LEXIPHANES NORTH OF MEXICO — BALSBAUGH 659 



able along the distal ventral edge for reception of the tibia. The 

 lateral and dorsal surfaces are evenly rounded. The tibiae have the 

 dorsal side subcarinate, especially the hindtibiae, while the corbels 

 of all legs are setose in a single, lateral row. The tarsi are crypto- 

 pentamerous with the fourth segment strongly reduced. The strongly 

 biramous third segment is padded beneath, along with the first and 

 second segments. The ungues are appendiculate; however, the claws 

 of some L. saponatus, collected in the vicinity of Lake Marion, Florida, 

 were less appendiculate and more slender (figs. 7, 8). 



The wings are fully formed (fig. 9), but no diagnostic use is here 

 made of these structures. Since the wings of Lexiphanes show no 

 closed cells, the beetles are a primitive chrysomelid type (Crowson, 

 1960). 



Beetles of this genus show little pubescence. Setae are generally 

 absent dorsally. Ventrally they are short and sparse. Sometimes 

 the first and fifth abdominal segments are hirsute. Some species have 

 the terminal antennal segments more heavily pubescent than the basal 

 ones. Sparse setae occur on the tibiae of some species. Pronotal 

 setae and tarsal pads have been noted previously. 



The sexes can be distinguished by the presence of a fovea on the 

 fifth abdominal sternite (present in the female, absent in the male) , the 

 degree of approximation of the eyes (the males' being closer together), 

 and the usually smaller size of the male; however, the relativity of 

 these latter two criteria makes them less valuable. When the pygid- 

 ium is raised, paired sclerites in the genital opening indicate a 

 female, and the apical tip of the aedeagus, the male. 



Male genitalia of Lexiphanes were investigated by Powell (1941), 

 primarily to show generic and interfamily relationships; however, the 

 present study found them to also have specific diagnostic value 

 (fig. 6 shows a fully labeled aedeagus). One part of the female re- 

 productive structure, the spermatheca, was also found to be useful 

 taxonomically. 



Little is known concerning life habits of this genus. The earliest 

 and latest dates of collection for each species are shown by state or 

 province. Plants upon which beetles have been collected are listed 

 under biology for each species. Only one specimen of the material 

 examined was indicated as having been collected at light. 



Beetles of this genus have not been reported to be of economic 

 importance. One report showed Lexiphanes saponatus (Fabricius) to 

 have been feeding on cotton on the upper epidermis and parenchyma, 

 occasionally making holes through the leaves (Folsom, 1936). 



As I have been unable to find that a type species had ever been 

 designated for this genus, I subsequently designate Lexiphanes 

 saponatus (Fabricius). Preference is given this species because it is 



