210 THE GENERA AND SPECIES OF AMYCTERID.E, 



Genus TALAURINUS. 



Antennce validas, scapo apice incrassato. 



Bostrwn plerumque capite augustius et longius, supra excava- 



tum oblique bicarinatum gula incrassata. 

 Thorax oblongus lafceribus rarius ainpliatus antice leviter loba- 



tus. 

 Abdomen subconvexum, masculi segmento ultimo ventrali valde 



excavato. 

 Ccqmt, mand'ihulce, oculi, pedes, Sfc, ut in Pscdidura. 



This genus includes a very large number of species of all grades 

 of transition between the last genus Psalidura and the following 

 one Sclcrorimis. 



The gradation is so nearly complete between one gi-oup and 

 another of the extensive sub-family of the Amycteridse, that it is 

 impossible to make what is usually called a good genus, which, I 

 take it, means simply an isolated group. 



Talaurinus differs from Pscdidura chiefly in the want of the 

 scissors-like anal appendage of the male, but it has certain anal 

 appendages, and has also the anal segment of the abdomen 

 largely scooped out. It differs also in the form of the rostrum, 

 which is generally in this genus longer, and rather narrower than 

 the head, with elevated sides, excavated middle, and two oblique 

 ridges nearly meeting behind. The antennae also are, for the 

 most part thicker, the scape having a very robust appearance. 

 The thorax also seldom presents the bulged out appearance so 

 common in Psalidura, and is never protruded over the head to 

 any great degree. 



The species of this genus are so numerous, that I propose for 

 simplification to divide them into five sections, viz. : Talaurini 

 granulati, ttiberculati, costati, foveati, and echinati, each named 

 from the character of the sculpture of their elytra. Tliis will be 

 found upon the whole, a very natural as well as a convenient 

 mode of subdivision. The 1st section, granulati, approaches 

 very near in some instances to Psalidura; the 2nd and 3rd, 

 tnherculati and costati, may be taken as the typical sections of the 

 genus, while the 4th and 5th, foveati and echinati, are the most 

 aberrant. 



