1957] 
Werner — Near otic Tomoderus 
53 
the interpretation of the present author are represented. 
The one chosen to bear the name interruptus is by far 
the more abundant across the South. 
The new species described here seems to be the least 
abundant of the three externally indistinguishable species. 
It is, of course, possible that it is the only one represented 
in La Ferte’s series. In this event the name proposed here 
would become a junior synonym of interruptus. The 
species has not yet been taken in Texas but there is no 
good reason to suspect that it does not range that far 
since it is very widely distributed. 
There is no area in the eastern United States where 
only one species of Tomoderus would be expected to occur. 
The apparent exceptions will doubtless disappear when 
more specimens are examined. At the present time only 
inhabilis sp. n. has been identified from New England. 
Constricius must occur there as well. It has been taken 
as far north as northern Wisconsin. Therefore no identifi- 
cations are possible without males, and the genitalia must 
be seen before even the males can be identified, except in 
the case of the more obvious specimens of impressulus. 
Fortunately, only the tip of the genitalia need be examined 
and the tip is often extruded. Otherwise, the specimen 
must be dissected. I have found dissection most easily 
performed by relaxing the specimen in hot water, remov- 
ing the abdomen and pulling the genitalia anteriorly 
through the base of the abdomen with fine forceps. The 
genitalia need not be cleared for the purpose of identifica- 
tion. Males are easily distinguished in a series by the 
presence of a flattened, semicircular pygidium, which is 
completely absent in the females, as in all Anthicidae. 
The genitalia are asymmetrical, as can be seen in the 
figures. They are remarkably constant in shape, and even 
in size, despite some variation in the size of the entire 
insect. Structurally, they are totally unlike those of any 
other Anthicidae examined, lacking a recognizable phallo- 
base (basal piece) and possessing a twisted sclerotized 
structure internally, presumably associated with the in- 
ternal sac. I have been unable to homologize any of the 
parts with those of other Anthicidae. The genitalic dif- 
