TAXONOMIC STUDY OF MORDELLIDAE RAY 311 



DICLIDIA MEXICANA, new species 



This species may easily be separate from the only other Central 

 American member of the genus, undata Champion (1891, p. 250), by 

 the difference in color, the broader distal segments of the antennae, 

 the broader, more depressed form, and the shorter antennae. From 

 inyoensis Liljeblad (1921, p. 181) it may be distinguished by the dif- 

 ference in color, the much larger size, the peculiar character of the 

 antennae, and the greater compression and elevation of the meso- 

 sternum. 



Length: 3.5 mm. Form oblong-ovate, rounded anteriorly and po- 

 teriorly, broadest near middle of elytra. Head fuscocastaneous, pro- 

 notum castaneous, elytra piceous; antennae flavous at base, succes- 

 sively darker distally, last five segments piceous ; ventral surface pice- 

 ous, anterior legs castaneous, intermediate and posterior pair 

 fuscocastaneous. Body densely covered with fine, whitish-yellow 

 pubescence ; surface of pronotum and elytra covered with fine, whitish- 

 yellow f)ubescence ; surface of pronotum and elytra covered with fine, 

 transverse strigae, generally obscured by the pubescence. 



Antennae 1.1 mm. long, reaching base of lateral pronotal margin; 

 segments 1 and 2 equal; 4 more than one-half longer than 3; 5 equal 

 to 4 ; 6 equal to 2 ; 7-10 short, dilated, forming a loose, elongate club, 

 as broad as long; 11 almost twice as long as 10 and equally broad, 

 broadest medially, sides almost straight, apex rounded. Maxillary 

 palpi missing. Pronotum one-half broader than long (1.2 by 0.8 

 mm.), apex and sides broadly rounded in a continuous semicircle, 

 broadest at base, basal angles acute, base but slightly arcuate, no mid- 

 basal lobe being distinguishable. Scutellum large, triangular. Elytra 

 slightly more than twice as long as broad at base (2.5 by 1.2 mm.), 

 sides visibly curved from base to apex, apices individually rounded. 

 Anterior and intermediate tibiae slender, as long as their tarsi, second 

 and third segments of latter part short, penultimate segment dilated 

 with emarginate apex, bearing distal segment on its ventral surface. 

 Tarsal claws with but the single distal prolongation. 



Type locality. — Santa Anita, Jalisco, Mexico. 



Type. — Female, U.S.N.M., No. 52931, a unique specimen taken Au- 

 gust 7, 1927, on weeds, 2,000 meters elevation (A. Dampf). 



Genus NAUCLES Champion 



Nancies Champion, Biologia Centrali-Americana, Coleoptera, vol. 4, pt. 2, p. 257, 

 1891. 



