CYDNIDAE OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE — FROESCHNER 445 



(CIS). El Centro, July 24, 1938, R. H. Beamer, 1 female (KU). Fort Yuma, 

 Aug. 21, 1924, E. P. Van Duzee, 2 females (CalAc). Holtville, April, February 

 1945, sugar beet, 1 female (USNM). Imperial Co., July 14, W. Benedict, 3 

 females (KU). Imperial Valley, March, W. M. Davidson, 1 female (USNM). 

 Los Angeles, Oct. 15, 1917, E. P. Van Duzee, 1 female (CalAc). Palo Verde 

 (Imperial Co.), Aug. 27, 1946, P. D. Ilurd, 1 female (CIS). Ripley, Riverside 

 Co., July 26-27, 1946, P. D. Hurd, 1 male, 2 females (CIS). Santa Ana Canyon, 

 Nov. 2, 1934, 1 male (LAMus). Selma, July 17, 1947, R. C. Bechtel, 1 female 

 (McC). 



Mexico: Baja California: Me.xicali, Aug. 20, 1942, purslane leaves, 1 female 

 (USNM). 20 miles south of Palacio, April 1939, Michener, 1 male (CalAc). 

 Sinaloa: Los Mochis, June 27, 1922, C. T, Dodds, 1 male, 1 female (CalAc) ; same 

 locality and collector, July 4, 1922, 1 male (CalAc). Sonora: Hermasillo, Apr. 19, 

 1897, Koebele Collection, 1 male (CalAc). Navajo, Aug. 3, 1953, C. and P. 

 Vaurie, 1 male, 2 females (AmM). Ciudad, Obregon, July 29, 1952, C. and P. 

 Vaurie, 19 males, 27 females (AmM). Pitiquito, July 4, 1952, C. and P. Vaurie, 

 11 males, 36 females (AmM). Tibur6n Island (north end), July 9, 1952, C. and P. 

 Vaurie, 1 male, 1 female (AmM). Yavaros, July 31, 1952, C. and P. Vaurie, 7 

 males, 16 females (AmM). 



Discussion. — The several specimens that bore determination labels 

 were identified as Geotomus semilevis Signoret. Because Signoret's 

 illustration of that species shows the peritreme without a specially 

 modified terminal lobe such application of the name cannot be sup- 

 ported. In the present paper semilevis is considered to be a synonym 

 of Dallasidlus luguhris. 



On two occasions this insect had been collected in association with 

 cultivated plants. Some of the Arizona specimens were labeled "in 

 lettuce," while one California specimen was noted as having 

 come from "sugar beet." 



Melanaethus punctatissinius (Signoret), new combination 



Geotomus punctatissimus Signoret, 1883, p. 216, pi. 5, fig. 180. 



Diagnosis. — The long narrow body (length about twice as great as 

 width of pronotum) plus the mixture of two sizes of punctures on the 

 posterior pronotal lobe mark this species as distinct from the others 

 in the genus. 



Description. — Based on the type female. 



Female: Elongate, sides parallel. 



Head: Length about tliree-fourths width, 0.63:0.82; interocular 

 width, 0.56; anterior outline semicircular; surface decidedly convex, 

 with crowded, distinct punctures; ocelli tiny, separated from eye by a 

 space subequal to an ocellar width; juga with fine marginal carina 

 dorsally, shining and impunctate ventrally; maxillary plate unpunctate. 

 Antennal segments: I, 0.16; II, 0.15; III, 0.21; IV, 0.23; V, missing. 

 Bucculae almost as high as labial II, abruptly terminated posteriorly; 

 labium reaching between middle coxae. Labial segments: I, 0.30; 

 II, 0.35; III, 0.31; IV, 0.23. 



