RECORD: Baly, John Sugar. 1861. Descriptions of new genera and species of Phytophaga. Journal of Entomology, London, 1 (4): 275-302.
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed (single key) by AEL Data 2012. RN1
XXIII.—Descriptions of new Genera and Species of Phytophaga.
By J. S. BALY.
Fam. Crioceridæ.
Genus MACROLEMA.
Corpus oblongum. Caput exsertum, collo leniter constricto; antennis modice robustis, subelongatis, filiformibus, articulo primo incrassato, secundo brevi, tertio illo duplo longiore, quarto tertio paullo longiore, cæteris singulatim quarto fere æqualibus; labro transverso; mandibulis sat robustis, apice bifidis; maxillis bilobatis, lobo superiore palpiformi; palparum maxillarum articulo ultimo ovato, apice truncato; mento brevi, transverso, antice concavo; ligula semicornea, obtusa, integra; oculis prominulis, postice orbita male definita instructis, intus vix sinuatis. Thorax transversus, lateribus postice angustatis. Scutellum elongato-trigonatum. Elytra thorace multo latiora, parallela, dorso subcylindrica. Pedes modice robusti, subelongati, simplices; coxis anticis transversis; femoribus posticis non incrassatis, ungue articulo penultimo dimidio longiore, libero; unguiculis distantibus, basi non connexis. Prosternum distinctum. Abdominis segmento basali sequente paullo longiore.
Type, Macrolema vittata, Baly.
This striking genus stands in close proximity to Brachydactyla, Lac., agreeing in having a distinct prosternum and in not possessing conical anterior coxæ, but differing in the third and fourth joints of the tarsi being formed in accordance with the ordinary type of the family, and in the anterior coxæ being transverse instead of hemispherical. From all the remaining genera, the transverse anterior coxæ and (Megascelis and the first section of Crioceris excepted) the possession of a prosternum separate it.
The beautiful insect on which the genus is founded has been recently sent by Mr. Diggles from Dawson's River, a new settlement in the northern part of Queensland, Australia.
Macrolema vittata. (Plate XIII. fig. 1.)
M. subelongata, parallela, convexa, pallide fulvo-fusca, nitida; antennis supra, tibiis extrorsum tarsisque chalybeis; thorace transverso, lateribus postice angustato-sinuatis, disco utrinque unifoveolato, vitta mediali antice posticeque abbreviata et puncto utrinque ante apicem posito, nigro-piceis; elytris striato-punctatis, nigro-piceis, sordide albo-lim-batis, utroque vitta lata a basi ad pone medium extensa, pallide fusca.—Long. 5½–6 lin.; lat. 8 lin.
Hab. Dawson's River, Moreton Bay.
Subelongate, parallel, convex, pale shining fulvo-fuscous. Head ex-
serted, narrowed behind the eyes, but not constricted into a regular neck; eyes slightly prominent; antennæ filiform, robust, equal in length to the body, third joint shorter than the fourth, all the joints steel-blue above, obscure fulvous beneath, five or six basal joints nitidous, the rest opake; face impressed with a deep triangular fovea, the apex of which extends upwards to the vertex, the latter marked with a short black vitta, apex of jaws black. Thorax transverse, sides rounded, narrowed and sinuate behind, anterior and posterior angles produced into a short obtuse tooth, disk impressed here and there with deep punctures. Elytra broader than the thorax, oblong, parallel, their apex regularly rounded, the entire lateral and the apical portion of the sutural borders thickened; surface of each elytron covered with rows of punctures, deeply impressed and regular at the base, less distinct and less regular towards the apex of the elytron.
Genus MEGASCELIS, Latr.
Megascelis elegans.
M. elongata, subcylindrica, dorso vix depressa, flava, nitida, vix pubescens; antennis (medio excepto) albis; capite, antennarum articulis intermediis tibiisque posticis extus, nigris; pectore piceo-æneo; facie inter oculos scutelloque viridi-æneis; thorace vix elongate, basi et apice paullo angustato, dorso transversim depresso, utrinque sulcato; elvtris subparallelis, apicem versus angustatis, singulatim apice concavis, angulo suturali in spinam brevem producto, obscure cæruleo-nigris, metallico violaceo micantibus, medio fascia lata flava instructis; facie inter oculos rugosa, longitudinaliter canaliculata.—Long. 3 2/3 lin.
Hab. Nauta, Upper Amazons.
Elongate, pale shining yellow. Head shining black; face between the eyes and a narrow space on either side the epistome running to the base of the jaws metallic green; face rugose, longitudinally grooved down the middle, clothed with adpressed silvery hairs; antennæ yellowish-white, basal joint above, the entire fifth and three following, together with the extreme apex of the eleventh joint black; eyes emarginate. Thorax scarcely longer than broad, narrowed in front and behind the middle; above smooth and shining, nearly impunctate, obsoletely clothed with fine hairs; disk transversely concave, the concavity impressed on either side near the middle with a moderately deep and transverse fossa. Scutellum broadly truncate, piceous at the base, bright metallic green towards its apex. Elytra much broader than the thorax, sides subparallel, obliquely narrowed at their posterior third, the apex of each elytron concavely excavated, sutural angle produced into a short spine, above subcylindrical, slightly flattened along the suture, impressed just below the scutellum with a shallow common fovea, sparingly clothed with short adpressed hairs, shoulders slightly prominent; each elytron with two rows of finely impressed punctures, the first abbreviated, all the rows less distinct towards the apex of the elytron; a thickened
ridge is continued from the humeral callus for some distance down the side just within the lateral border. Hinder thighs reaching the apex of the abdomen.
