CRYPTOCEPHALUS IN A^IERICA NORTH OF MEXICO 97 



males of v. venustus; I have recognized no males of v. ornaiulus but 

 think it quite likely that it is also nearly or quite identical to v. venustus. 



Cleared male genitaUa of v. venustus, v. cinctipennis, v. hamatus, and 

 V. simplex have been compared and found to be essentially identical. 



A few individuals have the elytra (exclusive of the dark vittae) 

 clouded with reddish; these are connected with the normal condition 

 by intermediates. 



One specimen was taken on Sapium sebiferum Rayb. ("Sapium 

 sebicerum") . 



The essentially sympatric distribution of the subspecies of venustus 

 is distm-bing. Obviously the situation is at variance with generally 

 held views regarding the nature of subspecies. Temporal factors or 

 behavior differences, however, might interpose a degree of reproductive 

 isolation between the populations treated here as subspecies. In the 

 cases of v. ornaiulus and v. simplex, in which only females are know n 

 to exhibit the distinctive color patterns, sex-Unked allelomorphism 

 may be involved. Oidy experimental studies will completely clarify 

 these problems. In the absence of such investigations, no certain 

 conclusions can be reached concerning the significance of the differences 

 in the color pattern in venustus. Although recognizing that the present 

 arrangement is not satisfactory, I prefer to retain the names as 

 subspecies. Appropriate changes can be made at such time as solid 

 evidence indicates the need for a different treatment. 



Distribution. — The U.S. National Museum contains a series of 

 316 specimens taken from Manitoba, Quebec, Connecticut, Mass- 

 achusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, 

 North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Vu-ginia, Ohio, 

 lUinois, Indiana, Michigan, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, South 

 Dakota, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Mimiesota, Colorado, and Texas. 

 A single specimen has California as the locality of collection; likely 

 this is in error. 



Cryptoceplialus venustus cinctipennis Randall 



Figure 84 

 Cryptocephalus cinctipennis Randall, 1838, p. 45. 



Pronotum: Color similar to v. venustus but with light markings more 

 frequently absent; punctation as in v. venustus. 



Elytra: Disk dark red to (usually) black; margmal interval and 

 often adjacent interval in part creamy yellow, usually to apex, but 

 sometimes only at side; disk sometimes more or less yellowish at 

 base and/or near scutellum; punctation as in v. venustus. 



Prosternum : as in v. venustus. 



Length. — 4.1 to 5.2 mm. 



