Coiitrilbiitions to tlie Descriptire and Systematic Coleopterology of North America.
PART I.
By Tiios. L. Casey, Lieut, of Eng'rs, U. S. A.
The following essay is given to the public, with the view of contributing another mite to the written descriptions of our American fauna, as well as of rendering it possible to identify for coiTespondents many distinct species, at present scattered unnamed through our type collections. Many of them belong to genera, to the apparent confusion of which, it may be regretted by many that any addition has been made, and in these cases I have made the descriptions as full and exact as it lay in my power. If they ever serve to identify the species, they may be considered to have done their duty. These remarks apply particularly to the genus Harpalus, in which the green metallic species are separated by the number and arrangement of the setigerous punctures on the epistoma. Whether these species are valid or not, time and experience can alone demonstrate, but it must be affirmed here as a conviction that much of the trouble, confusion, and consequent neglect of the species in this genus, is the result of a careless study and separation of them, and that there is much less variation in the individuals of species, which have been thoroughly investigated and minutely defined, than is commonly supposed.
This is certainly the cause of the trouble in the case of H. viridiceneus, which will be seen later to have been made up, in most cabinets, of individuals belonging to five distinctly characterized species. Knowing these species to be distinct, it is very easy afterwards to see many differences, which were overlooked while they remained mixed up in confusion ; and this, for a reason analogous to that which renders it much easier for an astronomer to detect a faint star or satellite of a planet, when once it has been discovered, and its Published August, 1884. 1 0' .- % COLLECTION ^ {{"^ ^ C.M_L '""O \'''" -^ ^V COLLECTIQ^J
THOS. L. CASEY.
exact position pointetl out ; or, in other words, when he is told where to look for it. These differences relate more particularly to the shape and relative size of the head, pronotum, and elytra, as well as to minor characters of the under surface.
Philadelphia, Jcxe 23, 1884.
PTEROSTICHrS.
P. zepliyrus n. sp. — Form rather slender. Upper surface piceousblack, elytra somewhat paler, iiuder surface dark fuscous, legs same, posterior edges of the ventral segments very pale testaceous. Head moderate, as long as width across the eyes ; epistoma broadly, evenly, aud feebly eraargiiiate anteriorly ; labrum slightly more than twice as wide as long, almost transversely truncate anteriorly, angles acute ; eyes flat, oval, nearly entirely visible from above, very near the posterior angles ; posterior supra-orbital seta slightly behind the eye ; antennae as long as the head and prothorax together, dark rnfo-testaceous, paler toward tip, second joint scarcely one-half as long as the third ; mentum tooth rather small, deeply and triangularly incised at tip, and deeply excavated on the exposed surface ; third joint of labial palpi slightly shorter than the second ; between the gular sutures there is a short, narrow, regularly impressed line. Prothorax as broad as long, rather strongly constricted behind ; disk strongly depressed ; median line distinctly visible throughout, lateral basal depressions very well marked ; surface highly polished throughout ; sides strongly arcuate anteriorly and sinuate posteriorly ; anterior angles somewhat acute, posterior acute and projecting; base broadly and somewhat angularly emargiuate. Scutellum small and triangular. Elytra at base as wide as the prothorax, very slightly more than twice as long as the latter, widest at two-thirds the length posteriorly ; sides rather strongly arcuate ; disk moderately convex, striae deeply impressed,interspacesratherstronglyconvex.Lastventralsegmentstrongly carinated in the middle toward the apex. Anterior tibiae rufous toward the tip. Length 12.0 mm.
The exact locality of this species is not known ; the single representative, which is in my cabinet, is a male, and was probably collectedintheextremeSouthwest.
The very marked and narrow cariniform elevation of the last ventral segment renders it easily recognizable.
P. oscillaiis n. sp. — Form slender. Surface above black, beneath deep piceous-bhick, legs slightly paler toward the tips of the tarsi. Head moderate, longer than width across the eyes ; labrum slightly more than twice as wide as long, sides nearly straight, broadly and very feebly emargiuate anteriorly', angles slightly rounded ; eyes situated very near the posterior angles, rather convex ; posterior supra-orbital seta on a line with the posterior edge of the eye ; antennae as long as the head and prothorax together, dark fuscous, paler toward the tip, pubescence fulvo-testaceous, second joint more than
C 33. ■ f . -2.
