Metachroma pellucidum Crotch 1873

Metachroma pellucidum Crotch

Metachroma pellucidum Crotch, 1873, p. 43.—Horn, 1892, pp. 218, 219.

DESCRIPTION.—Approximately 3.5 mm in length, ovate, shining, yellow brown usually with deeper reddish brown head and prothorax, the latter often vaguely marked with deeper brown area on each side and finely and rather sparsely punctate; elytra unusually convex, with scarcely a trace of intrahumeral sulcus, striate punctures fine, not impressed and fading out over basal callosity, sides, and at apex.

Head with interocular space approximately half width of head, obsoletely and finely punctate over occiput, front often impunctate with a median line on vertex and transverse sulcus dividing front from clypeus, sometimes clypeus nearly impunctate but usually with a few coarser punctures, lower margin over labrum nearly straight, shining reddish brown over occiput, paler down front. Antennae extending below humeri, pale. Prothorax about a third wider than long, not as wide as elytra, with only slightly rounded sides and conspicuous tooth at each angle, shining, deep reddish brown often with deeper brown areas on each side, and with fine, not dense punctures especially on sides, intermediate median line often impunctate. Scutellum reddish brown. Elytra approximately three times as long as prothorax, convex with only trace of intrahumeral depression or depression below, striate punctures not deeply impressed or very dense and becoming faint over basal callosity, along sides, and after the middle, side rows only half as long as usual; shining pale yellowish brown with sutural edges often reddish brown. Body beneath with prosternum and area about coxae usually reddish brown, abdomen paler yellow-brown, apex of femora usually deeper brown, femora not toothed, claws with long tooth. Length, 3.4–3.8 mm; width, 1.8–2.2 mm.

TYPE.—Male, in LeConte collection, MCZ.

TYPE-LOCALITY.—North Carolina.

OTHER LOCALITIES.—Massachusetts; Wellfleet, Wickham, New York: Riverhead, V. M. Kirk. New Jersey: Buena, Wickham; Liebeck. Maryland: Bladensburg, Hubbard and Schwarz. Washington, D.C.- Virginia: Bancroft, J. C. Bridwell; Pennington Gap, Hubbard and Schwarz. North Carolina: Durham; Raleigh, H. A. Howden; Southern Pines, A. H. Manet, H. and A. Howden; Fort Bragg, Wilson. South Carolina: Clemson, O. L. Cartwright; Aiken, H. F. Howden. Georgia: Atlanta, P. W. Fattig; Wrens, L. D. Tuthill. Alabama: Decatur, J. D. Beamer. Louisiana: Caney Lake, near Minden, P. J. Spangler; Covington, H. Soltau. Texas: Columbus, Hubbard and Schwarz.

Metachroma pellucidum is a species of leaf beetle. It is mostly found in coastal states of the United States, ranging from Texas to Florida to New York, but is also found inland to Indiana. Its length is between 3.4 and 3.8 mm.