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teeth nearly as in reposita but differing in character, the two lateral being smaller and more slender and all the projections flat, not tuberculiform; mesosternal process aciculate, not so long as in the preceding, separated from the more angulate metasternum by a longer distance; tarsi similar. Length 2.7 mm.; width 0.62 mm. Arizona (Tuçson). |
Resembles reposita a good deal, but more slender and with differences as noted in the description. It is probable that all the species of this type are stercoraceous in habits.
| Atheta querula n. sp.—Allied to the two preceding, stouter than in ostenta, moderately convex, similar in coloration, rather dull, densely, finely and asperulately punctate, the abdomen shining, similarly strigulate; head similar, the eyes convex, at about their own length from the base, the carinæ fine but distinct, similarly virtually entire though not actually joining the margin of the buccal cavity; antennæ similar, blackish throughout, rather thick, moderately incrassate, the second and third joints equal, moderately elongate, the outer joints distinctly transverse; prothorax large, rather strongly transverse, parallel and rounded at the sides, obsoletely impressed medially at base, much wider than the head but only slightly narrower than the elytra, which are wider than long, nearly parallel and much longer than the prothorax; abdomen but little narrower than the elytra, parallel basally, gradually narrowing slightly behind the middle, the fourth and fifth tergites equal in length, the sixth (♂) with a slender and well developed process at each side of the apex, and, at the middle, two small, somewhat reflexed and strongly tuberculiform teeth, separated by about the same interval as either from the lateral processes; sterna and tarsi almost exactly as in reposita. Length 2.7 mm.; width 0.75 mm. California (Calaveras Co.). |
Differs from ostenta in its stouter form and, from reposita, in its more parallel form, relatively larger prothorax and less evenly tapering abdomen.
In the two following species the male sexual characters are altogether peculiar:
| Atheta promota n. sp.—Rather stout, subparallel, moderately convex, blackish-piceous, the elytra but little paler, the legs and antennal base pale; surface rather shining, minutely, not very closely and almost simply punctulate, except on the elytra, where the punctures are close-set and strongly asperate; head moderately transverse, the eyes rather large, convex, at evidently less than their own length from the base, the carinæ fine, not quite entire; antennæ rather short, somewhat strongly incrassate distally, the second and third joints elongate, equal and obconic, the outer joints very distinctly transverse; prothorax large, transverse, parallel and well rounded at the sides, much wider than the head but only slightly narrower than the elytra, finely, feebly impressed along the median line and with a feeble ante-scutellar impression; elytra moderately transverse, with straight and rather diverging sides, much longer than the prothorax; abdomen parallel, evidently narrower than the elytra, slightly narrowed apically, the tergites equal in length |