NOETn AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 3 one-half as long as tlie third ; emargiiiation of nientum broadly trapezoidal, tooth rather small, much broader than long, equilatero-triaugularly incised at apex, and broadly excavated on the exposed surface ; longitudinal line between the gular sutures deeply impressed ; mandibles black throughout, tips acute. Prothorax slightly narrower tlian long ; disk rather convex, median line deeply impressed and terminating at short distances from the base and apex ; lateral basal lines broadly and deeply impressed ; apex almost transverse, base very broadly and feebly emarginate ; sides feebly convergent behind, nearly evenly arcuate ; anterior and posterior angles sub-equally and evenly rounded. Scutellum small and acutely triangular. Elytra at base slightly wider than the prothorax, widest at mid-section, nearly two and one-half times as long as the pronotum ; together rather acutely rounded behind; sides evenly and rather strongly arcuate; disk moderately convex, striae deeply impressed, interspaces convex. Legs long and slender. Posterior edges of the ventral segments somewhat paler ; the tip of the last segment is broadly and deeply impressed in the male. Length 11.0-12.5 mm.
The two specimens of this species, a male and a female, which are before me, are from the same lot as the preceding species, and are probably natives of the same region, or the Northern part of Mexico. Instead of one posterior supra-orbital seta, which is the condition in the male, the female has, abnormally, three setae very closely approximate, and in the same longitudinal line. The deep, transverse, and somewhat rectangular impression at the tip of the last ventral segment in the male is very distinct.
AIHARA.
A. apaclieiisis n. sp. — Form rather slender, oval. Head moderate, distinctly broader across the eyes than long ; surface convex and highly polished ; eyes small, very convex, and prominent ; epistoma deeply and transversely impressed just behind the anterior emargiuatiou ; labrum onehalf as wide again as long, broadly and feebly emarginate anteriorly, sides nearly straight and moderately convergent ; antennae nearly equal in length to the head and prothorax together, seta of first joint very long and thick ; last joint of maxillary palpi one-half longer than the penultimate, rather slender, acuminate, compressed toward the tip, deeply and longitudinally excavated posteriorly ; mentum tooth strong, broader than long, bifid, incisure in the form of an equilateral triangle, tips rounded, dental setae very long ; a seta in the middle of each end of the sub-mentum is also very well developed. Prothorax three-fourths as wide again as long, apex slightly shorter than the base, and very feebly emarginate ; sides almost evenly and rather feebly arcuate ; disk moderately convex, highly polished, median line distinct, terminating at equal and very short distances from the base and apex ; basal punctures very feeble, coarse, variform, and irregularly distributed in a narrow transverse area along the base ; there are also at the base two rounded impressions on each side of the median line and at equal distances
4 THOS. L. CASEY.
from tlie posterior margin. Elytra at base as wide as the prothorax ; sides very feebly arcuate ; together rather acutely rounded behind ; disk very convex, highly polished, striae very feeble, interspaces flat ; suture twice as long as the head and prothorax together. Last abdominal segment having two short, closely approximate setae on each side near the apex. Color of body throughout dark castaneous, legs and oral organs paler. Length, G.7 mm. Male.
Arizona (Morrison).
