1952] 
Blake — Megistops 
11 
of a four-spotted species. It is larger than any four-spotted 
species except M. fenestrata Illiger, which, unlike it, has 
a median vitta on the prothorax. 
Megistops costaricensis n. sp. 
(Plate 1, figure 1) 
About 3.5 mm. in length, oval, moderately shiny, finely 
and densely punctate, pale yellow brown with deeper red- 
dish brown mouthparts, dark outer joints to the antennae, 
pale brown undersurface and legs, and the elytra deep 
brown with four pale spots, the basal ones being more 
elongate and larger. 
Head with eyes contiguous, a slightly produced carina 
extending from lower front with a few scattered punctures 
on it ; mouthparts deeper in color. Antennae with the three 
basal joints paler than the distal ones, joints 2 and 3 about 
equal. Prothorax approximately twice as wide as long at 
base, narrowed apically, pale yellow with five indistinct 
spots, finely and densely punctate (granular), smoothly 
rounded but not very convex, and without depressions, 
basal margin sinuate. Seutellum small, deep brown. Elytra 
deep brown, almost piceous, each with an elongate pale 
basal spot curving outwards towards margin and larger 
than the apical spot, which curves irregularly from the 
margin to the suture; surface moderately shiny, granular. 
Body beneath deeper reddish brown, shining. Length 3.7 
mm. ; width 2 mm. 
Type data. — Holotype, female and one paratype, female, 
U.S.N.M. Cat. No. 61,195. Taken on Lippia berlandieri 
Schauer, at San Pedro de Montes de Ora, Costa Rica, July 
12, 1935, by Sofia Ballou. 
Remarks. — This is the first species of Megistops to be 
taken on the North American continent, the species hither- 
to being known only from the West Indies and South 
America. The markings are similar to many other species, 
notably M. pretiosus Baly, from Venezuela, and M. trini- 
tatis Bryant from Trinidad. M. pretiosus is described as 
having the thorax three times as broad as long, and Bryant 