This lovely species belongs to the first subsection of the first division of the genus.
Genus LEMA, Fabr.
Lema Parryi.
L. oblonga, parallela, pallide fulvo-fusca, nitida; antennis (articulo basali excepto) corporeque subtus nigris; thorace latitudine vix longiore, lateribus medio valde constrictis, dorso subplano, ante basin obsolete transversim canaliculato, disco lævi, medio tenuissime striato-punctato; elytris thorace multo latioribus, punctato-striatis, interspatiis lævibus; antennis mediocribus, filiformibus, articulis 3tio et 4to brevibus, æqualibus; femoribus posterioribus subtus ante apicem tuberculo brevi oblongo armatis.—Long. 6 lin.
Hab. West Coast of Africa (Dix Cove).
Face subtrigonate; antennæ three-fourths the length of the body, filiform, moderately robust. Thorax scarcely longer than broad, sub-quadrate, slightly broader at the base, sides deeply constricted in the middle; upper surface flattened in the centre, subcylindrical on the sides; disk smooth, impunctate, with the exception of two very faint irregular rows of minute punctures which run down its middle; the extreme base indistinctly impressed with a very slight transverse groove, in front of which is a round puncture; on either side the central line in front is a shallow fovea. Scutellum trigonate, its apex truncate. Elytra twice as broad as the thorax, sides parallel, above convex, slightly flattened down the middle, obsoletely impressed transversely below the basilar space; each elytron with two rows of distinct punctures, their interspaces plane, punctured here and there at the base. Posterior edge of abdominal segments fusco-fulvous, anal segments almost entirely of the same colour. Hinder thighs scarcely thicker than the others, much shorter than the abdomen.
This remarkable species ought to stand in Lacordaire's first subsection. I know only a single specimen, presented to me by Major Parry, after whom I have named it.
Lema Jansoni.
L. elongata, subcylindrica, fulva, nitida; thorace punctis quatuor, elytrorum plaga magna basali unguiculisque nigris; antennis gracilibus, filiformibus, articulo 4to 3tio dimidio longiore; thorace longitudine latitudini æquali, subcylindrico, lateribus medio valde constrictis, angulis anticis prominulis, dorso lævi, transversim sulcato; elytris medio infra basin depressis, basi ipsa vix elevata, punctato-striatis,
punctis prope basin fortiter impressis, interspatiis prope apicem elevatis.—Long. 3 lin.
Hab. India.
Elongate, subcylindrical; face subtrigonate; antennæ slender, longer than half the body, filiform. Thorax marked on the disk with four small black spots arranged in an irregular square. Scutellum small, trigonate. Elytra much broader than the thorax, broadly excavated below the basilar space, the latter indistinctly elevated, each elytron impressed with ten rows of deep punctures; at the base of the elytra is a large somewhat square-shaped shining black patch, which extends from the suture to the fourth stria and downwards nearly a third the length of the elytra. Hinder thigh slightly incrassate, much shorter than the abdomen, its outer surface beyond the middle stained with a fuscous spot; basal segment of abdomen also stained with fuscous.
Lema Bretinghami.
L. subelongata, parallels, subtus cum antennis nigris, pectore abdomineque fuscis, supra fusco-fulva; elytris infra basin non transversim depressis, fortiter punctato-striatis, vitta lata communi a paullo infra basin ad apicem extensa, antrorsum angustata, obscure cærulea; thorace lateribus medio valde coarctatis, supra transversim bisulcato, sulco anteriore medio interrupto.—Long. 3 lin.
Hab. India. Collected by Mr. Bretingham.
Subelongate, parallel; face trigonate; epistome and antennæ black, the latter moderately robust, nearly filiform, two-thirds the length of the body, third joint twice the length of the second, fourth nearly equal to the third; forehead impressed with an oblong fovea. Thorax quadrate, subcylindrical, sides deeply constricted in the middle; upper surface smooth, impunctate, impressed with two transverse grooves, the first short, shallow, interrupted in the middle, the second deeply sulcate, entire, and placed just behind the lateral constriction. Scutellum trigonate, its apex truncate. Elytra much broader than the thorax, more than three times its length, sides parallel above, convex, slightly flattened along the suture, transverse depression below the basilar space obsolete; each elytron with eleven rows of deep punctures, the first abbreviated, the outer one deeply sulcate, the puncturing of the inner striæ near their base somewhat coarser and deeper than on the rest of their extent, interspaces plane at the base, costate behind the middle of the elytron. Hinder thighs scarcely thickened, shorter than the abdomen.
Lema sellata.
L. elongate, subcylindrica, fulvo-fusca, nitida; unguiculis, metathorace, thoracis punctis duobua disco transversim positis, elytrorumque fascia lata communi prope medium, extrorsum abbreviata, nigris; antennis corporis dimidio longioribus, mediocribus, fere filiformibus, articulis
3tio 4to que brevibus, æqualibus, obconicis; thorace latitudine paullo longiore, subcylindrico, lateribus medio valde constrictis, dorso ante basin transversim sulcato, lævi, impunctato; elytris basi vix elevatis, infra basin vix transversim depressis, punctato-striatis, interspatiis planis, ante apicem subelevatis.—Long. 3½ lin.
Hab. Sierra Leone. Collected by the late Mr. Foxcroft.