This species appears to be very distinct, and is much smaller and more slender, as well as more convex than either californica or remotestriata. The striae of the elytra are scarcely visible except with a good lens, and are indistinctly punctulate ; the first joint of the posterior tarsi is very slightly longer than the last. A. marylandica n. sp. — Form rather broadly elliptical, sides very feebly arcuate. Head moderate, broader than long ; eyes small ; sides nearly parallel and feebly arcuate behind the eyes, very rapidly convergent before ; surface moderately convex and shining ; supra-orbital setae rather approximateand symmetrically placed in reference to the longitudinal limits of the eye ; antennae short, not as long as the width of prothorax, first three joints rufous, remainder dark castaneous ; emargination of meutum trapezoidal, tooth very short and broad, distinctly sinuate anteriorly, dental setae very close and long, at each extremity of the gular support of the mentum thei'e are two closely approximate and rather long setae ; oral organs pale testaceous ; maxillary palpi very stout, castaneous. Prothorax one-third longer than the head, distinctly broader behind ; apex broadly and feebly emargiiiate, base transverse ; basal angles acute ; disk polished, median line feeble ; border narrow, broken for a short distance in the middle of the base ; near each basal angle, there is a small, impressed, punctiform pit ; between this and the median line a small, irregular, dejiressed area, which is very sparingly punctate; just within the raised lateral margin, there is a succession of very fine punctures. Elytra at base as wide as the pronotum ; sides nearly parallel, very feebly arcuate ; together nearly one-half longer than wide, rather acutely rounded behind ; disk polished, extremely finely reticulated, distinctly striate, striae strongly punctate, interspaces nearly flat, just exterior to the eighth stria there is a row of very distinct punctures near the humeri, and a much longer one near the tips, tfcutellum much broader than long, acute behind, sides arcuate. Last abdominal segment bearing on each side near the apex two long stout setae. Terminal spurs of anterior tibiae very strongly developed. Color of body dark piceous-black, having on the upper surface an aeneous metallic lustre ; legs dark rufo-testaceous. Length 7.8 mm. % .
Maryland, banks of the Potomac Kiver, below AVashington ; one specimen.
This species is remarkable for its very short i)ronotum, tliat of the type being only 1.8 mm. in length, while the elytra are 4. 'J mm., and
NORTH AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. O it is nearly two-thirds wider than long. The sides of the protliorax are more convex anteriorly than posteriorly, where they are nearly parallel and straight.
A. pallida n. sp. — Form broadly oval, sides parallel. Head small, sub-triangular ; eyes small, convex, and salient ; surface convex and highly polished ; labrnm prominent, feebly and narrowly sinuate anteriorly, surface minutely reticulated ; antennae very slender, coarsely setose, as long as the base of the pronotum ; mentum tooth narrower than long, feebly bifid at the tip, prominent ; mandibles very finely acuminate at tip, toward which they are blackish in color. Protliorax at apex as wide as the head, scarcely onethird wider than long, more than one-third wider at base than at apex ; sides feebly arcuate, slightly more so anteriorly than posteriorly ; disk very convex, median line very fine and distinct, the two basal impressions at each side are rather feeble, irregularly and coarsely puctured, punctures deeply impressed and isolated ; surface highly polished. Scutellum transverse, triangular, sides straight. Elytra at base as wide as the pronotum ; sides parallel and very feebly arcuate ; disk very convex, one-half longer than wide, and one-third longer than the head and protliorax together ; striae deep, punctate, interspaces very convex and highly polished ; elytra together broadly rounded behind ; there is a row of setae near the humeral angles and a continuation of the same, beginning at a distance fi'om those angles equal to two-thirds the entire elytral length. Legs moderate, fourth joint of anterior tarsi very small, not more than one-half as long as the third. Extremity of last ventral segment bearing one seta on each side near the immediate vertex. The color of the entire insect is a pale piceo-testaceous, becoming rather rufo-testaceous toward the front ; femora still paler. Length 5.3 mm., breadth 2.5 mm. % .
Willets Point, New York Harbor ; one specimen.
The type of" this species has the liead strongly deflexed. Tiie very pale color may be due to immaturity; the eyes and portions of the mandibles are, however, deeply colored. The species is of a much broader and more convex form than any other which can be considered nearly related to it, and the elytra are proportionally much shorter.
