4 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 124 



pair is normally at the hind angles. In the inopinus and jenyesi groups, 

 the posterior pair is forward, and the hind angles often are rounded. 

 This condition also occurs in sphodrinus, which otherwise seems un- 

 related to the five species in those two groups. In termitijormis Van 

 Dyke the posterior pair of setae has been lost. 



Pleural and sternal sclerites of the thorax. — The presence 

 of a margin around the posterior part of the prosternum was used as 

 a diagnostic characteristic by earlier authors. It seems to be a variable 

 character in many species. Many Leptqferonia have coarse punctures 

 on the concave area of the mesepisternum. In some there are also 

 punctures on the rest of the mesepisternum and on adjacent sclerites. 



Elytron. — The humeral dentation was viewed dorsally from above 

 the elytral apices. From this angle at X 60 the humerus appears 

 dentate in some species that previous authors reported to have 

 edentate humeri. The term scutellar puncture refers to the puncture 

 on the disc near the scutellum, on the scutellar or second stria. The 

 setiferous punctures on the eight stria can be divided into three 

 series in Leptoferonia. In subgenus Hypherpes there are usually more 

 punctures, and they tend to be more evenly spaced. In Leptqferonia 

 the anterior series consists of six punctures; the sixth is sometimes 

 detached from the others. Some species have a single intermediate 

 puncture bearing a short seta located about halfway between the 

 anterior and posterior series. The posterior series consists of up to 

 eight punctures (except nine in sphodrinus). There are one or two 

 setiferous punctures at the posterior end of the seventh stria (except 

 three in sphodrinus). The setae are of three lengths (see figs. 27-31) 

 and very fragile. The elytral apices are slightly more blunt in females 

 of all species than in males. 



Legs. — In most species the legs are fairly stout, and the hind 

 trochanter is about half the length of the hind femur. In beyeri Van 

 Dyke, falli Van Dyke, and termitijormis Van Dyke, the legs are 

 relatively slender. In the latter two, the hind trochanter is smaller, 

 being only about one-third the length of the hind femur. Specimens 

 of P. {Hypherpes) gracilior LeConte also have slender legs and short 

 hind trochanters. The hind trochanter is pointed in several species. 

 In some male specimens of inanis the hind trochanter is also very 

 attenuate. The legs of females are somewhat less robust than those 

 of males. The inner margin of the tibia of the middle leg has raised 

 areas in the males. These are well developed in angustus Dejean, 

 giving the margin a saw-toothed appearance. In females these areas 

 are much reduced or absent. There are four setae on the outer side 

 of the femur of the middle leg. Some species have setae, generally 

 three pairs, along the ventrolateral margins of the last article of all 



