Epicaerus (Epicaerus) sturmi Sharp 1891

Hab.MEXICO (Sallé).

Minus elongatus, ovalis, convexus, niger, griseo-squamosus, lateribus corporeque inferius albidis; rostro profunde impresso; prothorace conico, subæquali; elytris seriatim remote punctatis.
 
Long. 9½ millim.

This species is allied to E. convexus and E. reversus, but is considerably shorter in form; the rostrum is short, broadly and deeply impressed in front, with a minute fovea between the eyes. The thorax is gradually narrowed from the base to the front, with a coarse but indistinct punctuation, and a feeble longitudinal depression, not extending to the base, on the middle. The elytra have regular series of remote punctures, distinct at the base but extremely minute behind; the squamosity is rather irregularly distributed, so as to give a slight appearance of two rather darker fasciæ across the middle.
 
Of E. sturmi we have obtained only two old examples, without special locality, from Sallé's collection; one of them was formerly in Sturm's collection and is labelled “Barynotus obliquefasciatus, mihi,” in that naturalist's writing. It is not very likely to be mistaken for any other of our species except E. reversus, which is of much more elongate form. E. fronteræ has also a deep impression on the front of the rostrum, but it is a larger and broader insect, with less conical, more coarsely sculptured thorax. The two specimens of E. sturmi are no doubt of the female sex.