37 



Pectus -with the mesosternum (PI. I., B, fig. 2, d) large ; episterna humeral, long 

 and narrow ; cpimera long, extending to the coxal cavities ; coxal cavities 

 large, rounded, and rather widel}' distant. 

 metasternum (PI. I., B, fig. *2, g) large, not reaching to the sides of the body, 

 with the posterior margin between the coxje straight ; episterna long and 

 broad, as long as the metasternum ; cpimcrn narrow, entirely concealed by the 

 epipleural folds of the elytra. 

 Venter composed of six segments, 1 very large, as long as the metasternum, 

 depressed at the sides to receive the femora ; 2-6 short, equal to each other in 

 length, apical segment entire, obtuse. 

 Legs anterior with the trochanters small, trigonal ; femora long, broad and flat- 

 tened ; tibiiE shorter than the femora, much dilated before the apex, simple ; 

 tarsi short and robust, four-jointed, 1-3 nearly equal in size ; 4 elongate and 

 slender ; claws slender and moderately curved. 

 intermediate like the anterior, but rather longer. 



posterior with the trochanters moderate, trigonal, with the apical angle produced; 

 femora very long and robust ; tibise long and simple, dilated before the apex ; 

 tarsi like the intermediate. 

 Coxce anterior ovate, scarcely prominent, rather distant. 

 intermediate rounded and more distant. 



posterior rather small, pyriform, moderately remote, not extending to the sides of 

 the body. 



In outward appearance both this genus and Conodes bear much resemblance to 

 the Cryptophagid(e, but the resemblance is merely superficial, and does not extend 

 to any anatomical structure. Ectinocephalus differs from most of the Coriilophidce 

 in the mesosternal epimera, which extend to the coxal cavities, and from all in the 

 shape of its head. The head is wholly prominent, and is fitted to the anterior 

 margin of the pronotum by an occipital ridge, after the manner of the Cholevina. 



Ectinocephalus tropicus. 



E. tropicus, Matthews, Biol. Cent.-Amer. Col. ii. pt. i. p. 106, 1887. 



L. c. \% lin. = 1*25 mm. — Obconicus, modice convexus, nitidus, rufo-testaceus, 

 pilis brevibus aureis parce vestitus ; capite prominenti, parvo ; oculis magnis, 

 prominentibus ; pronoto modico, antice semicireulariter rotundato, margine an- 

 teriori integra, et leviter reflexa, minute et confertim tuberculato, sive alutaceo, 

 linea transversa prope basim impresso, margine basali fere recta, angulis fere rectis; 

 elytris capite atque pronoto parum latioribus et fere duplo longioribus, prope 

 humeros latissimis, postice attenuatis, profunde punctatis, interstitiis nitidis, stria 

 suturali profunde impressa, lateribus late marginatis, apicibus rotundatis ; pygidio 

 exserto ; pedibus atque antennis robustis, flavis. 



Body obconic, moderately convex, shining, rufo-testaceous, sparingly clothed with 



short golden hair. 

 Head small, prominent ; eyes large, prominent ; antennse robust, yellow. 

 Thorax moderate, circularly rounded in front, anterior margin entire and slightly 



reflexed, minutely and closely tuberculate, or alutaceous, with a transverse 



line near the base, basal margin nearly straight, with the angles nearly right 



angles. 

 Scutellum large and broad, rounded. 

 Elytra rather broader, and nearly twice longer than the head and throax, widest 



near the shoulders, attenuated posteriorly, very deeply punctured, with the 



interstices shining, sutural stria deep, sides broadly margined, extremities 



rounded. 