Face trigonate; antennæmoderately robust, nearly filiform. Thorax about one-fourth longer than broad, transverse groove at the base lightly impressed. Elytra each with ten rows of punctures, their interspaces impunctate; middle portion covered by a broad transverse black band, which terminates at the eighth stria from the suture. Hinder thighs slightly incrassate, much shorter than the abdomen.
Lema Jekelii.
L. elongata, convexa, nigra; antennis filiformibus, corporis longitudini æqualibus, articulis lmo infra, 9o apice, 10mo 11mo que totis flavo-albis; thorace vix pone medium valde strangulato, constrictionis medio unifoveolato, flavo-albo, nitido, plaga magna trigona baseos nigra; elytris fortiter punctato-striatis, limbo laterali basi apiceque dilatato, nitido-flavo-albo; subtus nigra; thorace plaga, metapleuris femoribusque (horum quatuor anticis dorso, posticis apice, exceptis) nitido-flavo-albis.—Long. 2 lin.
Hab. Ega, Upper Amazons.
Antennæ with the fourth joint slightly longer than the third, the latter obconic. Thorax scarcely longer than broad, cylindrical, its surface smooth, impunctate. Elytra each impressed with ten rows of deep punctures, the ninth entire; basilar space bounded by an obliquely curved depression; lateral edge of the elytra thickened; interspaces costate towards the apex. Hinder thighs thicker than the others, shorter than the elytra; abdomen covered with adpressed hairs.
Genus CRIOCERIS, Linn.
Crioceris Dromedarius. (Plate XIII. fig. 2.)
C. breviter oblonga, parallela, pallide fulva, nitida; femoribus incrasaatis (basi excepta), genibus abdominisque segmentorum singulorum maculis tribus nitido-piceis; antennis extrorsum fuscis, valde robustis, apicem versus perparum incrassatis, paullo compressis; thorace elongatulo, subcylindrico, lateribus medio constrictis, apice paullo producto, disco lævi, serie duplici punctorum parvorum impresso; elytris basi gibbosis, profunde striato-foveolatis, striis hic illic interruptis, disco exteriore piceo-maculatis, maculis impunctatis.—Long. 3½ lin.
Hab. Cambogia. Collected by M. Mouhot.
Head stained with fuscous between the eyes; lower portion of face elongate; antennæ about equal to half the length of the body, very robust, second and third joints submoniliform, nearly equal, terminal
four joints fuscous. Thorax one-third longer than broad at the base, its apical border slightly produced, anterior angles obsolete; upper surface smooth, impressed at the base with a single fovea; middle of disk impressed with a double longitudinal row of very minute punctures, only visible with a lens. Elytra much broader than the thorax, not quite three times its length, sides parallel, above very convex, gibbons at the base; each elytron covered with about ten ill-defined interrupted rows of large deeply impressed punctures, the interspaces thickened; the piceous patches, the most considerable of which occupies the middle of the outer disk and is attached to the lateral border, form over the disk an ill-defined shining and impunctate network. Body beneath stained on the neck and sides of thorax and breast with fuscous; abdomen clothed with short adpressed silvery hairs; all the segments as far as the penultimate marked with three piceous spots, the anal segment having only a single patch. Thighs incrassate, narrowed at their base, hinder pair scarcely shorter than the abdomen; four anterior tibiæ simulated with fuscous below their middle.
Crioceris gibba. (Plate XIII. fig. 3.)
C. subelongata, parallela, nucea, nitida; antennis subfiliformibus, sat robustis, articulis cylindricis; thorace elongatulo, lateribus medio constrictis, apice producto, lævi, disci medio tenuissime biseriatim punctato; elytris oblongis, basi sat gibbosis, profunde substriato-punctatis, striis interruptis, iis prope suturam ab ante medium fere ad apicem omnino deletis; corpore subtus, femoribus incrassatis (basi excepta), tibiarum apice antennisque (his basi prætermissis) piceis.—Long. 4 lin.
Hab. China.
Very similar to the preceding species, but differing in the greater length and in the form of the antennæ, in the longer body, and in the entirely different arrangement of the punctation of the elytra. Head rather shorter than in C. Dromedarius; antennæ longer than half the body, robust, subfiliform, indistinctly incrassate towards the apex; four or five terminal joints slightly incrassate, second, third, and fourth joints short, submoniliform. Thorax equal in length, but more regularly constricted on the sides, the constriction commencing at the angles and extending the whole length of the side; in the other species the constriction commences a short distance from the angles, and is more abrupt; disk impunctate, with the exception of a double longitudinal row of very fine punctures down the middle. Elytra oblong, parallel; the gibbosity slightly less raised than in the former species; the punctures on the surface as large and as deeply impressed, but arranged in a different manner; the striæ from being more interrupted are less distinct, and in addition the whole inner disk, from the base of the gibbosity nearly to the apex of the elytra, is entirely free from punctures; the punctures here and there confluent. Thighs similar to those of C. Dromedarius; body beneath sparingly covered with pubescence.
Fam. Megalopidæ.
Genus MASTOSTETHUS, Lac.
Mastostethus lavatus. (Plate XIII. fig. 6.)
M. elongatus, parallelus, nitidus, supra subnitidus, pallide rufo-piceus, pilis brevibus sparse vestitus; antennis pedibusque nigro-piceis; femoribus flavis, dorso nigro-lineatis; abdominis segmentorum margine, thoracis angulis, epistomatis margine apicali oreque (mandibulis piceis exceptis), flavis; elytris fortiter crebre punctatis, fere rugosis, pallide fuscis, utroque (basi excepta) flavo-limbato.—Long. 3 2/3, lat. 1¾ lin.
