F. G. Carnochan.
Notes on the Genus Phelister Mars.
Psyche 22:213-214, 1915.

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Carnochan-Notes on the Gents Phelister, Mars, NOTES ON THE GENUS PHELISTER, MARSml
While working on a revision of the Genus Phelister, of the United States, I noted a few points which it seems well to clear up at this time. Say, in 1825 described Phdister ~u~rotundu~, and also described a variety of subrotundus which he called var. -4. This variety is characterized by having the fifth dorsal stria abbreviated in front. In the sixty-two specimens of subrotundu~, which I have examined, I found seven of this variety, and consider that it merits a name.
Phelister subrotundus Say var. sayi, var. nov. Oval, shining, black.
Antenn~, legs, and elytra at each side and at tip, reddish brown.
Front concave, punctured, frontal stria interrupted, but extending over the eyes.
Thorax finely punctdate, more coarsely at the sides; marginal stria entire, fine; submarginal stria fine, distinct, abbreviated at base. Elytra with five entire striz, the fifth extending just past the middle, and represented at the base by a single deep puncture; the sutural extending usually as far as the fifth. Propygid- ium sparsely punctured, pygidium sparsely and more minutely punctured. Ante- .
rior tibie multidenticulate.
The type of this variety is in my collection; paratypes in my collection and in that of Mr. C. A. Frost. I have seen also a
second well marked variety which is, however, much more rare. In this variety the fourth dorsal stria is hooked towards the scu- tellum.
Phelister subrotundus Say var. frosti, var. nov. Oval, shining, black. Antenme, legs, and elytra at each side and tip, reddish brown.
Front concave, punctured, frontal stria interrupted, but extending over the eyes. Thorax finely punctulate, more coarsely at the sides; marginal stria entire, fine; submarginal stria distinct, fine, abbreviated at base. Elytra with five entire strie, the fifth distinctly hooked at base, the hook extending half way to the scutellum; sutural extending to middle or just in front of the middle. Propygidium sparsely punctured, pygidium sparsely and minutely punctured. Anterior tibie multidenticulate.
Described from three specimens; the type is in my collection; paratypes in the collection of Mr. C. A. Frost and the American Museum of Natural History.
IContributions from the Entomological Laboratory of the Bumey Institution, Hmvard University, No. 106.




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!2 14 Psgche [December
Both these varieties seem to coincide in range with Phelister sub- rotundus.
Two more species, vernus Say. and saunieri Mars. require attention. These two are very close but differ in essential points. In vernus the thorax is very sparsely and unevenly punctate? as is the pygidium, the form of the insect is distinctly elongate? and all of the twenty-four specimens which I have examined have a dis- tinctly reddish tinge, thus producing a rusty appearance, although the general color is black. Saunieri is proportionately broader, and has the thorax evenly and rather densely punctate, the pygid- ium is also evenly punctate but not very densely, the color is a clear, shining black without a trace of reddish. I believe that the latter is extensively confused with vernus in colIections as all the eight specimens that I have seen have been sent to me under that name.




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