DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES. 11.7 



the anterior tibiae not dilated: it differs from that species by the 

 body beneath being not black, but of the same color as the upper 

 surface. The antennae are one-third shorter than the head and 

 thorax and considerably thickened externally. 



METACUSA DuVAL. 



4O6. M. atra. Elongata convexa, nigra subnitida, capite confertim, 

 thorace fortius punctate, hoc latitudine fere duplo breviore, lateribus 

 rotundatis, apice emarginato, angulis anticis rotundatis, basi utrinque 

 obliqua medio rotundata haud marginata, angulis posticis obtusis haud 

 rotundatis ; elytris thorace vix latioribus postice obtuse rotundatis, 

 striis profundis fortiter punctatis, interstitiis convexis punctulatis, stria 

 scutellari e punctis 4-6 composita ; subtus picea nitida parce pnnctulata, 

 propleuris parce rude punctatis, gula scabro^punctato, antennis pedi- 

 busque obscure ferrugineis. Long. *30 *35. 



Atlantic States, from New York to Texas. I formerly regarded 

 this insect as a species of Haplandrus, but it differs from the 

 Tenebrionini and Ulomini by the basal membrane between the 

 clypeus and epistoma being visible, and in fact the head resembles 

 in all respects the head of Platydema, except that the eyes are 

 less prominent ; the middle coxae are but loosely inclosed by the 

 episterna, and the trochantin is quite distinct. 



The genus is readily distinguished from the others of the tribe 

 by the mentum being trilobed, rounded at tip, with the lateral 

 lobes short and inflexed as in many Tenebrionini : the epipleurae do 

 not extend to the tip of the elytra; the last joint of the hind tarsi 

 is longer than the other three, and the first is scarcely as long as 

 the two following united ; the last joint of the maxillary palpi is 

 triangular and dilated as in Platydema, and the intercoxal pro- 

 cess of the first ventral segment is triangular and rounded at tip. 

 The antennae are nearly as long as the head and thorax, and are 

 moderately thickened externally ; the 3d joint is twice as long as 

 the 2d ; the 4th and 5th are shorter, but scarcely broader than the 

 3d ; the 6th and 7th are triangular, the 8th, 9th, and 10th trans- 

 verse, and the llth rounded, not broader than the preceding. 

 The form of the antennae is more that of the Tenebrionini than 

 Diaperini, but the head is received in the prothorax as far as the 

 eves, as in the latter tribe. 



9 



