MELANOTUS — QUATE AND THOMPSON 



13 



Frontal margin not strongly protruding 36 



35(34). Pronotal punctures separated by no more than own diameter; flagellar 

 segments elongate, d* antenna exceeds tip of hind angle by 3-4 seg- 

 ments; elytron about 7 mm 25. macer 



Pronotal punctures sparse, separated by more than own diameter; 

 flagellar segments triangular, antenna exceeds hind angle by no more 

 than 2 segments; mandibular pit very small; elytron 6-7 mm. 



31. parallelus 



36(34). Antenna extending to or beyond hind margin of pronotum .... 37 



Antenna short, ending before hind margin of pronotum in botii sexes; 



nasale flat, shallow; <f paramere slender, aedeagus broad until near 



apex 23. piceatus 



37(36). Nasale clearly defined, not obsolescent; color reddish brown or darker. 38 

 Nasale obsolescent; color brownish yellow; cT paramere without apical 

 blade; pronotal punctures large and compact; vestiture rather thick; 



small species, elytron 5.0-6.5 mm; Texas 35. beameri 



38(37). Antenna, legs, and body of same color 39 



Antenna and legs reddish brow^n and body black (teneral specimens 

 with body dark browm but darker than appendages); pronotum 

 convex and rounded dorsally, rounded and concave at base of hind 

 angles; central pronotal punctures small and sparse; c? paramere 



without apical blade 29. pertinax 



39(38). Western U.S., not occurring east of New Mexico 40 



Eastern U.S. and as far west as western Texas, Kansas, etc .... 41 

 40(39). Reddish-brown species; southwestern U.S. from south of Tehachapi 

 Mts., California to New Mexico, elytron 6.5-9.8 mm. 



39. longulus longulus 

 Dark reddish-brown to black species; California north of Tehachapi 

 Mts., Great Basin, Pacific Northwest; elytron 7.5-10.9 mm. 



40. longulus oregonensis 



41(39). Larger species, elytron more than 7.5 mm 42 



Smaller species, elytron less than 7.5 mm 44 



42(41). Parantennal fovea well developed; pronotal punctures well sepa- 

 rated 43 



Parantennal fovea shallow; nasale flat; pronotal punctures very close 

 together; cf paramere tapering and lateral margin straight; color 



usually reddish brown 18. cribulosus 



43(42). Sides of pronotum parallel or concave over distal half; pronotal punc- 

 tures usually smaller than those on front; color often reddish brown. 



17. morosus 



Sides of pronotum divergent posteriorly; pronotal punctures usually as 



large as those on front; color usually dark reddish brown, darker than 



morosus 16. depressus 



44(41), Nasale well developed, about as wide as high 45 



Nasale flat, not protuberant, wider than high 46 



45(44). Pronotal punctures about as large as those on front; pronotum flattened 



and not rounded 27. trapezoideus (part) 



Pronotal punctures small, smaller than those on front; pronotum 



rounded 32. americanus (part) 



46(44). Side of pronotum straight, without curvature before hind angle . . 47 



Side of pronotum with slight curvature before hind angle; frontal margin 



broad and nearly straight when viewed from above . . 22. prasinus 



