Memoirs on the coleoptera

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MEMOIRS ON THE COLEOPTERA
that it cannot be in any way closely related to embaphionides ; a
corresponding difference in the form of the elytral setae in generically
related species has, however, been previously noted under Heter-
asida. The absence of actual specimens of either of these two very
interesting species, renders it impossible for me to give any structural
generic characters relating to the mouth-parts, antennae or tarsi.
Litasida n. gen.
The single type of this genus greatly resembles polita of the next,
in being deep black, oblong-oval, smooth, and evenly convex and
the mentum is similarly notably small, obtrapezoidal, separated
from the narrowly rounded, moderately prominent
sides of the
buccal opening by wide vacant intervals, the gular pedestal high,
rather narrow and sinuate and the ligula large tumid and non-
retractile. But, as an exception to all other types in this part of
the series, the trochantin is obsolete, the sterna separated merely
by a cleft, and the elytra are but narrowly inflexed beneath as in
Microschatia. The eyes and antennae are nearly as in the following
genus, but the latter are distinguished from anything else in the
tribe by a sexual modification of the sixth joint in the male, where
this joint is distinctly though not greatly wider than either of those
adjoining it; the apical part is gradually enlarged through joints
eight to ten. The labrum is but slightly transverse, with a small
deep apical sinus between two unusually prominent and narrowly
rounded lobes. The legs are rather short and moderately slender,
except the tarsi which are unusually long, the intermediate in the
male somewhat longer than the tibiae and the posterior four-fifths
as long; the tibiae as well as the under surface of the tarsi have
sparse and short pale spinuliform inclined hairs; the claws are
rather long, feebly arcuate and distinctly compressed. The type
of this rather isolated genus is the following:
Body oblong-oval, evenly and moderately convex, glabrous, deep black
throughout and somewhat opaque; head feebly impressed transversely,
opaque, minutely, indistinctly punctulate, the epistoma more
shining and with distinct but sparse punctures; antennae rather stout,
black, extending (cf ) almost to the thoracic base; prothorax three-
fifths wider than long, scarcely narrower than the elytra, much narrowed
anteriorly from the middle, the apex scarcely two-thirds as
wide as the base, deeply sinuate, the angles blunt; base transverse,
posteriorly oblique at each side, the angles right, formed entirely