a thin plate 

 which is widened towards the sides to cover the first and second 

 ventrals ; front tibiae f ossorial, gradually widened toward apex ; 

 front femora of female usually with a bifid tooth. 



Eight species are known, mostly from tropical or subtropical 

 America, five of which occur in the eastern states. 



KEY TO EASTERN SPECIES OF AMNESTUS. 



a. Larger, length 3.2 or more mm.; color a uniform dark chestnut- 

 brown. 47. SPINIFRONS. 

 aa. Smaller, not over 2.7 mm.; color in part or wholly pale yellowish- or 

 reddish-brown. 

 b. Elevated front portion of pronotum rather evenly and coarsely 

 punctate; cheeks each with four submarginal teeth. 



c. Length 2.2 — 2.5 mm.; form elongate-oval. 48. pusillus. 

 cc. Length less than 2 mm. ; form elongate-quadrangular. 49. PUSIO. 



bb. Elevated front portion of pronotum sparsely, finely and unevenly 

 punctate. 



d. Color a nearly uniform pale yellowish-brown; cheeks each with 



five submarginal teeth. 50. pallidus. 



dd. Head, pronotum and scutellum dark reddish- to chestnut-brown; 

 elytra brownish-yellow; cheeks each with four irregular sub- 

 marginal teeth. 51. subferrugineus. 



47 (67). Amnestus spinifrons (Say), 1825, 316; II, 242. 



Elongate-oval, subconvex above, more convex beneath. Above chest- 

 nut-brown, the elytra somewhat paler; antennae and under surface red- 

 dish-brown; legs dull yellow. Head narrowly oval, longer than wide; 

 cheeks rugose, coarsely unevenly punctate, each with five, rarely six, 

 erect, blunt submarginal teeth, and a few very fine bristles; tylus with 

 four similar teeth; antennae with joint 3 longest, subclavate, 4 — 5 sub- 

 equal, all thickly pubescent; beak reaching hind coxae, its third joint 

 longer than second. Pronotum convex, but slightly wider than long, 



