8 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 123 



Triplax divisa (Gorham), new combination 



Figure 2 



Paratritoma divisa Gorham, 1888, p. 72, pi. 4 (fig. 11). 



Diagnostic description: Head, medial portion of pronotum, an- 

 terior one-sixth of elytra, and posterior one-half of elytra piceous; 

 remainder dark yellow above. Underside entirely piceous except for 

 legs, maxillary and labial palpi, pronotal epipleura anteriorly, and 

 posterior one-third of abdomen. Scape and pedicel yellowish; other 

 segments, except for last three which are piceous, yellowish brown. 

 Body moderately nitidous. Shape somewhat elliptical, length about 

 1.78 times width, body widest at about three- tenths of elytral length 

 behind base, length to width ratio very close to that of T. latipalpus, 

 about 1.75 to 1. Last antennal segment bulbous and large, segment 

 10 about 3 times width segment 8. Postmandibular lobes long, 

 posteriorly slightly divergent, edges somewhat rounded (fig. 2). 

 Terminal segments of maxillary palpi strongly widened, ratio of 

 width to length about 3.6 to 1, distinct brush along entire apex 

 present (fig. 2). Men turn similar to T. latipalpus. Head punctures 

 relatively deep, separated by less than 1 to greater than 4 times 

 their diameter, prominent setae in punctures; pronotal punctures 

 fine. 



Figure 2. — Triplax divisa (Gor- 

 ham), new combination: under- 

 side of head. 



Discussion: The adult is figured in full color by Gorham (1888, 

 pi. 4: fig. 11). In this study two specimens were examined. Labeling 

 is as follows: "Costa Rica, F. Nevermann, 24-VI-'29, property of 

 U.S.N.M." (USNM, a female). "Ciruclas, Costa Rica, collected by 

 A. Alfaro, IX-22-'30" (CNHM, a female). Alvarenga (1965) has 

 stated that Paratritoma divisa Gorham is the type-species of Paratri- 

 toma Gorham. This in effect synonymizes Triplax and Paratritoma. 

 Gorham made three original watercolor drawings of the three 

 "varieties" he considered to be P. divisa. The first two are red and 

 black in color, the third yellowish and piceous. I have examined a 

 series of Paratritoma species that I agree to be indeed Paratritoma. 

 Figure 11, however, as illustrated by Gorham (1888), and the descrip- 



