AMERICAN COMPONENTS OF THE TENTYRIIN/E 461 



eyes, which are transverse, approximate above and largely con- 

 cealed in repose and the deep transverse asexual fossa of the 

 last ventral segment just mentioned. The genera known to me 

 ma}'^ be readily distinguished as follows : — 



Elytra abruptly inflexed at the sides, tlie inflexcd sides more or less 

 nearly flat and having the aspect of true epipleuric ; prosternum 

 between the coxai forming a broad flat and medially canaliculate 

 plate, prominent at the sides behind the coxa; ; mcntum lobed at 

 each side at apex, the intermediate part of the apex transversely 

 swollen ; antennal fossie not enlarged or posteriorly angulate at 

 tip; body but feebly constricted at the waist. [Type Zopherus 

 chilensis Gray] *Megazopherus 



Elytra not abruptly and less widely inflexed at the sides ; prosternum 

 longitudinally convex between the coxa3, not prominent at the 

 sides; body strongly constricted at the waist, more convex 2 



2 — Antennal fossEe posteriorly angulate at the tip; mentum flat, 



broadly, feebly sinuate at apex ; scutellum wholly obsolete ; elytra 

 each with a large rounded tubercle near the apex and sometimes 

 with another smaller one nearer the apical angle; body always 

 pale with black mottling. [Type Z. mexicanus Gray]. 



Zopherus 



Antennal fossae not posteriorly angulate at tip ; mentum more uneven, 



frequently bi-impressed, broadly sinuate at apex, with an elevated 



transverse ridge along the margin ; scutellum minute, triangular.. 3 



3 — Elytra each with a large rounded flattened discal tubercle near 



the apical angle as in Zopherus^ very coarsely tuberculose, the 

 coloration black, generally with pale venose coloration at the 

 sides and sometimes throughout. [Type Z. limbatus Csy.]. 



*Zopherinus 



Elytra without the rounded subapical tubercles of the two preceding 

 genera, each having a short oblique ridge at apex and impressed 

 along the suture thence anteriorly for a short distance, the ridge 

 differing greatly in form from the tubercle of the preceding 

 genera ; surface more or less finely tuberculose throughout, the 

 tubercles frequently obsolete; color of the body invariably deep 

 black without paler ornamentation. [Type Zopherus tristis 

 Lee. ] '. Zopherodes 



Each of these genera has a distinct habitus of its own, admit- 

 ting of instant recognition and there can be no doubt of their 

 reality. Megazo^herus Csy., is Central American, extending 

 to the northern part of South America and Zopherus, Mexican 

 and Central American, one species occurring in southern Texas ; 

 Zophermus Csy., has very much the same range though much 

 less numerous in species. Zopherodes is purely Sonoran. 



