CERAMBYCIDAE. 323 



Tribe XIV.— DIS TKMIM. 



This tribe, represented only by Distenia undata in our fauna, 

 exhibits so many peculiarities that it may well be viewed as a 

 survivor of the synthetic types of former times. The combina- 

 tion of the form of eyes of Prionidas, with the ligula of the same 

 sub-family, large globose front coxae (as in Achryson), long, 

 slender antenna? ; spinose prothorax and elytra (as in many 

 Cerambycoides), a divided stridulating organ (as in Leptu- 

 roides), with a peculiar form of mandibles, not known to me 

 otherwise in the whole family, is very remarkable. The form 

 of body and general appearance is intermediate between a slen- 

 der Cerambycoid and a Lepturoid. Lacordaire has very pro- 

 perly given to this type, as the 3d division of the true Ceram- 

 bycidae, the greatest prominence it could have in his system. 



Body elongate, head large, horizontal ; eyes transverse, large, 

 rather coarsely granulated, feebly emarginate, not embracing the 

 base of the antennae ; neck moderately constricted; front very 

 short, suddenly declivous between the antennas, epistoma large, 

 quadrate, horizontal, labrum large, broader than long. Antennae 

 long, setaceous, 1st joint as long as the head, comparatively 

 slender, 2d joint small, but with its condyle very much protrud- 

 ing from the 1st joint; following joints equal in length, pubes- 

 cent, not sericeous, without distinct sensitive spaces, fringed 

 beneath with long, fine, close lying hairs, which extend far 

 beyond the end of each joint, from the 4th to the 10th. Palpi 

 very unequal, maxillary with the last joint elongate triangular, 

 rounded at tip, not impressed, labial shorter, last joint thick, 

 rounded triangular. Ligula large, corneous, feebly emarginate in 

 front, supports of palpi small, widely distant. Mandibles thick, 

 curved, chisel-shaped at tip, apical edge vertical, sharp, straight. 

 Prothorax with dorsal elevations, and acute lateral spine, con- 

 stricted near apex and base, which are truncate. Scutellum 

 rounded behind, mesonotum with large stridulating plate, divided 

 by a smooth dorsal stripe. Elytra wider in front, gradually 

 narrowed from the humeral angles, bispinose at tip. Prosternum 

 very narrow between the coxae, which are very large, globose, 

 and prominent, cavities widely open behind, not at all angulated 

 externally. Mesosternum rather wide, parallel, emarginate be- 

 hind, coxa! cavities narrowly angulated externally, but closed by 



