44 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 121 



The few specimens of prasinus available to us do not give a satis- 

 factory picture of this species, and we know little of its variation or 

 geographical distribution. We have three more males and two fe- 

 males that might belong to prasinus, but they differ in outline and 

 shorter, less jutting frontal margin and are questionably identified as 

 prasinus and are not included in the description. 



Probably M. prasinus will most likely be confused with small speci- 

 mens of depressus from which prasinus differs in having smaller and 

 sparser pronotal punctures, a better developed nasale, and a more 

 strongly jutting frontal margin. 



23. Melanotus piceatus Blatchley 



Figures 5k, lOj 

 Melanotus piceatus Blatchley, 1927, p. 141; 1930, p. 48. — Fattig, 1951, p. 22. 



Male. — Body color dark reddish brown to black, covered with 

 sparse yellowish vestiture, evenly distributed over body. 



Head: Front with pair of shallow to marked depressions, margin 

 variable from thick and barely protruding beyond clypeus to thin and 

 extending beyond clypeus by little more than own width, rounded or 

 angulate and flattened anteriorly when viewed from above; par- 

 antennal fovea small, shallow, arc shaped; nasale flat, width about 

 IK times height. Mandible pit slit to teardrop shaped; palpus light 

 reddish brown. Antenna short of tip of hind angle by about 1 seg- 

 ment, reddish brown, segment 3 nearly as long as 4, 4 about IK times 

 maximum width, erect male hairs very short and evident only at base 

 of segments. 



Pronotum wider than long; punctures at center usually separated 

 by distance equal to 1-2 times own diameter, subequal to those on 

 front; sides gently curved over anterior one- third or one-half, sub- 

 parallel or convergent posteriorly with small concavity; hind angles 

 slightly divergent with carina usually extending cephalad of base of 

 hind angles. Genitalia as figured; paramere mthout apical blade. 



Elytron: 8.4 mm (7.5-10.2). 10 spec. 



Female. — Antenna short of tip of hind angle by 1-3 segments; 

 internal genitalia as figured, bursa large, with 50-100 scattered, 

 peghke spines. 



Elytron: 8.6 mm (7.7-9.2). 7 spec. 



Type. — Holotype oi piceatus: Male, Dunedin, Fla., March 17, 1922, 

 W.S.B. (PU). 



Distribution. — Southeastern U.S. 



Alabama: Colbert, Mobile; May, June. Florida: Brevard, Charlotte, 

 Highlands, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Volusia; February, May. Georgia: Chatham; 

 March. South Carolina: Charleston, Georgetown, Pickens; May. Tennes- 

 see: Great Smoky Mts. Nat. Pk.; June. 



