H. F. WICKHAM. 165 



A Review of the Species of TAKARTHROPSIS Casey. 



BY H. F. WICKHAM, IOWA CITY, IOWA. 



The genus Tanarthnis was established in 1851, by Dr. J. L. 

 LeConte, upon T. salinns, an Anthicid from the salt basins of the 

 Colorado desert. Its peculiar habits were alluded to at the time of 

 description, the flight being likened to that of Bembiclium, though 

 in his later "Synopsis of the Anthicites," Dr. LeConte says "it runs 

 very actively and frequently takes flight like Cicindela or Bembid- 

 ium." Next year, another insect, Anthicus alutaceus Lee, was 

 removed to the genus, and in 1875 T. salicola was described by the 

 same author. Thus the matter stood until 1895, when Major Casey 

 revised the Anthicidse. He proposed the subdivision of the genus, 

 using the name Tanarthrus (in subgeneric sense) for salinns alone, 

 creating the subgenus Tanarthropsis for the smaller forms, ahdaceiis, 

 salicola and four others which he proceeds to describe. Recently, by 

 letter, he has suggested that Tanarthropsis be raised to generic 

 rank, on the basis of the antennal structures elaborated in his Revi- 

 sion referred to above — and in deference to his opinion I have here 

 adopted that view. 



All of the species of Tanarthropsis are small, seldom exceeding a 

 length of 3 mm. In build they are very similar, all rather narrow, 

 more or less depressed, the elytra generally subtruncate, exposing 

 the pygidium wholly or in part. The coloration is simple, the body 

 being usually rufous or testaceous, the abdomen and postpectoral 

 regions frequently blackish, the elytra pale, more or less yellowish, 

 with a post-median dark band, wliich may be expanded along the 

 sides. In a few instances the dark color of the elytra predominates, 

 while T. alutaceus is wholly blackish. The peculiar elytral sculp- 

 ture has been well described by Major Casey. On these parts of 

 the body, the surface is finely reticulate and minutely densely punc- 

 tate, and frequently, in addition, we find a set of larger craterform 

 or areolate punctures, scattered among the smaller ones, better de- 

 veloped in some species than in others, and giving the insect a 

 striking appearance under sufficient magnification. Upon this 

 sculpture. Major Casey divided the species of Tanarthropsis into two 

 series, using the presence or absence of these craterform punctures 



TBANS. AM. ENT. SOC. XXXII. JUNE, 190G. 



