MORGAN HEBARD 371 



The greatest degree of convergence in the Ponderosus Group 

 toward the Querneus Group is shown by tunicae. 



Type. — cf ; Strickton, Rankin County, Mississippi. Septem- 

 ber 12, 1915. (M. Hebard.) [Hebard Collection, Type no. 

 564.] 



Size large; form moderately robust, much as in M. alabamae here described, 

 appreciably less robust than in M. ponderosus viola. Vertex slightly but 

 distinctly narrower than in p. viola, interocular space very slightly wider 

 than proximal antennal joint, the vertex weakly depressed to fastigio-facial 

 angle, the frontal costa weakly depressed in vicinity of the median ocellus. 

 Eye twice as long as infra-ocular sulcus. Pronotum with medio-longitudinal 

 carina moderately well developed on metazona, subobsolete except briefly 

 cephalad on prozona, principal sulcus moderately deep, other transverse 

 sulci weak; disk as in M. eumera here described, much as in p. viola, caudal 

 margin similarly obtuse-angulate produced, with apex sharply rounded. 

 Tegmina and wings somewhat reduced, failing to reach apex of supra-anal 

 plate (in but one male of the series reaching the abdominal apex and in all 

 showing reduction, though averaging longer than in p. viola) . Prosternal spine 

 rather elongate, subcylindrical, tapering rather suddenly distad to the rather 

 sharply rounded apex. Furcula represented by two small, bluntly obtuse- 

 angulate productions of the tergite. Supra-anal plate much as in p. viola, 

 broadly shield-shaped, the lateral margins briefly convergent and weakly 

 convex, thence weakly convergent and broadly convex to the apical portion, 

 which is briefly produced and rounded; medio-longitudinal sulcus rather 

 broad and deep in proximal two-thirds, thence rapidly becoming obsolete, 

 the disto-lateral carinae indicated by small convexities which are longer than 

 broad. Cerci proportionately decidedly smaller than in p. viola, very much 

 smaller than in p. ponderosus, with dorsal apex much more sharply rounded 

 than in those races. Cercus with margins of shaft weakly convergent in 

 proximal half, thence diverging without angulation, so that the margins are 

 broadly concave to the enlarged distal portion; distal portion formed by a 

 lobe, directed dorsad and very weakly distad and not in-bent, its axis nearly 

 vertical, this lobe a third broader than long, approximately as long as the 

 basal width of the cercus, its margins converging distad to the rounded apex 

 which, though broadly rounded, is much less so than in p. viola and very much 

 less so than in p. ponderosus, the distal and ventro-distal margins of this 

 lobe almost straight, thus forming two weakly defined angulations. 19 Sub- 

 genital plate rather broad, its dorsal free margins broadly concave laterad 

 to the moderately broad, transverse, thickened and elevated meso-distal 

 portion. 



19 In the series slight variation occurs, to a type in which these margins are 

 broadly convex with the angulations obsolete. Occasional specimens have 

 the dorsal apex of the cerci slightly narrower or broader than in the type, but 

 none are comparable to the type developed in p. viola. 



TRANS. AM. ENT. SOC, XLVI. 