Hab. Oaxaca, Mexico.
Narrow, elongate, parallel, pale rufo-piceous. Face triangular; jaws elongate, acute; epistome separated from the face by a deep transverse groove, from the middle of which a short perpendicular impression runs upwards on the latter; surface of face sparingly clothed with fine hairs, closely punctured between the eyes; a narrow longitudinal space in the middle smooth, impunctate; vertex remotely punctured; antennæ moderately robust, nearly half the length of the body. Thorax nearly twice as broad at the base as long, sides nearly straight, narrowed from the base to the apex, all the angles prominent; upper surface convex from side to side, bordered at the base and apex by a transverse groove; surface remotely punctured, anterior and posterior angles each marked with a yellow patch, which extends some distance along the anterior border in the one case, and along the posterior in the other. Scutellum trigonate, its apex obtuse. Elytra parallel, deeply and closely punctured, almost rugose towards the apex, clothed with very short indistinct suberect hairs. Posterior thighs shorter than the abdomen, slightly incrassate, unarmed beneath.
Mastostethus Dohrnii. (Plate XIII. fig. 5.)
M. elongatus, parallelus, nitidus, dorso subopacus, niger, pilis brevibus subdense vestitus; tibiis nigro-piceis; metapectore antice, abdomine (segmento anali excepto), thoracis lateribus elytrisque pallide flavis; his fortiter punctatis, utroque vitta suturali antice abbreviate vittaque submarginali a basi fere ad apicem extensa nigris; femoribus posticis subtus spina brevi armatis.—Long. 3¾, lat. 2 lin.
Hab. Oaxaca, Mexico.
Elongate, parallel. Head deeply but distantly punctured, rugose-punctate on the inner margin of the eyes; face subtrigonate, shorter than in the foregoing species; jaws subelongate; epistome separated from the face by a deep groove; mouth fulvous; antennæ incrassate, rather longer than the head and thorax. Thorax rather broader at the base than long, sides nearly straight, narrowed from base to apex, above subcylindrical, obsoletely grooved transversely at the base and also on either side in front; surface smooth, glabrous, very remotely punctured, the lateral border pale yellow. Scutellum trigonate, its apex
obtuse. Elytra sparingly clothed with very short suberect hairs, deeply but not very closely punctured, the punctures fusco-fulvous, placed in irregular rows, which, however, become lost towards the apex of the elytra. Body beneath clothed with fine silky hairs; hinder thighs shorter than the abdomen, moderately incrassate, armed beneath with a short tooth; tibiæ obscure piceous.
Mastostethus Stålii. (Plate XIII. fig. 4.)
M. subelongatus, niger, nitidus, subtus pilis adpressis vestitus, supra fere glaber; abdomine (segmenti analis plaga triangulari excepta), metasterni plagis duabus medio connexis, pygidii margine, thoracis lateribus, elytrisque pallide flavis; his punctatis, utroque plaga humerali trigonata, fascia lata communi prope medium, margine exteriore abbreviate, plagaque magna trigonata, ante apicem positis, nigris.—Long. 4¾, lat. 2¼ lin.
Hab. Mexico.
Subelongate; the elytra broader than in the two preceding species. Face trigonate, jaws elongate, epistome separated from the face by a deep transverse groove, face closely punctured on either side near the inner margin of the eyes; central space smooth, impunctate, punctured portion clothed with a few fine suberect hairs; antennæ moderately robust. Thorax one-fourth broader at the base than long, sides nearly straight, narrowed from base to apex, angles obsoletely produced, obtuse, upper surface moderately convex from side to side, obsoletely grooved on either side just within the apical margin, surface remotely punctured. Scutellum trigonate, its apex obtuse. Elytra much broader than the thorax, subremotely punctured; hinder thighs shorter than the abdomen, slightly thickened, unarmed beneath.
Fam. Eumolpidæ.
Genus DERMORHYTIS.
Corpus subelongatum aut elongatum, subcylindricum. Caput thoraci ad oculos insertum; facie perpendiculari; epistoma male definition; antennis gracilibus, subfiliformibus, articulis secundo et tertio longitudine fere æqualibus; labro transverso; mandibulis apice dentatis; labio subconico, mento antice concavo, ligula basi obtuse angulata; palparum articulo ultimo ovato; oculis prominulis, intus vix emarginatis. Thorax subcylindricus, lateribus marginatis, sæpe angulatis. Scutellum semiovatum, obtusum. Elytra oblonga, parallela, punctata, interstitiis sæpe in strigas transversas elevatis. Pedes modice robusti, simplices, tarsorum articulo basali duobus sequentibus breviore, unguiculis appendiculatis. Prosternum subelongatum, lateribus concavis, medio dentatis; antepectoris processu antero-laterali cuneiformi, apice late truncato, angulo exteriore ad angulum anticum thoracis non producto.
Type, Dermorhytis igneo-fasciata, Baly.
Dermorhytis igneo-fasciata.
D. subelongata, convexa, cuprea, supra purpureo-cuprea, profunde punctata; thoracis limbo elytrorumque fasciis duabus, suturaque postice, igneis.—Long. 4½ lin.
Hab. Ceylon.
