CRYPTOCEPHALUS IN AMERICA NORTH OF MEXICO 99 



eighth interval (often expanded or reduced, rarely absent), at apex of 

 fourth interval (often expanded to reduced or absent). 8triao and 

 punctures essentially as v. venustus but less frequently with confused 

 or reduced rows. 



Prosternum: Anterior margin in female as that of v. venustus; male 

 not recognized (likely as in male of v. venustus). 



Length: 4.8 to 6.0 mm. 



Discussion.— All 43 individuals on hand are females. I believe that 

 the males of this subspecies are mixed with specimens determined as 

 V. venustus and that they are nearly or quite indistinguishable from 

 V. venustus externally. Because of this, the description is based upon 

 the female, and only this sex runs tlirough the key. 



Distribution. — There are 43 specimens in the USNM collec- 

 tion, and they are from Manitoba, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, 

 Indiana, Iowa, Missom-i, Kansas, Colorado, and Texas. Blatchley 

 (1924, p. 53) recorded this subspecies from Florida. 



Cryptocephalus venustus simplex Haldetnan 



FlQtJBE 88 



Cryptocephalus simpleo! Haldeman, 1849, p. 249. 



Pronotum: Color much as in v. venustus, but basal markings more 

 frequently absent; punctation as in v. venustus. 



Elytra: Creamy yellow to (usually) light orange; female with only a 

 black spot on humerus, infrequently with vague indications of vittae 

 located as in v. venustus; male with dark vittae as in typical v. venustus. 

 Striae as in v. venustus, but less frequently with reduced or confused 

 rows. 



Prosternum: Anterior margin as in v. venustus. 



Length: 4.1 to 5.8 mm. 



Discussion. — All but one of the 71 specimens on hand are fe- 

 males. The single male is one of an associated couple collected in copula; 

 it is identical externally as far as I have been able to determine ^^•ith 

 a male of v. venustus also associated m copula \vith a female of that sub- 

 species. As with V. ornatulus, I believe that the remaining males of this 

 subspecies are mixed \dth specimens determined as v. venustus. The 

 male of v. simplex represents the lower range of the extremes in length 

 for this subspecies. 



Distribution. — The series of 71 specimens in the U.S. National 

 Museum are from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New 

 Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, 

 and Minnesota. Douglass (1924, p. 8) recorded this subspecies from 

 Kansas. 



