ART. 23 REVLSION OF THE BEETLE GENUS OEDIONYCHIS BLAKE 41 



A most striking characteristic holding throughout the series is the 

 apical pattern. In the pale forms there is a band at the apical fifth 

 with scalloped outline, the apex always pale. In typical obsidiana 

 this scalloped apical pattern is nearly always present. The yellow 

 variety appears to be a more southern and perhaps inland form, all 

 specimens examined occurring in Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, 

 Illinois, Arkansas, and Kansas. Typical black ohsidiwna occurs in 

 Florida, North Carolina, and Maryland, as well as westward to Ala- 

 bama and Arkansas. 



Specimens of the typical obsidiana have been collected near Balti- 

 more, Md., by W. A. Hoffman, feeding on Ilex verticillafa and 

 Euonymu.s ameHcamMS. W. D. Pierce collected the yellow variety on 

 Ilex opaca and oak. and R. A. Cushman collected it also on Yac- 

 cimium, virgatum . 



33. OEDIONYCHIS SCALARIS Melsheimer 



Figs. 42, 43. 44, 45 



Oedionychisi scalaris Melsheimer, Proc. Acad. Philadelphia, vol. 3, 1847, p. 163. 

 . OedionycM>s lohafa- LeConte, Col. Kans., 1859, p. 24. 

 Oedionychis scalaris Crotch, Pmc. Acad. Philadelphia, vol. 25, 1873, p. 63. — 

 HoRX. Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, vol. 16, 1889, p. 194. 



Broadly oblong-oval, feebly shining, yellow brown; elytra usually 

 three-banded, varying from lightly blotched or even subvittate with 

 only remnants of reddish brown bands to almost entirely piceous. 

 Antennae slender, about half length of body, third joint sometimes 

 slightly shorter than fourth, basal joints pale yellow, terminal darker. 

 Head faintly and finely punctate, usually a dark spot on occiput, 

 median groove distinct; eyes very large and closely set, interocular 

 space less than half, approaching one-third width of head. Prono- 

 tum nearly three times as wide as long, with broad, explanate margin, 

 arcuately narrowed anteriorly, very faintly and finely punctate; 

 usually immaculate, in darker forms indeterminate darker markings 

 on either side. Scutellum small, varying from yellow brown to 

 piceous. Elytra broadly oblong-oval with distinct basal callosities 

 near suture and umbone prominences and well-marked depression 

 between, and with wide, slightly reflexed, explanate margin; punc- 

 tations dense but shallow, coarser at base; pattern on elytra usually 

 consisting of wide sutural vitta not reaching apex and three trans- 

 verse bands of irregular outline near base, at middle, and at apical 

 three-fourths, usually broadening at ends, these fasciae and sutural 

 vitta often disappearing in part and leaving in lighter specimens 

 irregular blotches, or in darker specimens widening to cover a large 

 part of elytra; margin and apex nearly always unmarked. Body 

 beneath finely pubescent, meta- and mesosterna and abdomen darker 

 than legs, last ventral segment usually lighter ; epipleura pale. 



