Brazilian Baring 153 



Ovanius n. gen. 



Among most of the other genera of this group of minute species, 

 Ovanius may be recognized at once by the glabrous or subglabrous 

 body. The beak is moderately thick and short, arcuate and more 

 or less strongly sculptured, and is separated from the head by a 

 feeble reentrant angle; the mandibles are strongly decussate and 

 obtusely rounded when closed. The antennae are submedial, short, 

 with relatively large, oval and deeply sutured club, the first funicular 

 joint about as long as the next three, the others gradually broader, 

 the club fully as long as the preceding six joints, the three segments 

 subequal in length. The prothorax varies in form, sometimes 

 gradually tubulate, but often not tubulate, at apex. The elytra 

 have rather strong groove-like striae, the femora are unarmed and 

 the tarsal claws are rather small, distinctly connate at base, or 

 sometimes more slender and apparently only very closely approxi- 

 mate. There are six distinct species among my material as follows: 



Upper surface wholly glabrous 2 



Upper surface subglabrous, each strial interval with a regular single series of 

 very small and slender, widely separated squamules, whitish in color; body 



more minute 5 



2 — Prothorax regularly conical in form, very obsoletely tubulate at apex 3 



Prothorax much broader, with more arcuate sides anteriorly and a more distinctly 



defined tubuliform apex 4 



3 — Body black, rather evidently alutaceous, the prothorax obscure piceo-rufous; 

 beak scarcely as long as the prothorax, evenly and moderately arcuate and 

 rather thick, closely, moderately coarsely sculptured, the antennae medial, 

 rufous; prothorax only slightly wider than long, the sides scarcely at all 

 arcuate; apex a little less than half as wide as the base; surface with small 

 and sparse but strong and distinct punctures throughout, a rather wide 

 and well defined median line smooth and impunctate; basal lobe small, 

 gradual, truncate at apex; scutellum quadrate, smooth and flat, just visibly 

 longer than wide, with straight and parallel sides; elytra a fourth longer 

 than wide, distinctly wider than the prothorax and not quite twice as long, 

 oval, but more rapidly rounding and converging behind, the apex rather 

 strongly rounded; humeri very obtuse and but feebly prominent; strise 

 rather coarse, shallowly grooved and distinctly punctate, the intervals 

 nearly four times as wide as the grooves, flat and very minutely, feebly and 

 .sparsely punctulate; under surface somewhat strongly, closely punctate, the 

 abdomen more finely and sparsely, the last segment still more finely and 

 very closely, the first suture very fine; sexual characters not apparent in 

 the type. Length 2.45 mm.; width 1.35 mm. Brazil (Chapada— forest). 



October. One specimen conicicollis n. sp. 



Body narrower, blackish-piceous, the legs more rufescent; prothorax rufous, 

 rather shorter, about a fifth wider than long, similarly conical, with very 

 feebly arcuate sides and with rather more evident truncate apical tubulation, 

 which is about half as wide as the base; punctures evidently finer and not 

 quite so sparse, but without the broad smooth median line of the preceding 

 species, the general surface shining and not alutaceous; basal lobe similar; 

 scutellum smaller, quadrate, slightly impressed; elytra rather more than a 

 fourth longer than wide, distinctly wider than the prothorax and about twice 



