16 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.89 



Material examined. — Eighteen specimens of West Indian origin 

 as well as many from Louisiana and other parts of North America 

 and series from Mexico and Argentina. Of the 18, four are from 

 Cuba, seven from Hispaniola (La Moriniere, Haiti) , and seven from 

 Puerto Rico. 



There seems little doubt that this species is identical with A. 

 hwroldi Steinheil, 1872, notwithstanding the fact that Schmidt 

 (1922) maintains the two as distinct. In the original description. 

 Harold states that ftgurator can be separated from haroldi only by 

 the absence of clypeal teeth. Certainly clypeal denticles are present 

 in fresh specimens of -ftgurator from the type locality. This fact 

 was pointed out by Horn and Bates and is substantiated by the 

 present investigations. The species is immediately recognized by 

 the convex and polished apical half of the pygidium. 



2. ATAENIUS STEINHEILI Harold 



Ataenius steinheili Haeold, 1874, Coleopterologische Hefte, vol. 12, p, 18. 



Piceous-black when clean but usually covered with an incrustation 

 so as to appear gray, legs and trophi castaneous. Anterior margin of 

 head rather strongly denticulate each side of shallow median emargi- 

 nation. Front rather coarsely and closely set with round punctures 

 except for the marginal area, which is polished, vertex more coarsely 

 punctured. Pronotum with marginal setae short, marginal groove 

 complete but not conspicuous. Surface evenly and rather densely 

 set with punctures which are less coarse and are crowded as the median 

 area is approached. Hind angles obliterated by shallow emargination. 

 Elytra with broad and deep striae, strial punctures conspicuous, in- 

 tervals subacutely carinate except outer one where carina is replaced 

 by a few polished points, each carina with an irregular double row of 

 rather fine punctures and bordered each side by fine gi'ooves. Lateral 

 margin acute, epipleura opaque. Pygidial carina with feeble median 

 cusp. Mesosternum rough, as are the sides of the metasternum. Me- 

 dian area of latter shining, strongly punctured, median groove con- 

 spicuous but not abruptly terminated. Abdominal sternites strongly 

 and rather coarsely punctured, transverse basal row of pits on each 

 sternite well defined, these pits especially deep and elongate on last 

 two sternites. Anterior femur beneath with deep perimarginal groove, 

 the surface densely and coarsely punctured. Posterior femur slender, 

 shining, with groove on posterior margin, surface more finely and 

 sparsely punctured; posterior tibia with accessory spine. Length: 

 4-4.5 mm. 



Type. — Possibly in collection of R. Oberthuer. 



Type locality. — New Granada (Colombia) between Baranquilla and 

 Mompox, on the Magdalena River. 



