210 NEW SPECIES MELYRIDAE, CHRYSOMELIDAE AND TENEBRIONIDAE 



Measurements. Length (Types), 12.0 mm.; width, 6.0-6.5 mm. 



A series of fifty-two specimens studied. 



Variations. These include those of size, slight cuneateness in some 

 males, feebler and stronger punctuation and rugulosity of the elytral sur- 

 face, margining of the prosternal process not constant ; posterior canthi 

 of the eyes not always the most prominent, occasionally stronger on one 

 side and feebler on the other. 



Extremes in size measure as follows: Length (Male), 9.0 mm.; 

 (Female), 12.5 mm.; width, 4.0-6.5 mm. 



Holotype, male, and allotype, female, in the collection of the Cali- 

 fornia Academy of Sciences ; paratypes in the same and the author's col- 

 lection. 



Type locality. Santa Rosa Island, off the coast of Southern Cali- 

 fornia. Collected by Mr. Van Duzee, May 20, 1919. 



Habitat. Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands. Mr. Van Duzee 

 says: "Found under dry 'cow-chips' near the entrance to the pier on 

 Santa Rosa Island, where they seemed to be abundant." 



Santarosae was at first referred to Coniontides infinitimus Casey, as 

 that species according to its author is more elongate than latus or insularis. 

 The habitat of infiinitimus is uncertain but Casey believes it to be the 

 Island of Santa Rosa. The form of the pronotal base in santarosae for- 

 bids any association with the Coniontides. Its general facies associates 

 it with the viatica group while the measurements suggest the robusta 

 group. These groups are arbitrary and can only be used as a convenience. 



The mentum in santarosae is transverse, lobes obtusely angulate at 

 apex, sides arcuate ; apex broadly sinuate in the middle three-fifths, sinua- 

 tion more or less moderate in depth and arcuately reentrant ; surface feebly 

 convex, slightly asperate and irregular on the lobes, more or less im- 

 pressed at base within the broad margin and sparsely and more or less 

 regularly punctate, the punctures shallow and each with a short yellow 

 hair. 



Coniontis musculus Blais. One of the most important things relat- 

 ing to the study and knowledge of organisms is habitat. Habitat, when 

 known, makes it possible to correlate the effect of geographical position 

 and environment on the organisms of different regions. In the majority 

 of cases when that knowledge is lacking it is folly to describe a species or 

 race, all data accredited to such a species is presumptive or a pure pos- 

 tulation and without scientific value. Especially is this true in cases of 

 organisms that are particularly variable as regards individual form and 

 sculpturing, as in such genera as Coniontis, Eleodes, Pterostichus and 

 many others. 



