MEGAEHINUS MOCTEZTJMA 951 



golden-scaled above and at the sides, entirely golden beneath, the apices pale lilac. 

 Second and fourth segments of about equal length, the third longer, the fifth as long 

 as the third and fourth together. Prothoracie lobes deep blue. Mesothorax dark 

 brown on the disc with coppery scales; the median and lateral stripes of greenish 

 blue scales; hind margin, scutellum and patches over the roots of the wings metallic 

 blue. Pleurae and coxae silver-scaled with a tinge of yellow. Abdomen deep 

 violet-blue, segments 6, 7 and 8 brilliant purple. First segment bright blue, more 

 shining. Segments 2-7 with marginal golden spots, very narrow on the second 

 segment and broadening to sixth and seventh where they become conspicuous 

 patches. Segments 6, 7 and 8 margined behind with gold. Beneath pale golden, a 

 narrow median blue line on segments 3-7; eighth segment entirely purple beneath. 

 Lateral hairs pale yellow on segments 1-7, dark on the eighth and the genitalia. 

 Legs dark with blue and purple lustre. Femora golden beneath. Front tibiae on the 

 outside, middle tibiae on the inside, dull golden. Middle legs with the third tarsal 

 segment white on the outside, a dash of silver at the base of the fourth segment. 

 In the hind legs the fourth tarsal segment is white-ringed, black at its tip. 



Female. — Antennae: second segment somewhat longer than the third, slightly 

 swollen basally, the basal two-thirds heavily clothed with purple scales. Palpi 

 deep blue and purple, the segments pale at the apex; second and third segments 

 with golden scales at the sides and beneath; second and third segments laterally 

 compressed, the third slender at base, much thickened at apex; fourth segment 

 stout and cylindrical, shorter than the second, the third twice as long as the fourth. 



Abdomen greenish-blue merging into steel blue posteriorly, the eighth segment 

 violet. Seventh segment finely margined with gold, eighth with terminal brush 

 of bright yellow hairs. The hind angles of segments 2-8 marked with gold. Beneath 

 golden, a dark median line ends before the eighth segment. 



Fore and middle legs with the second and part of the third tarsal segments silvery 

 white; hind legs with the fourth and upper half of the fifth tarsal segments white. 

 The white on the front tarsi Is not so brilliant as in the two preceding species and 

 In trinidadensis. 



Length, 6-9 mm. 



Type No. 9953, U. S. N. M. 



Localities: Sonsonate and Izalco in Salvador, Rio Aranjuez near Puntarenas In 

 Costa Rica (F. Knab), Antigua In Guatemala (D. G. Eisen). 



16 c?, 2 5- In the male the white of the middle tarsi has a tendency to become 

 silvery and less distinct; sometimes the silver at the base of the fourth segment 

 is absent. In three specimens the white of the third segment extends entirely 

 around it. Although the tarsal markings are the same as those of the preceding 

 species it can be easily separated by the coloration of the thorax and other details. 

 Preparations of the male genitalia of the two species reveal specific differences. 



Desceiption of F^maxe, Male, and Labva of Megakhinus moctezuma: 



Female. — Proboscis rather long, curved, tapering to a point. Palpi long and 

 stout, about two-thirds the length of the proboscis; long joint compressed, 

 dilated towards apex, with a constriction at basal two-fifths ; penultimate joint 

 stout, cylindrical, one-third the length of long joint; terminal joint minute; 

 vestiture metallic blue and purple, apices of segments pale lilac ; segments brassy 

 scaled beneath, except at bases and apices, and with scattered brassy scales on 

 outer sides. Antennae filiform, very delicate, the joints subequal, with whorls 

 of long sparse hairs; second segment rather stout, about half as long again as 

 the succeeding one, basal two-thirds vrith a dense crest of erect black scales ; tori 

 black with silvery pruinosity. Clypeus transverse, broadly rounded, deep 

 brown with silvery pruinosity. Occiput clothed with flat, metallic-blue irides- 

 cent scales, ocular margin narrowly silver scaled; cheeks and head beneath 

 silver scaled. 



Prothoracie lobes prominent, covered with brilliant metallic blue scales and 

 with a few coarse black setse. Mesonotum clothed upon the disk with small brown 

 scales with coppery ones intermixed, a median stripe and broad stripes on 

 lateral margins involving anterior angles distinctly light metallic blue scaled ; 

 patches of brighter blue scales over roots of wings, basal region with numerous 

 blue scales. Scutellum bright blue scaled in the middle, the sides broadly silvery 

 blue scaled in continuation of lateral stripes of mesonotum. Postnotum chest- 