Subelongate, convex. Head rugose, sides and lower portion of face dull igneous. Thorax twice as broad at the base as long, sides rotundate angustate, nearly parallel at the base, indistinctly bidentate, anterior angles slightly produced, their apex obtuse; surface closely covered with large deeply impressed punctures. Scutellum broadly semiovate, shining cupreo-violaceous. Elytra much broader than the thorax, sides parallel, the apex of each elytron acutely rounded; above convex, surface closely covered with round punctures, larger and more deeply impressed than those on the thorax, arranged in indistinct striæ, interstices elevated; on the hinder disk are several more or less distinct longitudinal costæ, most distinct near the suture and at the apex, where they become irregular; each elytron with the extreme basal and lateral borders, two broad transverse fasciæ, the one placed just before, the other immediately behind the middle, and a sutural stripe extending from the posterior band to the apex, where it becomes broadly dilated, bright igneous. Body beneath cupreous; outer edge of tibiæ with a violet reflexion; tarsi obscure.
Dermorhytis Fortunei.
D. elongate, subcylindrica, metallico-purpurea, nitida; capite thoraceque viridi-æneis, hoc aureo-tincto, dorso punctato, valde convexo; elytris irregulariter punctatis, interspatiis prope suturam planis, disco exteriore et ad latera transversim elevato-strigosis; antennis nigro-purpureis, basi fulvis.—Long. 4½ lin.
Hab. Northern China. Collected by Mr. Fortune.
Elongate, subcylindrical, shining metallic purple. Head punctured; antennæ longer than half the body, subfiliform, the first four or five joints more or less pale fulvous, basal joint metallic green. Thorax very convex above, almost semiglobose, sides slightly rounded, somewhat narrowed and deflexed in front, anterior angles slightly produced anteriorly; surface deeply but not very closely punctured. Scutellum semiovate, bright metallic green. Elytra broader than the thorax, sides parallel, apex rounded, above convex, impressed just below the scutellum by a shallow fovea; surface punctured, interspaces near the suture nearly flat, the remainder of the surface covered with strongly elevated transverse and somewhat irregular ridges.
Genus GELOPTERA.
Corpus oblongum, convexum. Caput perpendiculare, thoraci ad marginem posteriorem oculorum immersum antennis gracilibus, filiformibus aut subfiliformibus, articulo primo incrassato, secundo brevi, tertio illo fere
duplo longiore, quarto adhuc paullo longiore; mandibulis apice bifidis; mento transverso, apice concavo; oculis subprominulis, subreniformibus. Thorax transversus, marginatus. Scutellum transversum, subpentagonum. Elytra parallela, apice rotundata, dorso sæpe tuberculata. Pedes modice robusti, simplices, unguiculis appendiculatis. Prosternum latitudine longior; lateribus concavis, medio non aut vix dentatis; antepectoris processu antero-laterali subtrigonato, lateribus concavis, apice late truncato aut obtuso, angulo exteriore ad angulum anticum thoracis extenso. Mesosternum transversum, apice obsolete angulato.
Type, Geloptera tuberculata, Baly.
The form of the antero-lateral plate of the antepectus, together with that of the mentum, separate this and the preceding genus from Colaspis.
Geloptera tuberculata.
G. oblonga, convexa, cuprea, subnitida; labro fulvo; thorace transverso, lateribus rotundatis, dorso rugose punctato, medio longitudinaliter canaliculato, lateribus irregulariter excavatis, obsolete tuberculatis; elytris crebre rugoso-punctatis, subremote nitido-tuberculatis, tuberculis ante medium minus elevatis, hic illic rete male definita inter se connexis, iis apicem versus magis elevatis, distinctis.—Long. 5 lin.
Hab. Swan River, Australia.
Oblong, convex, cupreous, subnitidous. Head closely punctured, forehead impressed with an oblong fovea; antennæ filiform, four or five basal joints (with the exception of the first) more or less rufo-fulvous. Thorax more than one-half broader than long, sides rounded, sinuate at the base, narrowed in front, all the angles prominent; upper surface rugose-punctate, longitudinally grooved down the middle, sides obsoletely tuberculate and impressed with a large shallow irregular fovea. Elytra rather broader than the thorax, sides parallel, apex rounded; surface rugose-punctate, somewhat remotely covered with flattened, slightly elevated, shining irregular tubercles, those on the anterior two-thirds of the surface connected here and there by an ill-defined raised network, those towards the apex of the elytra distinct and more elevated than the rest.
Geloptera geniculata.
G. oblonga, convexa, æneo-cuprea, nitida, antennarum basi pedibusque (horum coxis genubus tarsisque exceptis) rufis; thorace transverso, lateribus rotundatis, vix pone medium obsolete angulatis, angulis posticis prominulis; dorso convexo, fortiter subcrebre punctato, lateribus subrugoso-punctatis; elytris profunde subcrebre punctatis, interspatiis transversim elevato-strigosis, apicem versus tuberculatis, strigis tuberculisque chalybeis.—Long. 3 lin.
Hab. Swan River, Australia.
Oblong, convex, shining æneo-cupreous; the base of the antennæ,
together with the legs (the coxæ, knees, and tarsi excepted), rufous. Head rugose-punctate, forehead impressed with a longitudinal fovea; antennæ subfiliform. Thorax transverse, sides rounded, narrowed in front, obsoletely angled just behind the middle, posterior angles prominent, disk convex, closely punctured, rugose-punctate on the sides. Elytra rather broader than the thorax, surface deeply and closely punctured; interspaces over the anterior two-thirds elevate-reticulate, transversely strigate, those towards the apex covered with short oblong longitudinal tubercles,—these latter, together with the transverse ridges, chalybeate.