A. feri'Ugiliea n. sp. — Form moderately robust, sides nearly parallel. Color of entire body rather dark reddish-ferruginous. Head small, slightly wider across the eyes than long ; eyes small. Protliorax at base twice as wide as the head, and one-third wider than long ; base much longer than the apex, both nearly transverse and straight ; sides almost evenly convex, border narrow, beginning slightly behind the anterior angles and continuing with the same width along the base for a short distance, where it becomes interrupted and lost ; median line distinct and attaining the base ; disk moderately convex, highly polished, without any traces of punctuation at the base, near the basal angles there is a small, round, deeply impressed, punctiform pit. Scutellum strongly transverse, short, triangular, sides
6 TIIOS. L. CASEY.
straight. Elytra at base as wide as the prouotum ; sides parallel and very feebly convex ; together broadly and abruptly rounded behind, scarcely onehalf as long again as wide ; disk convex, highly polished, striae strong, punctured, interspaces strongly convex. Last ventral segment bearing but one seta on each side near the immediate vertex. Mesosternum very broad between the coxae, wliere it is emarginate behind, emargination as wide as the lateral lobes, ver^' deep, broadly rounded at the bottom. Under surface of anterior tarsi having two series of long, cinereous, extremely dense pubescence. The gula is very convex longitudinally. Length 6.5 mm. % . Atlantic City, New Jersey ; one specimen.
The type is greatly damaged about the head, the oral organs being entirely wanting; there is enough remaining, however, to show that the species is evidently distinct ; it bears a somewhat remote resemblance to A. ruhrica, but in that species the pronotum is distinctly punctate at the base. The very dense pubescence on the under surface of the anterior tarsi reminds us in a manner of Anisodactylus, although in that genus there is not a medial division or gap. ANISODACTYLUS.
A. arizoiiae n. sp. — Form nearly as in cali/ornicus. Upper surface deep blue-black, under surface dark fuscous, femora black, tibiae very slightly paler, tarsi fuscous. Head large, slightly longer than width across the eyes ; eyes small, rather feebly convex ; labrum not twice as wide as long, feebly and narrowly sinuate anteriorly, angles broadly rounded ; antennae equal in length to width of prothorax, robust, dark castaueous ; emargination of mentum parabolic, tooth in the form of a short, wide, and acute cusp, dental setae very closely approximate ; mandibles long, strongly arcuate at tip, acute, piceous-black. Prothorax distinctly longer than the head, one-third wider than long ; disk moderately and evenly convex, highly polished throughout without any trace of punctuation ; median line almost obliterated, lateral impressions somewhat stronger ; sides feebly convergent behind, strongly arcuate anteriorly, feebly sinuate posteriorly ; anterior angles narrowly rounded, posterior acute and very slightly produced ; surface having a deep, purplish-blue reflection. Scutellum small and acutely triangular. Elytra at base very slightly wider than the prothorax, two and two-thirds times as long as the latter ; sides nearly parallel and rather feebly arcuate ; disk moderately convex, widest at mid-section, striae impressed and distinct, interspaces very feebly convex and highly polished. Second and third joints of the anterior tarsi much broader than the first : first, second, and tliird joints of the posterior tarsi decreasing uniformly and rather rapidly in length, first not as long as the next two together. Length 13.5mm.
Arizona ; one specimen, male.
This very fine species is one of the largest of the genua within our territory; it somewhat resembles caUfornicus in form, but differs from
NORTH AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 7 that species in many important characters, among others in the dental setae of the mentum, which are very long, approximate, and close to the tooth in this species, while in californicus they are distant from the bottom of the emargination and are widely separated. The prothorax in the present species is perfectly smooth and not punctate as in the other ; the surface of the elytra also, in arizonce, is highly polished, while in californicus it is rendered opaque by a minute and regular system of granulation.
I have before me another male, which must be referred to this species; the prothorax, although not punctate, is transversely creased, as though it had been crumpled while in a plastic state ; the right side of the pronotum is deformed, and as tliere are certain other evidences pointing to its probably abnormal character, I will not describe it ; the posterior angles of the prothorax are narrowly rounded and not produced.
AMERI^US n. gen.
