CRYPTOCEPHALUS IN AMERICA NORTH OF MEXICO 59 



One specimen was taken on Celtis. 



Distribution. — All 33 specimens seen (including the types) were 

 taken in southern Texas. 



Cryptocephalus guttulatus Olivier 



Figures 53, 130 



Cryptocephalus guttulatus Olivier, 1808, p. 815. 

 Cryptocephalus lautv^ Newman, 1840, p. 250. 



Pronotum: Light orange to reddish, basal angle yellowish, often 

 with basal oblique spots, lateral and apical margins yellowish or 

 lighter. Surface impunctate to very finely, sparsely punctured, 

 punctures not dual. 



Elytra: Background black to red or dark orange, each elytron 

 with eight nearly subequal, usually oval, creamy yellow to dull 

 orange spots. Spots as follow^s: one centered at base of scutellar 

 stria, one centered at base of fifth interval, one centered at base of 

 last stria, one centered at middle of third interval, one centered before 

 middle of seventh stria, one centered before apex of third stria, 

 one centered before apex of eighth interval, and one centered at junc- 

 tion of imier and outer stria. Surface sometimes finely, transversely 

 wrinkled. With eight rows of punctures, sLxth confused and much 

 reduced, seventh usually interrupted or somewhat confused ; punctures 

 as large, dense as usual, finer apicaUy; inner and outer rows distinct 

 at apex, usually nearly or quite meeting. 



Prostemum: Anterior margin in male produced into a distinct, 

 ventrally directed lobe; anterior margm in female with a distinct, 

 somewhat less produced lobe. 



Length: 3.9 to 6.0 mm. 



Discussion. — The Central American species tesseratus Chevrolat 

 (1834, p. 85) may be synonymous with guttulatus. The only differences 

 I find between the USNM series of these two are that the background 

 color of guttulatus is often black, m tesseratus it is dark reddisli. 

 The inadequacy of the tesseratus series (but six specimens, some ui 

 poor condition) does not allow a reliable conclusion to be drawn. 



Another possible synonym of guttulatws is testudineus Jacoby 

 (1889, p. 105). By its description and a specimen in the USNM 

 collection from Guatemala City, it seems identical. I have not seen 

 an example of rhombeus Suffrian (described as similar to this group 

 of species by Suffrian), so I will not make name changes at this 

 time. 



Specimens in the collection have been collected on cotton and 

 on okra. 



Douglass (1929, p. 8) recorded this species from honey locust. 