Genus ENDOXUS, Kirby.
Endoxus gracilicornis.
E. oblonga, convexa, nigra, subnitida, crebre punctata, pilis subsquamæ-formibus adpressis fulvo-fuscis obtecta, punctis fortiter impressis; antennis gracilibus, piceis; thorace vitta utrinque elytrisque vittis septem e pilis similibus densius positis instructis, femoribus posticis subtus unidentatis.—Long. 2½ lin.
Hab. Hongkong. Collected by Mr. Bowring.
Oblong, convex, coarsely and closely punctured. Face broad and flattened, impressed in the middle with a longitudinal groove; antennæ equal in length to the body, slender, nearly filiform; eyes prominent, entire, surrounded by an imperfect orbit; labrum pale piceous, shining, impunctate. Thorax subcylindrical, scarcely longer than broad, slightly narrowed at the apex, surface closely punctured. Elytra more deeply punctured, and the squamæform pubescence on their surface coarser than that of the thorax; the longitudinal vittæ less distinct near the apex, and confounded with the hairs of the general surface, which are much denser there than on the basal half of the elytra.
Genus CALLOMORPHA, Stål.
Callomorpha imperialis.
C. oblonga, valde convexa, læte purpurea, nitida, subcrebre punctata, pilia erectia nigris vestita; pedibus viridi-tinctis; antennis subincrassatis, extrorsum nigris; tibiis intermediis extrorsum ante apicem emarginatis.—Long. 5–5½ lin.
Hab. Northern China. Collected by Mr. Fortune.
Broadly oblong, shining purple, closely covered with erect black hairs. Head perpendicular, subrugose-punctate; face broad, apex of epistome with a small shining tubercle; antennæ longer than half the body, slender and more or less stained with metallic green on the basal half, their outer half subincrassate, black. Thorax subcylindrical, slightly broader than long, sides nearly straight and parallel, rounded at the extreme apex, lateral border visible on its posterior two-thirds,
obsolete from thence to the apex; upper surface somewhat closely and deeply punctured, disk impressed on either side with a distinct fovea. Elytra much broader than the thorax, sides parallel, apex broadly rounded; above very convex, somewhat closely punctured, humeral callus subprominent, basilar space in each elytron bounded beneath by a semicircular fossa.
Genus RHYPARIDA.
Corpus oblongum aut subelongatum, convexum. Caput perpendiculare; mandibulis apice emarginatis; antennis gracilibus, subfiliformibus, extrorsum vix incrassatis; palpis gracilibus; oculis oblongo-ovatis, intus emarginatis aut sinuatis; epistoma distinctum, antice emarginatum. Thorax transversus, superne convexus, lateribus marginatis. Elytra breviter suboblonga aut oblonga, superne convexa, punctato-striata, apice rotundata, lateribus parallelis aut apicem versus perparum angustatis. Pedes modice robusti, femoribus paullo incrassatis, subtus rarius dentatis; tibiis posterioribus extus ad apicem emarginatis; unguiculis unidentatis. Prosternum oblongum aut elongatum, antepectoris processu antero-laterali subtrigonato, margine antico obliquo, angulo exteriore ad angulum anticum thoracis extenso. Mesosternum subquadratum aut oblongum, apice paullo dilatatum, obtuse truncatum.
Type, Rhyparida dimidiata, Baly.
Rhyparida forms one of a group of genera (many as yet undescribed) possessing in common a notch on the outer edge of the four hinder tibiæ, near their apex. They may be divided into two sections, viz. one in which the claws are toothed, and a second in which they are simply appendiculated; of the first section, to which Rhyparida belongs, Typophorus is, I believe, hitherto the only characterized genus. Rhyparida (the species of which are natives of Australia and the Eastern Archipelago) differs from the above-named in the transverse thorax and in the different form of the antero-lateral plate of the antepectus: this part in the older genus has its anterior margin convex, and produced beyond the border of the thorax; in the present the same margin is oblique, and not anteriorly produced.
Rhyparida dimidiata.
R. oblonga, convexa, picea, subnitida; antennarum basi elytrisque obscure fulvis, his punctato-striatis, dimidio apicali nigro-piceis.—Long. 2–3 lin.
Hab. Moreton Bay.
Oblong, convex, subnitidous, piceous. Head obscure rufo-piceous, epistome transverse, middle of its apical margin produced upwards into an acute tooth, surface punctured; antennæ filiform, equal in length to the body in the male, shorter in the female, black, their base fulvous. Thorax nearly twice as broad as long, sides rounded, narrowed in
front, anterior angles armed with a short tooth; above transversely convex, subremotely punctured. Elytra broadly oblong, convex, disk transversely excavated below the basilar space; each elytron impressed with thirteen rows of punctures, distinct on the basal half of the surface, nearly obsolete behind the middle, the first and twelfth rows abbreviated posteriorly below the basilar space, the seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh anteriorly, the seventh, eighth, and eleventh just below the humeral callus, the ninth and tenth a short distance in front of the middle of the elytron; interspaces smooth, impunctate. Sternum, mesopleuræ, coxæ, and the hinder margin of the abdominal rings obscure fulvous.
Rhyparida grandis.
R. subcuneiformis, valde convexa, nucea, nitida, subtus cum pedibus obscurior; elytris punctato-striatis, striis ad marginem exteriorem confusis; femoribus posterioribus quatuor subtus spina brevi armatis.—Long. 5½ lin.
Hab. New Caledonia.
