i8r3.j 53 



DESCEIPTIOXS OF THREE NEW SPECIES OF WATER-BEETLES 

 FROM CENTRAL AMERICA. 



BY D. SHARP, M.B. 



Among some water-beetles recently submitted to me by Mr. Belt 

 for examination, I find the tbree following species, wbich are, I 

 consider undescribed hitberto. There are also, among the other species 

 in Mr. Belt's little collection, several specimens which probably belong 

 to species still undescribed ; and there are no doubt very many others 

 yet to come from the prolific region of South America. 



LACCOPniLUS APICALIS, 11. sj). 



Oval is, testaceus, elytris fitscis, a pice late, basi laierihuisque minus 

 discrete, 2)allide-signatis ; abdomine oblique striffoso. Long. 2 — 2\ Un. 



Mas: tarsis quatuor anticis dilatatis, j^ulvillis elongatis ; coxis 

 posterioribus {apicem versus 7nedio) strigis consjjicuis. 



Fern : tarsis sinipUcibus, strigis coxalihus multo suhtilioribus. 



About the size of the Em'opeau i. oSscjuvw (Schaiim) , bvit broader in proportion 

 to its length. Head, with the antennae and palpi entirely pale yellow. Thorax 

 entirely pale yellow, but appearing dark at the base (to a variable extent), in con- 

 sequence of the dark colour of the parts to which it is applied being visible through 

 it, the base in the middle much produced and pointed. The elytra are of a smoky 

 or fiiscous colour, the extremity abruptly pallid, and the basal jjortions are also 

 mixed with the pale coloiu" ; at the sides, an irregular narrow pale mark extends from 

 the shoulder nearly half way to the extrenuty, this mark extending somewhat in- 

 wards at its termination; thewhole of the upper surface is free from punctuation, but is 

 extremely finely reticulate or coriaceous. The under-side is yellowish, the hind-body 

 sculptm-ed with widely separated oblique fine striae. The legs are yellow ; the hind 

 tarsi broad. 



Four specimens from Chontales have been communicated to me 

 by IN'Ir. Belt, two of which are males. The females shew a very 

 remarkable pecviliarity, joints 3 — 10 of their antennae having each 

 at their extremity a kind of thickening on the inner side ; on ex- 

 amination with a high power of the microscope, this appears to me 

 as if it were a secretion or excretion from the extremity of each joint. 

 The males shew no trace of this. 



COPELATUS SIOIfATUS, 11. sp. 



Ovalis, supra niger, capite prothoracisque Interibus rufescentihas, 

 ehjtr is fascia basali,plagd lateral i, ma cula que apical i frstaceis; prothorace 

 striis abbreviatis adsperso, elytris striis undecim ufrinqiie impressis ; 

 subtus piceo, prosterno antennis pedihasque rufis ; coxis posterioribus 

 abdomineque externe strigatis. Long. 3^ lin. 



Mas : tarsis quatuor r/nticis articali.t frihis basalibits dilatatis. 



