442 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. i04 



Psammodius placidus (Schmidt) 



Psammobius placidus Schmidt, Stettiner Ent. Zeit., vol. 72, pt. 1, p. 38, 1911. 



Oblong oval, moderately shining, dark castaneus. Antennae 

 rufotestaceous. Head convex, verrucose, the tubercles comparatively 

 small, separated by about their diameter, much finer anteriorly at 

 middle, occiput with a few, scattered, coarse punctures. Clypeus 

 finely margined, weakly dentate each side of broad, shallow, triangular 

 emargination, sides arcuate, genae fimbriate. Pronotum not nar- 

 rower in front, width 1.5 mm., length 1.05 mm., sides and base fim- 

 briate with fine, simple, hairlike setae, finely, not noticeably crenate, 

 basal marginal line distinct, surface, except for lateral, smooth, convex 

 area beyond fovea, with intermixed very fine and very coarse punc- 

 tures, the latter mostly in the deep median line, in the wide depressed 

 area extending diagonally back each side from the lateral fovea, and 

 in a vaguely parallel group from the anterior angles to the middle. 

 Elytra widest about middle, width 1.80 mm., length 2.20 mm., sides 

 arcuate, evenly rounded to apex, not fimbriate, humeri dentate, base 

 margined; striae deep with deep, moderate punctures, intervals 

 smooth, strongly convex, ninth and tenth not different from others. 

 Metasternum smooth, shining, depressed at middle, median line short, 

 deep, abruptly terminated, anterior postcoxal line distinct, posterior 

 depressed area in front of posterior coxal plate short and indistinct. 

 Abdominal segments smooth, shining, a short, transverse row of very 

 moderate setigerous punctures each side, finely crenate along anterior 

 edge, the crenations wider and deeper on the terminal segment. 

 Pygidium finely alutaceous, a marginal row of moderate setigerous 

 punctures apically. Anterior marginal groove of anterior femurs 

 fine, indistinct, posterior face smooth. Middle and posterior femurs 

 with very short posterior marginal line visible only from rear, smooth 

 except for three or four setae in front and near posterior margin. 

 Posterior femurs only slightly wider than middle femurs. Apex of 

 hind tibia one-third as wide as length of tibia, the tibia noticeably 

 smxooth beyond the poorly developed across ridge slightly posterior to 

 middle of tibia, spurs narrow, the longer about equal in length to first 

 two tarsal joints combined, tarsus three-fourths as long as tibia, its 

 joints more elongate than triangular in shape. Length 3.6 mm., 

 width 1.8 mm. 



Type: In Schmidt collection, Naturhistoriska Riksmuseum, Stock- 

 holm. 



Type locality: Argentina. 



Specimens examined: Holotype only. Collected "2-11-1905," 

 C. Bruch. 



Remarks: Psammodius placidus (Schmidt) superficially resembles 

 P. indefensus, but is readily separated from it by the clypeal teeth, 

 the setae continuing all the way across the base of pronotum, the 

 dentate humeri, the lack of marginal setae on the elytra, and the 

 very similar middle and hind legs. 



