CYDNIDAE OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE — FROESCHNER 443 



Uhler's name picinus must date from 1876 even though it was not 

 described in words until 1877. In 1876 Uhler presented a habitus 

 sketch and on the caption for the plate used the name Melanaethus 

 picinus. In view of the lack of ecological comments in literature con- 

 cerning this species, the following notes copied from labels of specimens 

 examined should be especially interestmg: "on okra," "swept grasses," 

 "tanglefoot trap posts," "from soil, peach orchard" and "under litter, 

 peach orchard." 



Melanaethus plnnifrons, new species 



Plate fioure 214 



Diagnosis. — The enlarged terminal lobe of the peritreme reaching 

 close to the lateral edge of the evaporatorium plus the presence of 

 three or four setigerous punctures submarginally on the head will 

 easily separate this species from all others in the genus. 



Description. — Male: Elongate-oval, sides parallel. 



Head: Length about three-fourths width, 0.99(0.96-1.02) : 1.22(1. 16- 

 1.27) ; interocular width, 0.86(0.82-0.90) ; anterior outline semicircular, 

 juga longer than clypeus, contiguous beyond it; surface shining, 

 nearly smooth, or with weak to prominent radiating rugae, with 

 patches of numerous small punctures scattered on higher parts; jugum 

 with distinct marginal carina dorsally, submarginally with row of 

 three or four setigerous punctures; ocelli moderate, situated distinctly 

 posterior to line connecting hind margin of strongly oblique eyes, 

 removed from eye by space about four times transverse ocellar width; 

 jugum ventrally and maxillary plate, except base, shining, impunctate. 

 Antennal segments: I, 0.30(0.30-0.33); II, 0.39(0.35-0.43); III, 

 0.37(0.34-0.40); IV, 0.46(0.41-0.50); V, 0.52(0.49-0.60). Buccidae 

 as high as labial II, evanescent posteriorly; labium reaching between 

 middle coxae. Labial segments: I, 0.41(0.40-0.43); II, 0.65(0.65- 

 0.66); III, 0.49(0.43-0.56); IV, 0.40(0.37-0.43). 



Pronotum: Length not over half width, 1.35(1.17-1.44): 2.71(2.47- 

 2.82); anterior margin deeply, doubly emarginate; lateral margin 

 wealdy incurved basally, then straight for more than half length, with 

 submarginal row of six or seven setigerous punctures; transverse 

 impression postmedian, obsolete to distinct, marked by irregular, 

 medially interrupted row of coarser punctures; anterior lobe with 

 mixture of coarse and fine punctures in broad lateral band and in 

 narrow line in moderate, subapical impression; posterior lobe with 

 scattered minute punctures and a few distinct punctures medially. 



Scutellum: Length greater than width, 1.88(1.69-1.97): 1.59(1.36- 

 1.69); shining, with several widely scattered minute and coarse 

 punctures discally. 