This genus is founded upon Dr. LeConte's Bradyeellus linearis, a small elongated insect of very singular form. The principal characters are as follows : — Emargination of mentum very small, tooth very long and slender, projectinganteriorly slightly beyond the lateral cusps of the mentum. Second joint of labial palpi as long as the third, strongly bent, bisetose ; second joint of maxillary palpi very robust, strongly flattened, somewhat lunate, third joint scarcely more than one-half as long as the fourth. Penultimate joints of the antennae not appreciably flattened. Labrum transversely truncate anteriorly, feebly bisinuate, angles right and very pronounced, lateral setae nearly twice as long as the intermediate ones. Last joint of anterior tarsi very long, having a very long seta at each side of its upper surface, three penultimate joints wider than long, fourth joint rudimentarily bilobed. Supra-orbital setae single, situated opposite the posterior limit of the eye ; basal mandibular setae wanting ; eyes small, wider than long. Pronotum much longer than wide, median line extremely strong and deep, basal impressionsverydeep,punctate;elytramorethantwiceaslongaswide. The appearance of the insect is unlike that of Bradyeellus, being very long and slender; the pronotum is squarely truncate behind, with the basal angles very slightly obtuse, and not at all rounded. There is but one species described, viz. : — A. linearis (Lee.)— Smith. Misc. Coll., 1863-66, vol. vi. p. 16. The types in my cabinet were taken in the District of Columbia ; the length is 4.5 mill.
TH05. L. CASEY.
BRADICELLIJS.
B. llicidlis 11. sp. — Form ratlu'i- elongated, moderately convex; sides nearly parallel ; glabrous above. Color above deep piceoiis-black, beneath black, legs fulvo-testaceous, antennae and oral organs reddisli-piceous. Head moderate, slender, longer than wide, very convex ; supra-orbital setae stout, very slightly behind the middle of the eye ; eyes almost exactly circular, moderately convex ; antennae as long as head and prothorax together, reddish-testaceous throughout, last seven joints compressed, third joint more than twice as long as the second ; emargination of meiitum broad, tooth welldeveloped, very slightly rounded at the tip ; dental setae approximate, long ; on the sub-mentum, at a distance from each extremity equal to one-fourtli its width, there is a pair of long stout setae, also a single short seta at each lateral anterior angle. Prothorax widest Just in advance of the middle, where it is one-third wider than long ; anterior margin very slightly shorter than the posterior, broadly and feebly emarginate, posterior margin broadly, feebly, and slightly irregularly arcuate ; anterior and posterior angles broadly rounded ; sides rather strongly arcuate, most strongly so in advance of the middle ; disk rather feebly convex, large ; basal impressions feeble, finely and feebly punctulate ; median line narrowly impressed, distinct ; surface polished, paler at the edges, margined narrowly throughout its circumference. Elytra at base slightly wider than the contiguous pronotum ; sides strongly divergent and arcuate for a short distance from the humeri, then parallel and nearly straight for two-thirds the length posteriorly ; disk moderately convex, obtusely rounded behind ; striae narrowly impressed, intervals flat, polished, and minutely reticulated ; transverse basal groove strongly bisinuate, making with the acute lateral edges at the humeri, very acute angles ; .each elytron has a single puncture near the second stria and at two-thirds the length posteriorly. First four joints of the anterior and middle tarsi strongly and nearly equally dilated, densely spongy-pubescent beneath ; first joint of the posterior tarsi very slightly longer than the second. Length 6.0 mm.
Arizona (Morrison).
Tliis species is remarkable amongst its congeners, for the very strong dilatation of the middle tarsal joints in the male ; the setae on the sub-mentum are also somewhat singular.
HARPALUS.
II. opaciIS 11. sp. — Form and size nearly as in rujiiiianus. Body nearly opaque, black. Head rather broad ; labrum short, broad, feebly, and roundly emarginate anteriorly ; antennae scarcely as long as width of prothorax,firstjointnearlyaslongasthesecondandthirdtogether,rufo-testaceous, remaining joints robust and thickly clothed with short piceous setae, last joint perceptibly compressed ; last joint of maxillary palpi much darker toward base. Prothorax nearly one-half as wide again as long ; sides rather feebly arcuate, more so anteriorly, apex narrower than base; basal angles rounded, lateral border narrow but. verv strong ; surface feeblv convex.