1869.) 



287 



NOTES ON CICINBELID^ FROM TROPICAL AMERICA, WITH DESCRIP- 

 TIONS OF FOUR NEW SPECIES (GEN. OBONTOCHEILA AND 

 PSEUDOXYCHEILA). 



BY H. W, BATES, F.Z.S., PEES. ENT. SOC. 



The Oicindelidce of the wooded plains of Equatorial America 

 belong chiefly to the genera Odontocheila, TetracJia, and Gtenostoma ; 

 the true Gicindelce being there few in number, and not remarkable for 

 size or beauty. This accords with the local conditions of the country, 

 viz., wide plains, uniformly covered with lofty forest and traversed by 

 immense rivers fringed with sandy beaches. The Otenostomce are 

 exclusively arboreal insects, searching for prey along the slender 

 branches of trees ; the Odonfocheila are shade-lovers, running along 

 the pathways of the forest and occasionally flying to the bushes on 

 either side ; the TetrachcB live on sandy shores, burrowing deep in the 

 light soil, and coming forth only at night. The Gicindelce proper are 

 creatures of the sunshine, and abound in species and individuals only 

 in warm countries, where there is a varied surface, not too much over- 

 shadowed with forest. It is on the sandy beaches of rivers that the 

 few members of the genus Gicindela inhabiting the Amazons region are 

 found ; these tracts occupy a large portion of the surface of the country, 

 at least in the dry season, but the uniformity of the conditions they 

 offer is not favourable to the multiplication of forms. Of Gicindela 

 only 7 species are found in the Amazon region ; of Tetraclia, 16 ; of 

 Gtenostoma, 12 ; and of Odontocheila, 21 ; two Iresicd and one Aniara 

 complete the fauna in this department. 



The OdontocheilcB are distinguished structurally from Gicindela only 

 by the advanced and strongly-toothed labrum and the grooved tarsal 

 joints ; but their general appearance, or facies, is very difierent ; they 

 are of elongate, cylindrical form, generally roughly sculptured and of 

 dark bronzed hues. Some of the most beautiful (as O. Bafesii) are 

 found only on the margins of brooks in the deep forest, and are rare 

 and local ; others swarm in incredible numbers, like house-flies in 

 Autumn, in dry paths near villages. The species change in a singular 

 manner from district to district ; closely-allied but constant forms 

 representing each other in difl'erent areas. 



The following descriptions comprise a few Odontocheila from the 

 Amazons which have not hitherto been published, and I have added 

 some synonymical notes. 



Odontocheila eubefacta, n. sp. O. cayennensi (F.) simillima, 

 differt autem antennarum articulis quatuor hasalibus pedibusque riifis. 

 Cytindrica, cajpite thoraceque supra creherrime subtiliter punctato-rugosiSy 



