Otiocerus ballii McATEE 

 (1923 Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., vol. 36, pp. 45-46) 



This species, carried by the writer in manuscript for 

 many years, has recently been described by McAtee from 

 material collected at Glen Echo, Md. Through the courtesy 

 of Mr. McAtee the writer has been able to study para- 

 type specimens of this species in the U. S. National Mu- 

 seum. 



The species is easily distinguished by its elongate bluntly 

 rostrate head with a broad orange-red stripe on the sides 

 of the same. 



Body pale yellowish-white, the dorsum of the abdomen partially 

 orange-red. Head very elongate, rostrate, with the tip rounded; upper 

 carinae scarcely sinuated, polinose-snowy; on each side a broad 

 orange-red band from the eye to the apex, covering the lower two* 

 thirds of the side; this band runs along the sides of the thorax and 

 is continued onto the base of the elytra by the longitudinal nerves 

 which are orange on their basal third. Antennae very long, slender 

 and enlarged lightly at tip; very difficult to distinguish from the 

 single, worm-like, much twisted, basal appendage which is shorter 

 than the antennae in this species; both antenna and appendage are 

 reddish. Eyes dark brown. Elytra subhyaline, the clavus trans- 

 parent and clear, the veins prominently pinkish with the cells ir- 

 regularly clouded with gray. Wings iridescent hyaline, the veins rosy. 

 Legs pale. 



Length of body 3.5 mm.; length to tip of elytra 6 mm.; elytral 

 expansion 13 mm. 



The above description was made from a male taken by 

 the writer while sweeping undergrowth in Okatibbee swamp 

 near Meridian, Miss., Aug. 14, 1921, and a female taken 

 by C. J. Drake in a swamp near Leland, Miss., Sept. 15, 

 1921. 



McAtee adequately describes the genitalia as follows: "Male genital 

 segment with a median triangular process rounded apically, claspers 

 widely separated at base, the general trend of their inner margins 

 toward each other, overlapping at apices which are pointed and re- 

 curved, each clasper bearing on inner margin at about a third of its 

 length from base a short, broad process, the posterior angle of which 

 is produced as an upwardly and anteriorly curved hook; aedeagus 

 narrowed opposite these processes, its apex with two anteriorly 

 directed tapering, curved and acutely pointed processes. Female geni- 

 tal segment broadly triangularly produced." 



136 



