182 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 65 



In general form this species resembles Brachys hellus Fisher from 

 Panama, but can be easily distinguished from that species by the 

 color being entirely different, and the pronotum having distinct 

 lateral carinae. 



Genus TAPHROCERUS Solier 



Taphrocents Soliee, Ann. Soc. Ent. France, ser. 1, vol. 2, 1833, pp. 314- 

 315. — Kereemans, Wytsman's Gen. Insectorum, fasc. 12, pt. 4, 1903, 

 pp. 327-328. 



Head large, moderately convex and more or less grooved on front ; 

 epistoma broadly emarginate in front, strongly narrowed by the 

 antennal cavities, and separated from the front by a transverse 

 carina; antennal cavities large, oblique, rounded behind, prolonged 

 into a groove in front, and situated at some distance from the eyes. 

 Antennae rather long, and while in repose inserted in a groove in 

 the presternum ; first joint robust, elongate and somewhat arcuate; 

 second robust, slightly shorter than the first; third and fourth 

 and sometimes the fifth elongate, longer and more slender than the 

 second; following joints triangular, dentate on the inner margin, 

 and armed with terminal poriferous foveae. Eyes moderately large, 

 oval, not touching the pronotum, sometimes projecting, and parallel 

 or feebly oblique on the inner margin. Pronotum wider than long; 

 disk sometimes very uneven, with or without lateral carina ; anterior 

 margin usually truncate; sides more or less sinuate; base strongly 

 bisinuate, with a distinct median lobe, which is more or less emargi- 

 nate. Scutellum triangular, the anterior margin sometimes rounded, 

 and apex rather acute. Elytra rather elongate and moderately con- 

 vex, strongly acuminate posteriorly, sometimes with a distinct lateral 

 carina, and the surface glabrous or pubescent. Sternal cavity 

 formed by the mesosternum and metasternum, the lateral branches 

 of the former very small. Metasternum rather deeply and angularly 

 emarginate in front. Prosternum broadly rounded in front; pro- 

 sternal process strongly constricted by the coxal cavities, behind 

 which it is dilated, with the apex acute. Middle coxae a little more 

 widely separated than the anterior ones; posterior pair very short, 

 concave, and feebly dilated internally. Legs rather robust and not 

 lodged in depressions beneath; anterior and middle femora feebly 

 swollen, and arcuate at apex, the posterior pair more slender and 

 nearly straight; anterior and middle tibiae cylindrical and more 

 or less arcuate, the posterior ones less arcuate; tarsi rather longer 

 than usual for this group ; tarsal claws dentate. Body elongate and 

 broadly agriliform. 



This genus contains about 50 described species, which are confined 

 in their distribution to the Western Hemisphere. So far seven 

 species have been found in the West Indies, of which five are de- 



