WEST INDIAN" APHODIINAE — CHAPIN 21 



subopaque and irregularly sculptured. Pygidial carina with a mod- 

 erately strong median cusp. Metasternum opaque and finely sculp- 

 tured laterally, median area shining, coarsely and rather sparsely 

 punctured, median groove deep, abruptly terminated anteriorly and 

 j)osteriorly. Abdominal sternites coarsely and sparsely punctured, 

 basal transverse rows of pits clearly defined. Anterior fem.ur with 

 strong anterior marginal groove, surface rather coarsely and densely 

 punctured. Posterior femur with short marginal groove near inser- 

 tion of tibia, surface shining, rather finely and sparsely punctured; 

 posterior tibia without accessory spine. Length : 3.5 mm. 



Type, — Probably at Museum of Comparative Zoology. 



Type locality. — "Middle States," presumably near Pennsylvania. 



Material examined. — In addition to several hundred specimens from 

 the mainland of North America, a series of 20 specimens from Ennery, 

 Haiti, near 1,000 feet, September 5-11, 1934, P. J. Darlington, and 

 a single specimen from Camp Perrin, Haiti, near 1,000 feet, October 

 8-27, 1934, Darlington, have been studied. 



There is some variation in this species as regards the punctation of 

 the front in the North American series, the punctures apparently 

 becoming progressively finer the farther west the specimen is collected. 

 The Haiti series agrees closely with the northeastern representatives. 



8. ATAENIUS IMBRICATUS (Melsheimer) 



Aphodius Imhricatus Melsheimeb, 1844, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, new 



ser., vol. 2, p. 136. 

 Ataenius imhricatus Gemminger and Harold, 1869, Catalogus coleopterorum, 



vol. 4, p. 1066.— HoEN, 1871, Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, vol. 4, p. 285; 1887, loc. 



cit., vol. 14, p. 74. — Schmidt, 1922, Das Tierreich, pars 45, Aphodiinae, p. 443. 

 Ataenius sordidus Habold, 1869, Coleopterologische Hefte, vol. 5, p. 103. 



Piceous-black but almost always covered with a gray incrustation, 

 legs, antennae, and trophi paler. Anterior margin of head broadly 

 rounded each side of median emargination, front coarsely reticulate- 

 punctate but becoming simply punctate and finally smooth toward 

 margin, the punctures tending to form longitudinal rows laterally, 

 vertex even more coarsely reticulate than upper part of front, each 

 reticulation on front giving rise to a short stout seta. Pronotum with 

 marginal setae, marginal groove present at sides but absent across 

 middle portion of base. Surface coarsely and closely punctured, ex- 

 cept along median line near base where punctures are more sparse, 

 each puncture bearing a short seta. Elytral striae deep but poorly 

 defined, strial punctures not evident, intervals evenly convex, not 

 carinate, each with a few irregularly placed short setae. Lateral 

 margin subacutely carinate, epipleura opaque. Pygidial carina with 

 a strong median cusp. Mesosternum, side portions of metasternum 