Subcuneiform, very convex, shining nuceous. Head deeply buried in the thorax, distinctly punctured; epistome somewhat wedge-shaped, concavely emarginate in front; eyes slightly notched on their inner edge; antennæ more than two-thirds the length of the body, subfiliform. Thorax nearly twice as broad as long at the base, sides narrowed from behind forwards, more quickly narrowed and slightly rounded near the apex, all the angles prominent; above transversely convex, nearly semicircular in front, surface covered with distinct but not crowded punctures, sides irregularly wrinkled. Scutellum semiovate. Elytra much broader at their base than the thorax, gradually narrowing towards the apex, the latter subacute; above very convex, humeral callus prominent; each elytron impressed with about thirteen or fourteen rows of punctures, those near the outer margin confused; along the outer margin of each elytron is a deep sulcus, the disk on the inner border of which is thickened and elevated; basilar space on each elytron bounded beneath by a shallow curved transverse depression. Body beneath pitchy.
Rhyparida pulchella.
R. anguste oblonga, convexa, pallide testacea, nitida; elytris obovatis, basi truncatis, punctato-striatis, striis apicem versus fere deletis, cyaneis; antennis gracilibus, filiformibus.—Long. 3 lin.
Hab. Dory, New Guinea. Collected by Mr. Wallace.
Narrowly oblong, convex, pale testaceous, nitidous; elytra bright metallic blue. Head smooth, remotely punctured, lower edge of face angulato-emarginate; epistome pentagonal, its anterior margin concave; surface concave, more coarsely punctured than the vertex; apex of jaws black; antennæ slender, equal in length to the body, seven terminal joints more or less stained towards the apex with fuscous; eyes deeply
VOL. I. Y
emarginate on their inner edge. Thorax twice as broad as long, sides rounded, narrowed in front, anterior angles deflexed, all the angles produced into a short minute tooth; surface smooth, subremotely but finely punctured on the disk, sides nearly impunctate. Scutellum semiovate, obtuse. Elytra scarcely broader than the thorax, obovate, being distinctly narrowed from the shoulders towards their apex, the apex itself regularly rounded; each elytron with eleven rows of distinct, deeply impressed punctures, the first abbreviated, all the others, with the exception of two or three nearest the suture, nearly obliterated on the apical portion of the surface; the punctures are also much smaller at the extreme base; below the basilar space on each elytron is a large indistinct shallow fovea, the surface of which is slightly irregular.
Rhyparida geniculata.
R. anguste oblonga, convexa, nigra, subnitida; capite, scutello, corporeque subtus, obscure piceis; abdomine, antennis pedibusque fulvis, illis extrorsum uscis, his genibus, tibiis anticis extus tarsisque piceis; elytris punctato-striatis, striis subsulcatis, interspatiis paullo convexis, femoribus simplicibus.—Long. 2½ lin.
Hab. New Guinea.
Narrowly oblong, convex. Head finely subremotely punctured, lower edge of face deeply bilobed; epistome nigro-piceous, irregularly obcordate, its surface indistinctly concave, more deeply punctured than the upper portion of the face; antennæ slender, filiform, rather shorter than the body. Thorax nearly twice as broad as long at the base, sides rounded, narrowed in front, strongly deflexed at the anterior angles, all the angles armed with a minute tooth; above moderately convex, impressed on either side with a small but distinct fovea; rest of the surface smooth, impunctate. Scutellum semiovate. Elytra broader than the thorax, oblong, scarcely narrowed behind, apex acutely rounded; above convex, each elytron obsoletely excavated transversely below the basilar space, and impressed with about eleven rows of distinct punctures, the first abbreviated, those near the outer edge somewhat irregular; all the striæ distinctly sulcate, their interspaces slightly rounded. Legs fulvous, all the knees and the outer edge of the front pair of tibiæ dark piceous, hinder tibiæ stained with pale piceous, tarsi pale piceous.
Genus CHRYSOPIDA.
Corpus subelongatum aut elongatum, valde convexum. Caput exsertum; facie elongata, perpendiculari; antennis gracilibus, filiformibus; oculis subprominulis, intus emarginatis; palpis gracilibus, mento apice valde angulato-emarginato. Thorax ovalis, basi et apice truncatus, latitudine paullo longior, lateribus marginatis, dorso convexus. Elytra thorace multo latiora, obovata, basi truncata, fortiter punctato-striata. Pedes robusti, subelongati; femoribus (præsertim anticis) modice inflatis, elongato-ovatis, basi et apice angustatis, subtus spina brevi armatis;
tibiis posterioribus quatuor extus ante apicem emarginatis; unguiculis basi dentatis. Prosternum latum, lateribus medio paullo productis; antepectoris processu antero-laterali anguste cuneiformi, angulo exteriore extus non producto.
Type, Chrysopida Adonis, Baly.
The elongate exserted head, the wedge-shaped antero-lateral process of the prosternum, the different form of the thorax, the longer legs, incrassate thighs, and the claws toothed at the base, separate this remarkable genus from Rhyparida.
Chrysopida Adonis.
C. subelongata, viridi-ænea, nitida; thorace rufo-piceo,æneo tincto; elytris pedibusque rufis, illis fortiter punctato-striatis, striis postice sulcatis, callo humerali, maculis parvis nonnullis baseos et singulatim annulo apicali viridi-æneis his femoribus basi, genibus tarsisque violaceo-nigris.—Long. 4½ lin.
Hab. Manilla.
