116 Journal New York Entomological Society. [Vol. vii. 



there is a second supplementary segment in that sex. Although seven 

 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 parts 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 antennae short and n -jointed, and the legs rather short 

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

 The anterior coxae are narrowly or moderately separated, and the 

 presternum 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 quite attaining the base externally. The genera are few in 

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



Epipleurae foveate for the tips of the hind femora 2 



Epipleurae completely devoid of foveae, narrow and flat 4 



2 — Eyes with a small anterior emargination ; anterior tibiae 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 verj' narrow, more or less horizontal ; or- 

 namentation well defined ; presternum not bicarinate Brachyacani ha 



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

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

 sternum bicarinate between the coxa: ; anterior tibiae not spinose 3 



3 — Anterior tibiae 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 \_Cleothera Muls., Oxyny. 

 chits Lee] Hyperaspis 



Anterior tibiae thickened externally, especially beyond the middle, the apical plate 

 very oblique toward the tip ; 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 ; presternum feebly bicarinate; ornamentation generally well 

 defined My peraspidius 



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

 distributed throughout the United States. 



Brachyacantha Chev. 

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



