THE LEAF BEETLES. 1215 



Throughout the State ; common. March 20-September 5. Oc- 

 curs on leaves of May-apple and beneath rubbish in moist, grassy 

 places. Our smallest species. 



2248 (10,429). Cbepidodera nitens Horn, Trans. Araer. Ent. Sac., XVI, 

 1889, 243. 



Ovate, robust. Black, shining; antennae pale reddish-yellow; femora 

 piceous, tibiae brown, tarsi paler. Thorax twice as wide as long, distinctly 

 narrowed in front, obliquely truncate near front angles ; disk convex, ante- 

 basal impression feeble, surface rather coarsely, deeply and closely punc- 

 tured. Elytra scarcely wider at base than thorax, umbone rather feeble; 

 disk convex with a vague transverse depression one-third from base and 

 along the suture, causing an apparent feeble elevation on each elytron ; punc- 

 tures small, not closely placed ; intervals flat, wider than the striae, smooth 

 and shining. Length 2 mm. 



Marion, Dubois and Perry counties; rare. April 12-June 12. 

 Taken by sweeping roadside herbage. Resembles the black species 

 of Epitrix but devoid of hairs. 



LXVII. Orthaltica Crotch. 1873. (Gr. ? " straight + jump. ") 

 Small, elongate, parallel, brownish or piceous beetles, having the 

 antenna? nearly as long as body, male, shorter in female, the second 

 joint half as long as first ; the others dissimilar in the sexes. Thorax 

 broader than long, scarcely wider at base, apex truncate, sides and 

 base curved, disk with a rather deep antebasal impressed line, not 

 limited at the ends, which gradually approach the base ; first ventral 

 segment as long as the next three; hind tibia? with a short spur. 

 Two species are known, both of which occur in the State. 



KEY TO SPECIES 0E ORTHALTICA. 



a. Antennae stout in both sexes ; elytra! rows of punctures confused on each 

 side of scutellum; antebasal impression of thorax rather deep but 

 not sharply impressed ; front punctate. 2219. copalina. 



aa. Antennae slender ; elytral punctures not confused near scutellum ; ante- 

 basal impression deep, sharply defined ; front smooth. 



2250. MELINA. 



2249 (6993). Orthaltica copalina Fabr., Syst. Eleut., I, 1801, 466. 



Elongate-parallel, subconvex. Brownish or piceous, shining; when pic- 

 eous the head and thorax paler ; antennae and legs reddish-yellow. Antennae 

 of male with third and fourth joints equal, a little longer than second, fifth 

 longer than either fourth or sixth, 6 to 10 gradually shorter and stouter. 



[77—23402] 



