Amazonian Prionides, 55 
The nearly coalescent two terminal joints of the antennae 
will distinguish the male of this from the three preceding 
species^ as well as the much more deeply and roughly 
punctured femora and tibiae; the other characters^ and 
the colour, I think, may be more variable. The female 
is distinguished from all by its great width of body, and 
coarsely punctured femora and tibias. It differs greatly 
from jP. nodicornis in g*eneral form of body, and in the 
prominent dentiform hind angles of the thorax. The 
two terminal joints of the antennae are blended into one 
in both species, without trace of separation, but the joint 
thus formed is short and ovate in P, nodicornis^ and 
very elongate in P, disjpar. 
I have seen one pair only of this species, taken by 
Mr. J. Hauxwell, at Pebas, on the Amazons. 
In this group of Pyrodes, the scutellum seems to afford 
no reliable specific characters, as it varies in shape and 
sculpture in specimens undoubtedly belonging to the 
same species ; the form is nearly as in the common P. 
speciosusy but its apex is more prolonged. In all the 
species where the hind angles of the thorax are produced, 
the lower margin is also dentiform, giving an appearance 
of two teeth at the angle, one above the other. The 
margin of the thorax anterior to the lateral spine, in all 
the species, is irregularly and variably denticulate. 
The general form and colours of the bifasciatus group 
are so variable, that if future discoveries prove the ter- 
minal joints of the antennae to be variable, the whole will 
constitute one variable species, remarkable for its incon- 
stancy in structural characters.* 
- * The genus Pyrodes, after withdrawing P. pictus (Perty) which, having 
the sides of the scutellum pubescent is better placed in Mallaspis, and 
P. columhinus (Guer.) which belongs to the genus Esmeralda, contains the 
following species : 1. P. pulclierrimus (ut supra). 2. P. formosus: 3. 
P. tenuieprnis, White, $ ( ^ =marc/mat'as, White, Catal. p. 49, S =angusti- 
collis, Lucas, Voy. de Casteln., p. 179, pL 11. f. 1 ; the description leaves 
no doubt whatever of this synonym, and the locality given by Lucas must 
be erroneous). 4. P. Smithianus, White. 5. P. speciosus, Oliv. 6. P.ceneus, 
Buq., Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1860, p. 618. 7. P. bifasciatus, L., Oliv. 8. P. 
nigricornis, Guer. [rubrozonatus, Lucas). 9. P. gratiosus. 10. P. nodi- 
comis. 11. P. dispar. There remains only one undescribed species in 
all the extensive collections of Longicorns which I have examined in Lon- 
don; this is a fine one from New Granada, represented by a single female 
example, in Mr. Fry’s possession, derived from the Dejean-Laferte Col- 
lection. 
