116 Journal New York Entomological Society. [Voi. \ ii. 



there is a second sujiplementary segment in that sex. Although se\en 

 segments can thus be counted in the males and six in the females, 

 there is no difficulty whatever in perceiving that the true abdominal 

 segments terminate, as in all other tribes, with the fifth, and that the 

 one or two additional are i)arts of the genital armiture, and what 

 might be termed pseudo-.segments. 



In the Hyperaspini, the fourth joint of the maxillary palpi is al- 

 ways strongly securiform, the eyes well developed and very finely 

 faceted, the antennte short and ii -jointed, and the legs rather short 

 and stout, with the anterior tibias modified according to the genus. 

 The anterior coxk are narrowly or moderately .separated, and the 

 prosternum flat. The metacoxal plates are largely developed, at- 

 taining the first suture or very nearly, and frequently extend along 

 the latter for some distance, then curved strongly forward but appar- 

 ently never (juite attaining the base externally. The genera are few in 

 number, and those before me may be readily separated as follows: — 



Epipleume foveate for the tips of the hind femora 2 



Epipleuni; completely devoid of fovere, narrow and Hat 4 



2 — Eyes with a small anterior emargination ; anterior tibi;v not dilated beyond the 

 middle but with an acute external edge, spinose externally at about basal two- 

 fifths, without external apical plate but with an oblique double edge from the 

 spine to the apex ; tarsal claws with a large internal, pointed or subquadrate tooth 

 at base ; body very convex ; epipleurae very narrow, more or less horizontal ; or- 

 namentation well defined ; prosternum not bicarinate ... Brachyacatllha 



Eyes entire ; anterior tibice with an external plate delimited by an oblique cariniform 

 line at apex ; epipleurte narrow but generally slightly descending externally; pro- 

 sternum bicarinate between the coxae ; anterior tibii^ not spinose 3 



3 — Anterior tibiic slender, the apical plate never more than feebly oblique toward the 

 tip ; claws with an internal quadrate tooth at base which is slightly variable in 

 size ; upper surface with clearly defined ornamentation \_Cleolhcra Muls., Oxyuy. 

 chtis Lee] Hyperaspis 



Anterior tibia- thickened externally, especially beyond the middle, the apical plate 

 very obli(|ue toward the ti]) ; claws simple, arcuate and slender ; body with suf- 

 fused coloration Helesius 



4 — Anterior femora slender, without an apical external plate ; tarsal claws simple, arcu- 

 ate and slender; prosteinum feebly bicarinate; ornamentation generally well 

 defined hyperaspidius 



All of these genera, except Helesius, which is Sonoran, are widely 

 distributed throughout the United States. 



Brachyacantha CJier. 

 Next to Hyperaspis, this is the most abundant genus of the tribe. 



