Staphylinidæ.
31
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aciculate, the metasternum rather broad, angulate; first four joints of the hind tarsi equal. Length 2.0 mm.; width 0.45 mm. British Columbia (Glenora),—Wickham. |
Distinct in its male sexual characters but otherwise of ordinary appearance and small size.
| Atheta dunni n. sp.—Moderately stout and convex, strongly shining throughout, the punctures minute, sparse, not asperulate, slightly closer but scarcely at all asperulate on the elytra; color black, the elytra dark piceo-testaceous, the legs dark piceous, the antennæ blackish throughout; head small, orbicular, even, the punctures becoming granose on the flanks, the eyes moderate, the carinæ fine, not quite entire; antennæ rather slender, moderately incrassate, the outer joints distinctly transverse, the second distinctly shorter than the third; prothorax rather small, transverse, parallel and rounded at the sides, much wider than the head and much narrower than the elytra, not deep black in color; elytra rather transverse, much longer than the prothorax; abdomen very distinctly narrower than the elytra, parallel, very slightly narrowed apically, the fifth tergite longer than the fourth, the sixth (♂) broadly truncate and nearly even at apex, the truncate part separated from a very small acute process at each side, not projecting posteriorly further than the truncature, by a small deep sinus; mesosternal process obtuse and subtruncate at tip, moderately wide, not drawn out and aciculate, the metasternal broad but acutely angulate, the intervening space much depressed; basal joint of the hind tarsi apparently longer than the second. Length 2.85 mm.; width 0.65 mm. Southern California (probably near Julian),—Dunn. |
Easily identifiable by the sternal structure, which is somewhat aberrant for true Atheta and by the seemingly somewhat elongate basal joint of the hind tarsi.
| Atheta claricella n. sp.—Rather stout, moderately convex, shining, very minutely and not distinctly punctulate, the abdomen finely, feebly and transversely strigilate but not very closely; color pale rufo-testaceous throughout, the abdomen with a more or less small blackish subapical cloud, the antennæ pale brown, testaceous basally; head moderate, the eyes rather prominent, at nearly their own length from the base, the carinæ extremely fine and feeble, far from entire; antennæ moderate in length, very stout and incrassate distally, the second joint somewhat shorter than the third, the outer joints transverse and nearly parallel-sided; prothorax transverse, parallel and rounded at the sides, much wider than the head and evidently narrower than the elytra, the latter large, moderately transverse, the sides diverging from base to apex, much longer than the prothorax; abdomen rather wide but narrower than the elytra, the fifth tergite longer than the fourth; mesosternal process rather obtuse, truncate and not aciculate at tip, the metasternal moderately projecting and angulate, the intermediate space broadly convex and scarcely at all depressed. Length 2.25 mm.; width 0.72 mm. California (San Diego). |
This species, as represented by the three specimens in my cabinet, does not seem to have any clearly marked male sexual characters, but it is to be known at once by its peculiar coloration.
