JOURNAL 



TDpfo JBorh Qnfomologiral Horipfg, 



Vol. XIII. MARCH, 1905. No. 1 



Class I, HEXAPODA. 



Order II, COLEOPTERA. 

 THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF COTALPA. 



By H. F. Wickham, 



Iowa City, Iowa. 



Six species of Cotalpa haYe thus far been described from the United 

 States, and two from Central America. None are known to occur 

 south of Guatemala, nor does the genus appear in the Old World. 

 Our species have been described at divers times, and while the genus 

 has been tabulated twice by Dr. Horn, neither of his synopses is com- 

 plete as to species and the discovery of a seventh form seems to indi- 

 cate that a new table would not be out of place. 



It will be noticed that our species divide readily into two series, 

 according to the punctuation of the pronotum and the presence or ab- 

 sence of long hair on the upper surface of the body. This offers a con- 

 venient and apparently natural basis for primary division, much more 

 readily appreciable than the structure of the mandibles and of the 

 mentum, though these points are extremely useful in separating the 

 species in later analysis. In fact, the species of Cotalpa are more 

 easily recognized by direct comparison than by description, the dif- 

 ferences in form being difficult of exact verbal diagnosis. The fol- 

 lowing scheme will serve for their recognition. 



A. Prothorax finely punctured, body above not hairy. 



b. Head, pronotum and scutellum distinctly metallic, under surface and legs also 

 with metallic reflections. Elytra yellowish. 



c. Form more elongate. Outer edge of mandible nearly straight, inner 

 apical angle with broad detlexed tooth, .8c-. 90 in. consobrina Horn. 



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