18 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 123 



2. Prosternal lines connecting apicomedially on prosternum; metasternal coxal 



lines long; Brazil cruentipennis (Lacordaire) 



Prosternal lines not connecting apicomedially on prosternum; metasternal 

 coxal lines short or absent; southwestern United States, Mexico. 



elateroides Gorham 



3. Pronotum yellow with black spots; Brazil maderi (Delkeskamp) 



Pronotum dull black, without spots; southwestern United States, Mexico. 



carbonarius (Gorham) 



Haematochiton cruentipennis (Lacordaire), new combination 



Figure 8 



Triplax cruentipennis Lacordaire, 1842, p. 205. 



Diagnostic description; Head, pronotum, and scutellum black; 

 elytra red with orange tinge, faint parallel lines of darker pigmentation 

 on intervals; underside entirely black including legs and mouthparts. 

 Overall shape elongate-elliptical, length to width ratio about 1.9 to 1. 

 Antennae entirely reddish yellow except for blackish terminal 4 or 5 

 segments; antennal club strongly widened, ratio of width of segment 

 10 to that of 6 is 3.3 to 1; antennae extending to the base of the pro- 

 thorax, setae of club dense. Maxillary palpi ratio width to length 

 about 1.5 to 1 (fig. 8). Postmandibular lobes relatively small, 

 strongly rounded posteriorly and anteriorly (fig. 8) . Pronotum sub- 

 trapezoidal in shape, widest basally, sides moderately arcuately 

 convergent anteriorly; the four pronotal angles are in equal focus 



Figure 8. — Haematochiton cru- 

 entipennis (Lacordaire), new 

 combination: underside of head. 



when viewed from above. Pronotal angle pores small and incon- 

 spicuous. Pronotal punctures relatively small and shallow medially, 

 suddenly becoming much larger on lateral thirds. Elytral intervals 

 punctured. Prosternal coxal lines unusually large and prominent 

 extending to prosternal apical region and connecting medioapically. 

 Cephalic punctures relatively large and flat bottomed along base, 

 becoming smaller and denser apically. Abdominal pubescence and 

 punctuation moderate. 



Variation: The observed size of the one specimen examined, the 

 holotype, from the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, is: 

 length 5.63 mm; width 2.98 mm. 



Male genitalia: The unique type was not dissected. 



Biology: Nothing is known of the biology of this form. 



