PROCEEDINGS OF THE Entomological Society of Washington VOL. 31 NOVEMBER, 1929 No. 8 A PRELIMINARY GENERIC ARRANGEMENT OF THE PALM BRUCHIDS AND ALLIES (COLEOPTERA) WITH DESCRIP-TIONS OF NEW SPECIES. By John Coi.burn Bridwell, IFashington, D. C. In January, 1829, Dr. E. A. Back, in charge of Stored Product Insect Investigations in the LInited States Department of Agriculture, showed me two palm bruchids from Brazilian babassu nuts under investigation in his office. Having already given considerable attention to this group, I asked permission to study them. On comparing them with the material in the United States National Museum, both species were found to be already represented there and in addition to these there were representatives of five other species so closely allied to one of them as to make it necessary to treat them together. Un-fortunately the condition of the literature of the group does not enable the described species to be determined with cer-tainty and types or other authentically named material are not to be found in this country. Dr. Back and Dr. Cotton have prepared a paper upon these two bruchids and needed names for them. The present paper has been prepared to supply this need, to describe characters not previously used to distinguish species in the group, and to establish in the litera-ture the genera into which the palm bruchids have differen-tiated. Opportunity for type study being not yet afforded, I have ventured to describe the species as new believing it will be easy to sink any species found synonymous after the study of types. It is more difficult to clear up confusion caused by misidenti-fications.i The types of the species here described are to be found in the United States National Museum, Washington, D. C. Genonyms and Genera of Palm Bruchids and Allies. The species of Bruchidae breeding in the seeds of many American palms have been considered as belonging in a single ^I have appreciated the opportunity to work on these interesting Bruchidae, particularly as it associates my work with the economic aspects and illustrations discussed in the paper previously referred to.
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