no. 3601 TRIPLAX AND HAEMATOCHITON — JOHNSON 17 



larger than the securiform terminal segments of the labial palpi; the 

 labial palpi terminal segments are securiform, each bearing a single 

 stronger seta laterally, and armed with a minute brush along the 

 truncate apex. The lacinia is armed with two small incurved teeth 

 at apex; and the postmandibular lobes are somewhat reduced to 

 moderate in size. 



The pronotum is subquadrate to subtrapezoidal in shape, while the 

 sides are moderately arcuately convergent anteriorly; the apical 

 width is subequal or equal to the median length. The pronotum is 

 finely margined basally and laterally, immarginate apically between 

 the eyes, and the pronotal angle pores are small and inconspicuous, 

 not large and umbilicate. The elytra is distinctly basally margined. 



The legs are distinctly tridentate at apex; the tibiae are not or 

 very slightly dilated apically and are feebly arched; the coxae are 

 moderately separated. 



Abdominal pubescence is extremely faint to moderate. Pubescence 

 is, however, not indicated as being of strong taxonomic importance. 



The anterior end of the internal sac is distinctive. 



The strongest differences between Haematochiton and Mycotretus 

 are those of color and punctuation, the somewhat more obtusely 

 rounded anterior end of the body in the former, and the absence in 

 the former of the pronotal margin at apex between the eyes. 



The most obvious differences between species of Triplax and those 

 of Haematochiton are shown by the following characters of the latter: 

 maxillary palpi terminal segments semicircular, not moderate to 

 strongly widened with terminal brush; prontal angle pores small and 

 inconspicuous, not large and distinctly umbilicate. 



Species of Tritoma Fabricius and Paratritoma Gorham hardly can 

 be confused with Haematochiton Gorham. Paratritoma has moderate 

 to strongly widened maxillary palpi terminal segments with distinct 

 brush ; Haematochiton does not. Tritoma is characterized by an oval to 

 elongate-oval form in the Nearctics; Tritoma dorsalis Gorham from 

 Panama is broadly oval; Haematochiton species on the other hand 

 are elongate-elliptical. 



Nothing is known of the life habits of Haematochiton species. The 

 genus does not contain species of economic importance. 



Genus Haematochiton Gorham 



Haematochiton Gorham, 1888, p. 81. [Type-species: H. elateroides Gorham, 



1888, p. 81, pi. 5 (fig. 4), by monotypy.j 

 Scaeother Gorham, 1888, p. 82. 



Key to Species of Haematochiton Gorham 



1. Elyta orange red or blood red 2 



Elytra dull black or black 3 



