Amazonian Prionides. 55 



The nearly coalescent two terminal joints of the antennaa 

 will distinguish the male of this from the three preceding 

 species^ as well as the much more deeply and roughly 

 punctured femora and tibiae; the other characters, and 

 the colour, I think, may be more variable. The female 

 is distinguished from all by its great width of body, and 

 coarsely punctured femora and tibise. It differs greatly 

 from F, noclieornis in general form of body, and in the 

 prominent dentiform hind angles of the thorax. The 

 two terminal joints of the antennfe are blended into one 

 in both species, without trace of separation, but the joint 

 thus formed is short and ovate in P. noclieornis, and 

 very elongate in P. dispar. 



I have seen one pair only of this species, taken by 

 Mr. J. Hauxwell, at Pebas, on the Amazons. 



In this group of Pyrodes, the scutellum seems to afford 

 no reliable specific characters, as it varies in shape and 

 sculpture in specimens undoubtedly belonging to the 

 same species ; the form is nearly as in the common P. 

 speciosus, but its apex is more prolonged. In all the 

 species where the hind angles of the thorax are produced, 

 the lower margin is also dentiform, giving an appearance 

 of two teeth at the angle, one above the other. The 

 margin of the thorax anterior to the lateral spine, in all 

 the species, is irregularly and variably denticulate. 

 The general form and colours of the hifasciatus group 

 are so variable, that if future discoveries prove the ter- 

 minal joints of the antennae to be variable, the whole will 

 constitute one variable species, remarkable for its incon- 

 stancy in structural characters.* 



* The genus Fyrodes, after withdrawing P. pidus (Perty) which having 

 the sides of the scuteUum pubescent is better placed in Mallaspis, and 

 P. columhinus (Guer.) which belongs to the genus Esmeralda, contains the 

 following species : 1. P. pii,l cherrimus (ut supra). 2. P. formosus. 3. 

 P. tenuicornis, White, $ ($ =:))iargma.iits, White, Catal.p.49, <J =:angusti- 

 collis, Lucas, Voy. de Casteln., p. 179, pi. 11. f. 1; the description leaves 

 no doubt whatever of this synon;^Tn, and the locality given by Lucas must 

 be erroneous) . 4. P. Smithianus, White. 5. P. speciosus, Oliv. 6. P.wneus, 

 Buq., Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1860, p. 618. 7. P. hifasciatus, L., Oliv. 8. P. 

 nigricomis, Guer. {ruhrozonatus, Lucas). 9. P. gratiosus. 10. P. nocli- 

 eornis. 11. P. dispar. There remains only one undescribed species in 

 all the extensive collections of Longicorns which I have examined in Lon- 

 don; this is a fine one from New Granada, represented by a single female 

 example, in Mr. Frj''s possession, derived from the Dejean-Laferte Col- 

 lection. 



