254 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. iis 



thorax faintly depressed in the basal haK and with rounded sides and 

 explanate margin. Elytra wider apically and somewhat costate, the 

 punctation confused and rugose. Anterior coxal cavities open, middle 

 tibiae in the male excised, first tarsal joint of hindlegs longer than 

 the rest together, claws appendiculate. 



This genus has been erected for a beetle that does not fit into any 

 genus although closely resembling the genera Platymorpha, Romanita, 

 and Porechontes in having in the male a short, compressed third 

 antennal joint. It differs from all of them in general shape as well 

 as in having a different face without any spine or pore or swollen 

 lower front. Superficially it resembles species of Neobrotica in its 

 markings and somewhat costate elytra, but does not belong in this 

 genus because of its excised middle tibiae and short third antennal 

 joint. 



The name Simopsis is derived from the Greek o-t/ios, meaning "flat 

 nosed," and o^ts, meaning "face." 



Simopsis neohroticoides, new species 



Figure 24 



About 5 mm. in length, oblong oval, shiny, the prothorax feebly 

 depressed in basal half, the elytra somewhat costate and with rugose 

 punctation, pale yellow brown with a piceous head and piceous mark- 

 ings at base and apex of elytra, the breast dark, the middle tibiae in 

 the male excised and the intermediate antennal joints a little widened. 



Head with the interocular space half width of head, occiput smoothly 

 rounded, a faint depression over the obscure frontal tubercles, and 

 on each side near the eye a deep fovea, lower front rather flat with an 

 inconspicuous carina, dark piceous except the neck and the palpi 

 which are yellow. Antennae extending to the middle of the elytra, 

 joints four to eight deeper brown and in the male a little widened, 

 the thu'd joint short and compressed, the fourth joint longer than the 

 rest. Prothorax with rounded sides and feebly depressed in the lower 

 half, shining, pale yellowish brown. Scutellum bicolored. Elytra 

 wider towards apex, feebly costate along the sides and with coarse 

 rugose punctation, pale yellowish brown with piceous basal markings 

 covering humerus and extending down the side and middle a quarter 

 the length of the elytra, other piceous markings at the apex consisting 

 of two spots, more or less joined, on each elytron. Body beneath 

 pale with the breast dark, legs entirely pale, anterior tibiae and first 

 tarsal joint in the male swollen, middle tibiae excised near the apex. 

 Anterior coxal cavities open, claws appendiculate. Length 5 mm.; 

 width 2.5 mm. 



Type, male, BMNH, from Rio Purus, Amazon region, taken in 

 October 1874. 



