190 BULLETIN 63, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Appendage short, stout, and conical, setose, setse at tip forming a 

 loose tuft. 



Superior pudendal membrane reaching to a point about midway be- 

 tween the base and apex, not closely longitudinally rugulose. 



Basal prominences well developed. 



Valvular membrane more or less visible from apex to the pudendal 

 membrane, and minutely setose. 



Ventrolaternl surfaces. — ^Body rather strongly inflated in basal 

 half, rather deeply, broadly, and transversely concave before the 

 ajDices, quite strongly setose. Internal margins of the valves con- 

 tiguous for a very short distance at base and apex, intervening fissure 

 fusiform, and closed in basal half by the inferior pudendal mem- 

 brane. 



The present species is very variable, both as regards to form and 

 sculpturing. The following three races are founded upon elytral 

 sculpturing alone: 



ELEODES OBSCURA var. DISPERSA LeConte. 



Elytra with indistinct striae of closely placed punctures, intervals 

 flat and quite densely, very irregularly and muricately punctured. 



Measurements. — Males: Length, 25-33 mm.; width, 9.2-11.5 mm. 

 Females: Length, 30-35 mm.; width, 12-14 mm. 



ELEODES OBSCURA Say (typical variety). 



Elytra feebly sulcate, intervals not strongly convex, sparsely, 

 muricately punctate. Each stria with a series of closely placed 

 feebly muricate punctures; intervals with a series of more distantly 

 spaced and slightly more muricate punctures. Frequently the 

 sculpturing is denser, always more strongly and irregularly so later- 

 ally and on apex. 



Measurements. — Males: Length, 26-30 mm.; width, 10.2-11.8 mm. 

 Females: Length, 25-31 nmi. ; width. 10.5-13.2 mm. 



ELEODES OBSCURA var. SULCIPENNIS Mannerheim. 



Elytra strongly sulcate; intervals quite strongly convex, smooth, 

 with a single series of irregularly, distantly spaced, feebly muricate 

 punctures, which become decidedly muricate on the apical declivity : 

 sulci about equal in width to the intervals, with closely placed 

 muricate punctures which become more densel}' placed toward apex; 

 inflexed sides of the elytra obsoletely sulcate and irregularly muri- 

 cately punctured. 



