Coleopterological Notices, V. 449 



RHEXIDIUS Casey. 



This genus is closely allied to Oropus, but differs in the absence 

 of well-defined and acute marginal thoracic teeth, in the more minute 

 size and shorter, more robust form of the body, and in the shorter 

 first dorsal segment. This latter character, however, in view of the 

 variation seen in the two groups of Oropus, may not be of decisive 

 value. Although the different habitus of the two genera prompts 

 me to believe that they are really distinct, there are two characters, 

 in addition to general organization, which serve to show further 

 how closely they are really allied, viz. : the presence of the peculiar 

 l^ranuliform sculpture of Rhexidius in Oropus cavicavda, and the 

 fact that the part of the body subject to sexual modification is the 

 fourth dorsal segment. 



I have not seen the eastern species recently described by Brendel, 

 but JSuplectus canaliculatus Lee. appears to be congeneric, although 

 differing in having but three basal foveee and obsolete discal striae, 

 instead of the four basal fovese and three short striae of the two Cali- 

 fornian representatives; even here however there is considerable 

 variation in this respect, the two outer foveae being much more 

 approximate or semi-coalescent in granulosus than in asperuhis. 

 The basal foveae will be shown to be without value as a generic 

 character also in several other parts of the Euplectini. B. canali- 

 culatus was recently redescribed by Mr. Raflfray under the name 

 Prorhexius sylvaticus (Rev. d'Ent., 1890, p. 19t). 



The two known Californian species are the following: — 



Elytra short, transverse, but slightly longer than the prothorax, the head and 

 prothorax relatively large ; pubescence coarse, longer and sparser. 



granulosus 



Elytra large, about as long as wide, subequal in length to the head and pro- 

 thorax together, the latter both smaller ; pubescence shorter, denser and 

 more decumbent asperulus 



Both of these species are represented by large series in my 

 cabinet. 



R. asperulus n. sp. — Rather stout, convex, shining, dark rufo-testace- 

 ous throughout, noticeably pubescent, the head and pronotum covered with 

 small sparse granuliform punctures, closer on the head, the elytra and abdo- 

 men rather strongly, sparsely punctate, the punctures feebly asperate. Head 

 transverse, thick, just visibly narrower than the prothorax, with two small 

 deep nude and very remote fovese which are entirely isolated, also, just behind 



