214 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM Vou. 113 
Houtotyre: Male, USNM 65404 
Type Locauity: Contra Costa Co., California. Type collected 
October 25, 1911, by Frank E. Blaisdell. 
Paratypss: 1 female, Contra Costa Co., Calif., Oct. 11, 1911, F. E. 
Blaisdell (CU); 2 males, 2 females, Vine Hill, Contra Costa Co., Calif., 
July 1912, F. E. Blaisdell (CAS); 1 female, Vine Hill, Contra Costa 
Co., Calif., Nov. 25, 1910, F. E. Blaisdell (CAS); 14 males, 9 females, 
Woodland, Calif., May 13, 1933, E. C. Zimmerman (USNM). 
Brotoay: No host-plant data or other biological information on 
this species is presently available. 
Discussion: Smicronyx obscurus bears a strong resemblance to 
S. cinereus Motschulsky and to S. tardus Dietz in body form, size, 
prothoracic punctation, and male genitalia, but may be distinguished 
from the latter two species by its rostrum, which is less curved and 
is longer before the antennal insertions than in S. cinereus and S. 
tardus. The spiculum ventrale of the female of S. obscurus is dis- 
tinctive in having arms which are more elongate and less strongly 
elbowed than the arms of that structure in the other species of 
the cinereus group (compare figs. 103-104). 
The results of some F comparisons between S. obscurus and S. 
cinereus Motschulsky are given below; n=10 in all samples. A 
single asterisk indicates an F value significant at the 5 percent level; 
a double asterisk indicates an F value significant at the 1 percent 
level: 
F values 
‘Males ——~S«<«@ dB 
Body length 1 30** 5. 01* 
Elytra length 10S 37 += 6. 05* 
Elytra width at base 10. 81** 7. 16* 
Prothorax length 1. 36 1. 65 
Prothorax width 8. 28% 6. 46* 
Rostrum length 0. 73 2. 45 
Rostrum length before anten- 8. O7* 16. 80** 
nal insertion 
DistTrRiIBuTION: Present locality records indicate that this species 
is to be found in the Pacific mountain system in California and 
Oregon, primarily in valley regions. The specimens examined are as 
foliows: 
CALIFORNIA: CONTRA CosTA Co.: Oct. 25 (CU), Vine Hill, July, Nov. 25 (CAS). 
MENDOCINO co.: Willits, May 24 (CAS). MoNTEREY co.: Pacific Grove, Sept. 12 
(CAS). SACRAMENTO co.: Sacramento, June 2(USNM). roto co.: Woodland, 
May 11, 13, 19, June 1 (USNM). 
OREGON: BENTON Co.: Corvallis, July 9 (USNM). Morrow co.: Willamette 
Valley, Feb. 5 (USNM). 
Total specimens examined: 72. 
