264 



REVISION OF THE TJ5NBBRIONID.dE OF AMERICA, 



Elytra emarginate at apex. 

 Elytra entire at apex. 



(1 e n t i g e r . 

 t o m e n 1 8 u 8 

 p lumb e u s . 



E. submetallieus, Leo., PrOC. Acad. 7, 224. 



This is the largest as well as the most aberrant of our species. The thorax 

 is narrower at base than the elytra, the sides parallel behind the middle, anteriorly 

 broadly rounded, anterior angles not prominent, but obtuse. The head is sub-quad- 

 rate. The epistoma strongly trilobcd, middle lobe rounded and prominent, lateral 

 lobes very prominent and acute with an emargination between them and the middle 

 lobe. The sides of the epistoma in front of the eyes do not converge, and the head 

 thus assumes a more nearly sub-<piadrate form than in any other of the species. The 

 eyes are very convex and have a strong supra-orbital ridge. The characters above given 

 seem to be sufficient for generic separation. Genera among Tenebrionidsc threaten to he- 

 come very numerous, according to the value at present assigned to characters, and 1 there- 

 fore prefer to indicate as few as possible consistent with anatomical variations. 



E. aeutus, Leo., New Species, 878, p. 108. Texas, Kansas anil Mexico. 

 Length .40-. 50 inch. 



E. arundinis, Lee, New Species, 374, p. 108. Middle States, near the coast, 

 Length .40 inch. 



E. c a n a 1 i o u la t U 8 , Say, Long's Exped. 2, 281. Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. 

 Length .40-. 45 inch. 



These three 1 species have been so thoroughly described and compared, (Lee. loc. cit.) 

 that nothing further need be said. The form of epistoma varies sufficiently to enable 

 each species to be recognised by it. The middle lobe is most prominent in tin; first two, 

 broadly rounded in the third. The lateral lobes are more prominent in the second and 

 least evident in the first; in all the sides of front are slightly convergent. The thorax is 

 dissimilar in the sexes. In the male the thorax is slightly flattened at the middle of the 

 disc, bounded by two slightly elevated ridges, between the ends of which the anterior 

 margin of the thorax is emarginate. The anterior angles in all three species are very 

 acute and prominent. 



E. prninosn s, rufo-pioeous, shining, with scarcely any metallic lustre, elongate oval Convex, surface moderately, 

 coarsely and not densely punctured, elytra] punctures not in stria;. Eyes with supra-orbital ridge limited within by a 

 distinct longitudinal groove. Thorns broader than long; anteriorly, feebly emarginate!, angles rectangular, sides 

 feebly rounded from the base, marginal line slightly convex downwards, base feebly sinuate, angles scarcely acute. 

 Beneath, very coarsely and sparsely, abdomen linely and densely punctured, and with a very sparse and short pubes- 

 cence. Length .48 inch. When recent, covered with a lino cinereous efflorescence. 



Collected by myself in Owens' Valley, Cal.; Arizona, Coll. Lee. 



With tLis species commences a series in which the thorax is similar in both sexes, and 



