WICKHAM: NEW MIOCENE COLEOPTERA FROM FLORISSANT. 479 



Described from a single specimen in somewhat oblique ventral view. 



Type No. 2,643 M. C. Z. Florissant, Col. (No. 9,430 S. H. 

 Scudder Coll.). 



At first sight, I referred this beetle to Chaetocnema, but it differs 

 in many points from that genus and from all others known to me. The 

 broad punctured prosternum is like that of Chaetocnema but the 

 antennae are more like those of Crepidodera, though shorter and 

 thicker than in recent species. It is not possible to determine with 

 certainty whether the front coxal cavities were open or closed, but, 

 judging from the prosternum, probably the latter. The abdominal 

 segmentation, if natural, is remarkable, but I think likely it is dis- 

 arranged, to some extent at least, by telescoping. None of the North 

 American genera have hind tibiae of this type and in the absence of 

 knowledge as to the point of tarsal articulation this structure gives 

 us no good clue to the location of the species though the groove reminds 

 one of similar sculpture in Dibolia. On the whole, I should, for the 

 present, place the genus in the neighborhood of Chaetocnema. 



ODONTOTA Chevrolat. 



This genus is the only one of the Hispini known from the Florissant 

 shales. Today the group is not very strongly represented in temperate 

 North America, our fauna comprising about thirty-five species, twelve 

 of which belong to Odontota. 



ODONTOTA AMERICANA, sp. nov. 

 Plate 11, fig. 7-9. 



Form rather short for this genus. Head and prothorax rough but 

 the sculpture is not well defined. Elytra with deep wide striae, 

 coarsely punctate at bottom. The exact shape of the punctures 

 cannot be made out as the specimen is preserved in ventral aspect and 

 only those which show through can be distinguished. Length, 3.85 

 mm. 



Described from a single specimen. 



Type No. 2,644 M. C. Z. Florissant, Col. (No. 7,176 S. H. 

 Scudder Coll.). A second specimen, No. 2,645 M. C. Z. (No. 10,506 

 S. H. Scudder Coll.), is most likely the same species. 



No doubt need attach to the generic identification, the form, sculp- 

 ture, and structure of the 11-jointed antennae are those of Odontota. 



