CRYPTOCEPHALUS IN AMERICA NORTH OF MEXICO 47 



Ventral surface: Ventral surface and legs orange; witli ivory yellow 

 on prosternum, mesosternum (plus side pieces), basal median part of 

 first abdominal segment, and at sides of first to fifth abdominal seg- 

 ments; ivory yellow broad on fifth segment. Anterior margin of 

 prosternum in female broadly, not strongly, lobed. Pygidiiim ivory 

 yellow, median line and base narrowly brown, surface rather coarsely 

 punctate. Fifth abdominal segment m female with a large, oval, deep 

 depression at center. 



Length: 4.2 mm. 



Type data. — This species is described from a single female specimen 

 (USNM type number 69245) with the data, "Grand Canyon, Arizona, 

 June '27, D. H. Blake." 



Discussion. — Cryptocephalus contextus is similar to cowaniae; the 

 two are separable on the basis of the dark elytral markings. 

 In cowaniae, these attain the sides of the elytra just behind the 

 middle and before the apex; in contextus, they do not attain the sides 

 of the elytra. The specific name (meaning connected) refers to the 

 fact that the dark elytral markings are interconnected. 



C. contextus is also similar to the Central American species patheticus 

 Suffrian. The basic elytral pattern is the same; however, the body size 

 and extent of the dark markings separate the two. C. contextus is 

 4.2 mm. long, and two specimens of patheticus in the USNM collection 

 are 2.8 mm. and 3.0 mm. long. In the two specimens of patheticus, the 

 dark elytral markings attain the sides of the elytra; in the single 

 specimen of contextus, they do not. 



In addition, this species is quite similar to the illustration and 

 description of C. decemplagiatus Jacoby in the Biologia Centrali- 

 Americana (1889, p. 111). I have seen no individuals of the decem- 

 plagiatus so have been unable to make a direct comparison. One 

 apparent difference is that the pronotum of decemplagiatus is described 

 as predominantly brown; that of contextus is orange. 



Cryptocephalus cowaniae Schaeffcr 



Figures 83, 124 

 Cryptocephalus cowaniae Schaeflfer, 1934, p. 462. 



Pronotum: Dark red or (usually) brown to black, light markings 

 creamy yellow to orange. Light markings as follows: at base on each 

 side in a rectangular spot; at apex in a larger, roughly square spot; 

 at apical margin, broadest at center; in two oblique basal spots, often 

 reduced to simple spots, rarely vague or absent, markings rather 

 sharply delimited. Punctation dual, larger punctures minute to small. 



Elytra: Dark red or (usually) brown to black, light markings 

 creamy yellow to orange. Light markings as follows: an elongate spot 



