1290 



FAMILY LVIII. M ELAND RYI DM . 



IV. Penthe Newm. 1838. (Gr., ^'in mourning.") 



It comprises two medium-sized velvety-black, flattened oval spe- 

 cies, having the front coxal cavities widely open behind ; antenn- 

 not thickening externally, the third joint as long as the fourth and 

 fifth together, joints 7 to 10 rounded, 11th a little longer and pale 

 at tip ; front coxaB oval, not prominent, separated by the prosternum. 



*2384 (7649). Penthe obliquata Fab., Syst. Eleut., I, 1701, 162. 



Broadly oval, subdepressed. Velvety black, feebly shining; scutellimi 

 covered with long, orange yellow hairs. Thorax more than twice as wide 

 as Jong, hind angles rectangular ; sides nearly parallel on basal half, thence 

 rounded to apex, base bisinuate ; surface densely and finely granulate-punc- 

 tate and with a deep oblong impression each side near base. Elytra with 

 closely placed rows of deep, round punctures ; intervals narrower than the 

 rows of punctures, densely granulate-punctate. Length 11.5-14 mm. 



Throughout the State ; common. April 12-December 5. Occurs 

 on woody fungi and beneath bark of decaying wood. 



*2385 (7650). Penthe pimet.ia Fab., Syst. Eleut., I, 1701, 40. 



Readily known from the preceding by having the scutellum black, not 

 orange yellow. The thorax is slightly shorter and wider, its hind angles 

 much more acute and surface densely and more or less confluently punc- 

 tate without granules. Length 10-14 mm. 



Throughout the State ; more common than obliquata. February 

 23-December 8. Both species are gregarious in winter, and hiber- 

 nate beneath partly buried logs, especially those of beech in open 

 upland woods. 



Tribe III. SYNCHROINI. 

 To this tribe, as limited in the key, belongs the single genus 



V. Synchkoa Newm. 1838. (Gr., ''uniform in color.") 

 This in turn is represented in the eastern United States by a 

 single brown species having the head prominent and horizontal; 

 maxillary palpi moderate in length, but slightly dilated; antenna 

 long, slender and feebly serrate, the second joint one-third the 

 length of third, the latter slightly longer than fourth; tarsi filiform, 

 claws simple ; tibial spurs long. 



2386 (7651). Synchroa punctata Newm., Entom. Mag., V, 1838, 378. 



Elongate, slender. Dark brown, rather densely clothed with ash-gray 

 pubescence; antennre, tibia? and tarsi paler. Thorax one-half wider at base 

 than long, sides nearly straight, converging from base to apex; hind an- 

 gles subacute;. surface finely and rather sparsely punctate and witli a deep 

 impression each side near base. Elytra with a sutural groove on apical 

 third; surface finely, sparsely and irregularly punctate. Length 10-11 mm. 



