Casey — A Revision of the American Paederini. 79 



of the head, prothorax and elytra, radically in the sexual 

 characters, and, to an unexpected degree, in the form of the 

 gular sutures. 



Abletobium n. gen. 



This genus is founded upon a rather small species, having 

 some characters which ally it rather closely with Apteralium. 

 The short elytra are flat and appear to be very closely joined 

 along the suture, as though it also might be apterous, but the 

 basal angles are more distinctly defined, although slightly 

 rounded. In its large head it also reminds us of the preced- 

 ing genus and the very small eyes are perhaps suggestive of 

 GJyptomerus. The type and only known species may be 

 described as follows from the male : — 



Form parallel, moderately convex, the elytra depressed, uniform pale testa- 

 ceous in color throughout the body, legs and antennae and shining in 

 lustre; head large, very much wider than the prothorax or elytra, the 

 sides behind the very small anterior eyes parallel and broadly, evenly 

 arcuate, the basal angles very broadly rounded, the base becoming 

 transverse along the neck; antennae rather long, though somewhat 

 shorter than the head and prothorax, thick and filiform, the joints ob- 

 conic, the basal joint moderately stout; prothorax rather narrow and 

 distinctly elongate, the sides feebly but evidently converging from the 

 distinct, though evenly rounded, apical angles to the similarly rounded 

 basal angles and straight, the punctures similar to those of the head, 

 rather small but distinct, moderately sparse and irregularly disposed, 

 the smooth median line not defined by series; elytra as long as wide, 

 distinctly shorter and wider than the prothorax, the sides evidently 

 diverging from the very narrowely rounded basal angles and straight 

 the punctures not very fine but feeble, sparse and confusedly arranged; 

 abdomen parallel, fully as wide as the elytra, rather shining, the punc- 

 tures very fine, somewhat close-set but not dense; dorsal segments 

 not transversely impressed at base; legs rather long and slender. Male 

 with simple secondary sexual characters, the surface of the fifth and 

 sixth segments wholly unmodified, the apex of the sixth with a large 

 rounded sinus in median half, the sinus about four times as wide as 

 deep. Length 5.8 mm.; width 0.85 mm. Massachusetts, — Mr. F. 

 Blanchard pallescensn. sp. (Fvl. MS.) 



I do not have the female before me at present, but it prob- 

 ably does not differ materially in general form. The pale 

 color of the type may be partially due to immaturity. 



