AMERICAN COMPONENTS OF THE TENTYRIIN^ 461 



eyes, which are transverse, approximate above and largely con- 

 cealed in repose and the deep transverse asexual fossa of the 

 last ventral segment just mentioned. The genera known to me 

 may be readily distinguished as follows : — 



Elytra abruptly inflexed at the sides, the inflexed sides more or less 

 nearly flat and having the aspect of true epipleurae ; prosternum 

 between the coxa forming a broad flat and medially canaliculate 

 plate, prominent at the sides behind the coxse ; mentum lobed at 

 each side at apex, the intermediate part of the apex transversely 

 swollen ; antennal fossas not enlarged or posteriorly angulate at 

 tip ; body but feebly constricted at the waist. [Type Zopherus 

 chilensis Gray] *Megazopherus 



Elytra not abruptly and less widely inflexed at the sides ; prosternum 

 longitudinally convex between the coxce, not prominent at the 

 sides; body strongly constricted at the waist, more convex 2 



2 — Antennal fossae posteriorly angulate at the tip; mentum flat, 



broadly, feebly sinuate at apex ; scutellum wholly obsolete ; elytra 

 each with a large rounded tubercle near the apex and sometimes 

 with another smaller one nearer the apical angle; body always 

 pale with black mottling. [Type Z. mexicanus Gray]. 



Zopherus 



Antennal fossie not posteriorly angulate at tip ; mentum more uneven, 

 frequently bi-impressed, broadly sinuate at apex, with an elevated 

 transverse ridge along the margin ; scutellum minute, triangular. .3 



3 — Elytra each with a large rounded flattened discal tubercle near 



the apical angle as in Zopherus^ very coarsely tuberculose, the 

 coloration black, generally with pale venose coloration at the 

 sides and sometimes throughout. [Type Z. limbatus Csy.]. 



*Zopherinus 



Elytra without the rounded subapical tubercles of the two preceding 

 genera, each having a short oblique ridge at apex and impressed 

 along the suture thence anteriorly for a short distance, the ridge 

 differing greatly in form from the tubercle of the preceding 

 genera ; surface more or less finely tuberculose throughout, the 

 tubercles frequently obsolete; color of the body invariably deep 

 black without paler ornamentation. [Type Zopherus tristis 

 Lee . ] Zopherodes 



Each of these genera has a distinct habitus of its own, admit- 

 ting of instant recognition and there can be no doubt of their 

 reality. Megazopherus Csy., is Central American, extending 

 to the northern part of South America and Zofhcrus, Mexican 

 and Central American, one species occurring in southern Texas ; 

 Zopherinus Csy., has very much the same range though much 

 less numerous in species. Zopherodes is purely Sonoran. 



