-56- 



Notes on Apion, with Description of a New Species. 

 By John B. Smith. 



In the Trans. Am. Ent. Soc, XI, 41-68, I gave a synopsis of the 

 North American ApionincB. In the genus Apion, I based my first section of 

 the genus on the presence of a distinct tubercle on the inner side of the 

 anterior femora, and found four species so distinguished, agreeing also 

 in the elongate cylindrical thorax and generally graceful form. The 

 second section contained a much greater number of species, many of 

 which agreed in general form with those of section I. Collections made 

 by Mr. Ulke make it certain that the femoral tubercle is a male character, 

 and that all of the species of the first section are males of some of the 

 .second. I have no excuses to make for my mistake in describing the 

 two sexes under different names. Nothing was known of such a sec- 

 ondary sexual structure in the genus, and I am not the only one that 

 has made a similar blunder. As near as it is possible to make out now 

 the synonymy is as follows : 



A. erraticum Sm. (^ — A. estriatum Sm. 9- 

 A. obsoletum Sm. (^ — ^. ovale Sm. 9- 

 A. erythrocerum Sm. (^ = A. cribricolle Tec. 9- 

 Leconte's name has priority. 



A. robustum Sm. (^ = A. obesum Sm. 9- 



Except in the case of cribricolle where Dr. Lecontes previously de- 

 scribed species displaces my name, I have retained the name proposed 

 for the males. Large collections seen and received since the publication 

 of the synopsis have discovered several new species, and have also dis- 

 closed an unexpected amount of variation which may interfere somewhat 

 with the scheme proposed by me. It is likely that other sexual characters 

 w^ill be discovered which will afford a sounder basis for a division of the 

 genus. One prominent form is new and merits description. 

 A. lividum n. sp. 



Belongs to group ventricosiint of Section IV and nearest in form to turlniUiituni 

 Smith. Color, a uniform rather pale red brown, differing thus, at once not only from 

 all the species of the group, but from all others in the genus. The head is punctured 

 between the eyes ; the latter black, distinct, but hardly prominent ; rostrum some- 

 what dilated near base. Thorax closely and distinctly punctured ; a larger linear 

 fovea at base, sides slightly arcuate. Elytra deeply striate, the strire distinctly and 

 deeply punctured, intervals narrow, convex, smooth. — Length i mm. — Hab. Florida. 



Two specimens in my own collection, several with jMr. Ulke. There 

 will be no diflficulty in recognizing this species, as it is unique in the genus. 



Collectors would do a great deal to aid in straightening out this famih- 

 if they would carefully mount all specimens taken in copula on the same 

 pin, and note the fact that they were so taken. This, systematically done, 

 would often save such blunders and avoid a cumbrous synonomy. 



