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distally, the outer joints rather transverse, the eleventh long, obtuse at tip, longer than the two preceding, the second longer than the third, which is obconic and only slightly elongate; prothorax evidently though not very greatly wider than the head and correspondingly a little narrower than the elytra, moderately transverse, parallel, moderately rounded at the sides anteriorly, a little less so basally, feebly impressed along the median line; elytra distinctly transverse though much longer than the prothorax; abdomen perfectly parallel and straight at the sides throughout, narrower than the elytra, the fifth tergite much longer than the fourth, the sixth (♂) broadly, subangularly sinuate at apex, the edge even, the adjacent surface however with a series of small elevations separated by small punctures, the sides obliquely cariniform and elevated, the carina not posteriorly prominent though acute-angled; surface evenly and transversely convex from side to side, strongly reticulate; mesosternal process long and rather broad, truncate at tip and separated by but little more than its own apical width from the metasternal projection, which is nearly as long as wide, with the apex rounded; basal joint of the hind tarsi but little shorter than the second. Length 2.3 mm.; width 0.48 mm. New York (Catskill Mts.). |
The broad sterna and the structure of the antennæ, as well as the male sexual characters, show that this small species is not closely allied to any other here described.
The following six species are distinguished in each instance by some remarkable peculiarity of the male sexual characters, which will be readily recognized.
| Atheta marinica n. sp.—Small, rather slender, moderately convex, black, the prothorax blackish, the elytra pale piceous-brown, clouded apico-externally; legs very pale, the antennæ brown, pale basally; surface finely punctate, the punctures sparse and simple on the head, close and strongly asperate on the pronotum and elytra; head but little wider than long, the eyes convex, at less than their own length from the base, the carinæ fine and far from entire; antennæ rather short, rapidly and strongly incrassate, the outer joints strongly transverse, the second and third equal, moderately elongate and obconical; prothorax moderately transverse, only slightly wider than long, very much longer as well as wider than the prothorax; abdomen polished, minutely, sparsely punctulate, much narrower than the elytra, parallel, the border rapidly thinner behind, the fourth and fifth tergites equal, the sixth (♂) transversely truncate at tip, the truncature bearing four short stout teeth of equal length, the two median, rounded and tuberculiform, separated by nearly twice the more concave interval between either and the lateral, the latter more angulate but not more prominent; mesosternal process moderate in length and acuteness, separated from the long and sharply angulate metasternum by a short though very deep interval; hind tarsi with the first joint subcylindric and slightly shorter than the second, two to four equal and obconic. Length 2.4 mm.; width 0.5 mm. California (Mill Valley, Marin Co.). |
