BEETLE GENUS ONTHOPHAGUS — HOWDEN, CARTWRIGHT 93 



Females. — Length 3.8 to 5.2 mm., width 2.5 to 3.0 mm. Differing 

 from the male majors in the following respects: Color exhibiting all 

 the variations noted including the shining greenish cast. Head with 

 clypcus more sharply emarginate, moderately reflexed anteriorly and 

 laterally; clypeal disc flat, coarsely, almost rugosely punctate; a low 

 clypeal carina present, highest medially ; frons and genae with scattered, 

 moderate, setigerous punctures ; vertex with a moderate carina extend- 

 ing approximately two-thirds the distance between the eyes, nearly 

 straight and level, occasionally indented medially or bent posteriorly 

 at the ends; vertex behind the carina with scattered coarse punctures. 



Pronotimi as described for male minors with the pronotal projection 

 either absent or barely indicated, setae often more pronounced than 

 in male majors. Elytra similar except for slightly more pronounced 

 tubercles and setae. Pygidium more evenly convex, otherwise similar ; 

 ventral surfaces with more pronounced punctures and setae; last 

 abdominal segment not narrowed medially to receive the pygidium. 

 Forelegs not extended, the femora not reaching the lateral pronotal 

 margins; tibiae stocky, the four teeth larger than in males, margin 

 between and above teeth usually denticulate or senate; apical pro- 

 jection and pencil of hairs lacldng; in other respects not noticeably 

 different from males. 



Type. — Of fexanus Schaeffer: Lectotype, present designation, 9, 

 USNM 42592, Brooklyn Museum Collection, 1929. Cotypes, 2 9 9, 

 were collected on the Esperanza ranch, Brownsville, Tex., May 29, 

 1903. Of landolti Harold: Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 

 Paris, France. 



Type locality. — Of texanus Schaeffer: Brownsville, Tex. Of 

 landolti Harold: Ocafia, Colombia, and La Guayra, Venezuela. 



Specimens examined. — 424. 



Distribution. — (See fig. 1, p. 17.) 



Oklahoma: Marietta. Texas: Bentsen-Rio Grande State Pk. (near Mission), 

 Brownsville, Lake Corpus Christi State Pk., west Cameron Co., Garner State 

 Pk., southwest Hidalgo Co. 



Biology. — Some specimens were brought back alive to the Univer- 

 sity of Tennessee, placed in large earth-filled flower pots, and furnished 

 with fresh cow dung. Under these conditions the beetles reproduced 

 readily. The female beetles made winding 3-to-7-inch burrows with 

 a cell of dung at the bottom of each burrow. Twenty cells were 

 measured, the longest being 16 mm., the shortest 10 mm. ; in width they 

 ranged from 7 to 11 mm. The average cell was 12 to 14 mm. long 

 and 8 to 9 mm. wide. 



