AMERICAN COMPONENTS OF THE TENTYRIIN^ 5O9 



to Anej)sius being possibly somewhat similar to that of JEpi- 

 tragus to the Gnathosiini, as far as habits are concerned, Anep- 

 stus being wingless and epigeal. 



Nyctoporis Esch. 

 This genus constitutes a type widely isolated in this part of the 

 Tenebrionid series, by reason of the long dense hairs clothing 

 the tarsi beneath, and, although much larger than Anepsins and 

 presenting a very different appearance, owing to its dense and 

 very coarsely sculptured integuments and costate elytra, a 

 closer analysis seems tQ show that these conspicuous costae are 

 merely an extreme development of the regular series of short 

 carinas so prevalent in that genus. For Nyctoporis a distinct 

 tribe is necessary, the N3^ctoporini ; it contains rather numerous 

 species, confined, as far as known, to the true Pacific coast fauna 

 of California and those in my cabinet may be separated by the 

 following characters : — 



Pronotum with two rounded discal impressions arranged transversely ; 

 head medially carinate ; elytral ridges alternating very slightly in 



prominence 3 



Pronotum without the discal impressions 5 



2 — Elytral suture margined at each side by a regular series of small 



elongate tubercles 3 



Elytral suture without the marginal series of tubercles 4 



3 — Body rather stout, parallel, convex, brownish-black, slightly shin- 

 ing ; head very coarsely, confluently f oveate, less coarsely so an- 

 teriorly, the frontal margin nearly as in Batuliodes^ the lateral 

 lobes of the clypeus small but angularly prominent anteriorly ; 

 antennas with the third joint a little shorter than the fourth ; pro- 

 thorax somewhat wider than long, much wider than the head, 

 widest before the middle, the sides rounded, more converging 

 basally than apically, the basal angles prominent, the apex sinuate, 

 with the angles obtusely rounded ; surface with very coarse deep 

 and crowded or subconfluent foveje, the lateral edges rather 

 broadly and strongly reflexed ; scutellum transverse, well devel- 

 oped, nearly as in Vacromis ; elytra varying from a little more 

 than one-half to about three-fourths longer than wide, evidently 

 wider than the prothorax and two and one-half times as long, 

 rather abruptly, very obtusely rounded behind, with the individual 

 apical angles slightly prominent and divaricate, the sides parallel 

 and feebly arcuate to tlie obtusely angulate and slightly prominent 

 humeri, which are very narrowly exposed at base beyond the 

 thoracic angles, the series of short and strongly elevated carinas 



