322 FAMILY IX. — ARADID^E. 



from Central America being described as new by Champion 

 (1898, 91). Three of the four North American species listed 

 by Van Duzee occur in the eastern states and another has since 

 been described. 



KEY TO EASTERN' SPEl'IES OF MEZIRA. 



«. Larger, length, 7 or more mm.; seutellum with median carina dis- 

 tinct; head and pronotum rather sparsely granulated. 

 6. Sides of pronotum deeply concave before the middle, the carina? of 

 its front portion rather strongly elevated; color dull reddish- 

 brown. 254. LOBATA. 

 hi). Sides of pronotum shallowly concave, the carina? of disk low, ill 

 defined; color dark reddish to blackish brown. 



255. EMARGINATA. 



(Kt. Smaller, not over 5.5 mm.; head and pronotum densely granulated. 

 c. Seutellum densely and evenly granulated, without elevation at 

 base, the median carina obsolete or very faint. 



256. GRANULATA. 



cc. Seutellum with smooth transverse elevation at base, disk divided 

 by a distinct entire longitudinal median carina. 



257. NOVELLA. 



254 (404). Mezira lobata (Say), 1832, 30; I, 354. 



Oblong-oval. Dull reddish-brown tinged with fuscous; hind margins 

 and edges of connexival segments often more or less yellow; disk of 

 dorsal surface of abdomen dull reddish-yellow. Head about as wide as 

 long, shorter than pronotum; tylus stout, reaching apical fourth of first 

 antennal, its tip obtuse, subtruncate; antenna? more slender than in 

 emarginata, third joint one-half longer than either second or fourth, 

 which are subequal. Pronotum with a deep transverse groove; side mar- 

 gins with a deep sinuation or concavity in front of middle, their front 

 portion somewhat produced and reflexed, forming a rounded lobe, hind 

 one with sides subparallel ; front portion of disk with four elevated, 

 oblique carina?, hind portion rather sparsely, coarsely granulated. Seu- 

 tellum broadly triangular, its apex narrowly rounded; sides feebly ele- 

 vated, disk with a distinct but low median longitudinal carina. Corium 

 with both outer and apical margins feebly sinuate. Other characters as 

 under generic heading. Male as there; female with basal genital plates 

 long, very rugose; dorsal genital three times as wide as long, its hind 

 margin concave. Length, 7.5 — 8.5 mm. 



Scarce throughout the southern half of Indiana, Porter 

 County only in the north, April 6 — Dec. 16. Hibernates beneath 

 bark, especially that of dead elms and oaks and in spring and 

 summer occurs beneath chunks in low moist woods and on a 

 whitish fungus growing beneath bark. Ranges from New York 

 to Michigan and California and south and southwest to Georgia, 

 Florida and Texas. The only Florida record is that of Osborn 



