Dec.,i92i Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 119 



A NEW SPECIES OF SAPRINUS FROM KANSAS 

 (COLEOPTERA). 



By a. B. Wolcott, Chicago, 111. 



The following described species is the largest of any yet 

 described and although recognized as undescribed when first 

 received, the writer delayed publication of the description in 

 the hope that it might be made known from more abundant 

 material. 



Saprinus gigas sp. noy. 



Broadly oval, strongly convex, black, highly polished, tarsi 

 rufescent. Head nearly flat, coarsely, rather sparsely punctate, 

 the occiput and sides more sparsely so; marginal striae entire, 

 united with transverse frontal stria. Prothorax a little less than 

 twice as wide as long; sides strongly convergent, nearly straight 

 in basal two-thirds ; broadly rounded in apical third ; marginal 

 stria fine, distinct, not quite reaching the base; disk very mi- 

 nutely and sparsely punctate, abruptly becoming coarsely, rather 

 densely punctate broadly, laterally and narrowly along basal 

 margin except at middle. Elytra distinctly wider near base and 

 one-half longer than the prothorax, distinctly wider than long; 

 stri« as in lugens, except that they are impunctate, the dorsals 

 more strongly arcuate and these with the sutural much longer, 

 the latter very nearly attaining the base ; the first dorsal with 

 three uneven internal appendages, extending to the middle, the 

 second and third equal, extending to apical third, the fourth 

 slightly shorter, distinctly arched at base and obsoletely joining 

 the sutural; punctures coarse, dense, longitudinally subcoales- 

 cent in apical three-fifths near the suture, in apical third at third 

 dorsal, and latterly extending narrowly along the outer sub- 

 humeral to base. Propygidiuni short, five times as wide as long, 

 coarsely rather sparsely punctate, feebly subcarinate in the 

 middle; pygidium feebly convex, strongly carinate in the middle, 

 coarsely sparsely punctate, becoming gradually finer and denser 

 toward the apex. Prosternum moderately convex ; striae nearly 

 as in lugens but with the apical portion much longer and more 

 strongly ascending, subapical fovese wanting. Anterior tibice 

 with eight or nine erect, subacute teeth becoming much longer 

 and stronger toward the apex. Length 9.25 mm. ; width 6.00 mm. 



Salina, Kansas, collected by Mr. Warren Knaus, by whom 

 it was kindly given to me. 



