344 BULLETIN 18 2, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Diagnosis. — At least part of integuments punctate, sometimes with 

 ground sculpture; antennae anteriorly flexile, strongly geniculate, 

 basal segment much elongate; labnim bidenticulatc; maxillary pal- 

 pus elongate, fourth segment globose and acuminate; gular sutures 

 united; neck less than one-fourth as wide as head, nearly half as 

 long as head ; prostermim longitudinally impressed before eiich coxa, 

 not dilated beneath them; hypomera broadly lobed over base of 

 coxae; anterior coxal cavities open behind; front coxae large, ex- 

 serted; elytra without distinct pleural fold; middle coxal cavities 

 confluent; posterior coxae contiguous, "conical"; first and second 

 abdominal sternites absent; subbasal sternites of male unmodified; 

 basal half of anterior tibia without concavity but with area of diag- 

 onal ctenidia; apex of posterior tibia without distinct ctenidium on 

 either side. 



Remarhs. — This is a very distinct genus because of the remarkable 

 shape of the head. It is unusual also in the arrangement of the 

 sculpture, which is almost restricted to the head, while only the elytra 

 are densely punctate. 



The genus is neotropical. Only one species has been found in our 

 region and that in Trinidad. 



1. OPHITES BUGNIONI Fauvel 



Ophites 'bugnioni Faia'El, 1901, p. 80. — Bernuaueh and Schubebt, 1912, p. 277. 



Description. — Black, apex of elytra and abdomen and appendages 

 rufotestaceous. Head abruptly and evenly narrowed from eyes to 

 neck; with a few scattered punctures obscured by the dense sculp- 

 ture, which is composed of minute setiferous punctures. Pronotum- 

 nearly twice as long as broad, strongly narrowed in front, sides a 

 little emarginate behind middle; with a few moderate umbilicate 

 punctures about basal angles, two discal series and others obsoles- 

 cent; smooth, shining. Elytra rectangular, one-half wider than 

 pronotum, the humeral angles tuberculate; with coarse submuricate 

 punctures more or less serial especially near the suture; without 

 ground sculpture. Ahdomen very densely and minutely subrauri- 

 cately punctate (appearing like sculpture). Male, eighth stcrnite 

 with a U-shaped excision nearly half as deep as visible length of 

 segment, two-thirds as wide as deep, the apices rounded. Female, 

 eighth sternite broadly and very feebly emarginate. Length, 10 mm. 



Type locality. — "Colombie: Palomino." 



Types. — Presumably in the collection of Blanche Rancin, Caen, 

 France. 



Records. — The following ai"e the records known to me : 



Trinidad: St. Augustine (Darlington, iu M.C.Z. and U.S.N.M.), Four Roads 



(Thaxter, in M.C.Z. ). 

 South America: Colomuiv (Fauvel, 1901). 



