296 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vou 8t 



MORDELLISTENA TESSELLATA Champion 



Mordellistena tessellata Champion, Biologia Centrali-Americana, Coleoptera, 

 vol. 4, pt. 2, p. 336, pi. 15, figs. 5, 5a, 1891. 



Five specimens : One from Antigua, Guatemala, May 2, 1926 (J. M. 

 Aldrich) ; one from Monterey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, November 25, 

 1909 (F. C. Bishopp) ; two from Coapa, District Federale, Mexico, 

 June 12, 1922 (E. G. Smyth) ; one from Mexico City, Mexico (O. W. 

 Barrett) . 



MORDELLISTENA DAMPFI, new species 

 FiGUBES 16, j; 18, e 



This species is allied to diluta Champion (1891, p. 338) and may be 

 separated from the latter member of the genus by the black head, the 

 equality in length between antenna! segments 3 and 4, the elongate- 

 triangular shape of the distal segment of the maxillary palpi, the 

 much smaller size, and the peculiar condition of the tarsal claws. 



Length: 0,8 mm.; including anal "style, 1.18 mm. Form elongate, 

 narrow, sides subparallel, narrowing approximately one-fourth from 

 apex of elytra, broadest near middle of pronotum. Head piceous 

 black, thorax, elj'tra, antennae, mouth parts, and legs, flavocastaneous, 

 sides of mesosternum and metasternum and abdomen (except anal 

 style and apical ventral segment) piceocastaneous. Body densely 

 covered with fine, recumbent, flavous pubescence, thickest on anal 

 style, where it gives this structure a coarse appearance. 



Antennae 0.25 mm. long, slender, filiform; segments 3 and 4 equal 

 in length, latter distinctly broader of two; 5-10 each as long as 3 

 and 4 together, each twice as thick as 3, with straight sides; 11 dis- 

 tinctly longer than 10, apically rounded. Distal segment of maxil- 

 lary palpi enlarged, with form of an elongate scalene triangle, sides 

 straight, corners rounded (fig. 16, j). Pronotum distinctly broader 

 than long (0.25 by 0.2 mm.), sides rounded, basal angles obtuse, base 

 arcuate, midbasal lobe short, rounded. Scutellum small, broadly 

 triangular. Elytra two and one-third times as long as broad (0.6 by 

 0.26 mm.), sides parallel to within a fourth of apex, thence attenuate 

 and broadly rounded to apex, apices individually rounded. Inter- 

 mediate tibiae and tarsi equal in length; penultimate segment of 

 anterior and intermediate tarsi dilated, excavate beneath, bearing 

 fifth segment on middle of its ventral surface. Posterior tibiae with 

 two oblique ridges, basal one extending slightly more than half dis- 

 tance across outer surface ; basitarsi with three (basal one rudimen- 

 tary), second segment with one oblique ridge. Tarsal claws with but 

 two teeth, distal one long, acute, terminal, other one broad, short, 

 median, the two sides forming a right angle (fig. 18, e). Outer spur 



