660 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 117 



the best known. (It probably was also well known to Chevrolat 

 prior to his publishing the generic name.) This species has a wide 

 distribution, and is typical by size and form of the genus, both Nearc- 

 tic and Neotropical. 



Genus Lexiphanes Gistel 



Monachus Chevrolat, 1837, p. 425. [Preoccupied by Monachus Fleming, 1822, 



and Monachus Kaup, 1829.] 

 Lexiphanes Gistel, 1848, p. 123. [Type species, by present designation: Cryp- 



tocephalus saponatus Fabricius, Lexiphanes saponatus (Fabricius), 1801, vol. 



2, p. 55.] 

 Monachulus Leng, 1918, p. 208. 



Key to the Nearctic Species of Lexiphanes 



1. Elytra black on bluish black with pale median spot or transverse fascia 



(except some forms of mexicanus found only in Mexico) ; southwestern 



species 2 



Elytra entirely black or bluish black without pale median spot or transverse 

 fascia ; eastern species 3 



2. Pronotum shining, distinctly punctate, the punctures fine and generally 



evenly distributed over entire surface; 2.08-3.00 mm. long. 



guerini (Perbosc) 

 Pronotum dull, not distinctly punctate; some medial basal punctures oc- 

 casionally present; 2.16-2.60 mm. long mexicanus (Jacoby) 



3. Interstrial space between marginal and submarginal striae convex along en- 



tire length of elytra; small species; 1.58-2.25 mm. long 4 



Interstrial space between marginal and submarginal striae not convex for 

 entire length of elytra; large species; 2.16-3.08 mm. long. 



saponatus (Fabricius) 



4. Last ventral abdominal segment uniformly convex with a fovea 5 



Last ventral abdominal segment uniformly convex without a fovea .... 6 



5. Last ventral abdominal segment with a callus on either side of the fovea; 



pronotum with no or very obscure punctures along basal line; 2.08-2.23 



mm. long female afBnis (Haldeman) 



Last ventral abdominal segment without a callus on either side of the fovea; 

 protonum with a basal line of punctures; 1.91-2.25 mm. long. 



female seminulum (Suflfrian) 



6. Last ventral abdominal segment and abdominal intercoxal process with punc- 



tures; pronotum with no, or very obscure punctures along basal line; 



1.75-2.08 mm. long male affinis (Haldeman) 



Last ventral abdominal segment without punctures; abdominal intercoxal 

 process rugose; pronotum with a basal line of punctures; 1.58-2.00 mm. 

 long male seminulum (Suffrian) 



Lexiphanps guerini (Perbosc, 1839) 

 Figures 1, 10, 15 



Crypiocephahis guerini Perbosc, 1839, p. 264. 

 Monachus guerini (Perbosc). — Suffrian, 1852, p. 216. 

 Monachulus guerini (Perbosc). — Leng, 1920, p. 290 (checklist). 

 Lexiphanes guerini (Perbosc). — Blackweldor, 1946, p. 643 (checklist). 