Subelongate, very convex. Head deeply punctured; face elongate; clypeus subtrigonate, its apical border trisinuate; face bilobed between the eyes; antennæ fusco-æneous, clothed with adpressed fusco-fulvous pubescence, four basal joints rufous, nearly glabrous. Thorax oval, truncate at base and apex, slightly longer than broad, sides rounded, all the angles armed with a short obtuse tooth; above convex, sub-remotely punctured. Scutellum semiovate. Elytra much broader than the thorax, truncate at the base, thence gradually narrowed to the apex, the latter subacutely rounded, above convex; each elytron at its extreme base with thirteen, its disk with ten rows of large, deeply impressed punctures, the striæ deeply sulcate, their interspaces (the extreme base excepted) subcostate; humeral callus prominent, sometimes rufo-piceous, at others metallic green, basilar apace bounded beneath by a short shallow transverse fossa; a small annulus at the apex (sometimes obsolete), and some indistinct markings at the base of each elytron, bright metallic green. Pleura covered with a patch of white silky adpressed hairs. Thighs narrowly ampullate, slender at their base, armed beneath just beyond the middle with an acute tooth.
Chrysopida festiva.
C. elongate, convexa, metallico-viridis, nitida; antennis nigris, baai rufo-fulvis; pedibus (femoribus basi exceptis), capite inter oculos, thoraceque nigro-violaceia, hoc punctata, basi et apice metallico-viridibus; elytris fortiter punctato-striatis, striis sulcatis, interspatiis postice subcostatis, utroque vitta suturali, callo humerali, maculia tribus, prima infra basin, secunda pone medium, tertiaque ante apicem positis, fasciaque lata ante medium, extrosum abbreviate, nigro-violaceis.—Long. 4 lin.
Hab. Manilla.
Y 2
Narrower and more elongate than the preceding species; in sculpture, form of head, &c., precisely similar. The colouring of the elytra appears to be very variable: the individual from which the above description is taken has the surface of the elytra glabrous; but a specimen in the possession of Mr. Janson has the green portion of the elytra sparingly covered with adpressed silvery hairs.
Fam. Chrysomelidæ.
Genus PHYLLOCHARIS, Dalm.
Phyllocharis ornata.
P. elongata, convexa, nigro-cærulea, nitida; capite (palpis antennisque exceptis), thoracis lateribus, prosterno, metasterno, abdominis margine elytrisque rufo-fulvis, his punctato-striatis, utroque vitta suturali apice dilatata maculisque tribus, harum prima basi, secunda vix ante, tertiaque pone medium longitudinaliter positis, nigro-cæruleis.—Long. 3 lin.
Hab. Moreton Bay.
Elongate, convex. Head punctured between the eyes, vertex smooth and shining; antennæ robust, longer than half the body. Thorax one-third broader than long, apex slightly concave, sides straight and parallel, slightly narrowed and rounded at their extreme apex; above moderately convex, thickened, finely punctured, disk impressed on either side with a distinct fovea; sides broadly edged with rufo-fulvous. Elytra broader than the thorax, elongate-ovate, each elytron with a shallow transverse depression below the shoulder; distinctly punctate, the punctures being arranged in eleven rows, the first abbreviated; the nigro-cæruleous patches on each elytron are placed as follows: the first, small, transversely ovate, basal, covering the humeral callus; the second, large, oblong, slightly emarginate on the outer edge, extending from the transverse depression as far as the middle of the elytron; the third, somewhat smaller than the last, transversely oblong, is placed immediately behind the middle, extending on its outer side nearly to the lateral margin.
In form nearly allied to Ph. flexuosa, which species it also most closely approaches in the coloration.
Phyllocharis melanospila.
P. elongata, convexa, nitida, subtus nigra; thoracis lateribus, sterno, postpectore abdominisque margine rufo-fulvis, pedibus nigro-piceis; supra rufo-fulva; antennis submoniliformibus, nigro-cæruleis, articulo ultimo fulvo; capitis macula frontali, thoracis maculis quatuor transversim positis, plagaque transversa basali, scutello, elytrorumque sutura postice maculisque duodecim 2·3·4·2·1 positis, nigris.—Long. 3 lin.
Hab. Moreton Bay.
Elongate, convex, nitidous. Face deeply impressed between the eyes, the latter, together with a patch on the front, black; antennæ moderately robust, rather longer than half the body. Thorax twice as broad as long, apex indistinctly concave, sides straight and nearly parallel at the extreme base, then moderately rotundate-ampliate; above thickened, smooth and shining; a large transverse patch at the base and four spots arranged transversely just within the anterior border, to which the two intermediate spots are attached by their apex, black; on either side the basal patch is placed an oblique row of deep punctures, a few being also visible along the basal margin. Scutellum semiovate. Elytra narrowly ovate, truncate at the base, humeral callus prominent; each elytron with eleven rows of distinct punctures, the first abbreviated, all the striæ nearly obsolete towards the apex of the elytron; basilar space bounded beneath by a transverse depression, which is interrupted below the humeral callus; the puncturing of the fossa coarser and more deeply impressed than that on the rest of the surface; the black spots on the elytra are arranged as follows:—two at the base; three placed transversely just before the middle, the centre one common; four immediately behind the middle, the two intermediate attached to the suture; and, lastly, two subapical, transverse; the sutural line, which commences at the termination of the anterior third of the suture, terminates at the sutural angle in a small black spot.
Closely allied to Ph. cyanicornis; rather more than half the size.
Phyllocharis acroleuca.
P. elongata, convexa, pallide rufo-fulva, nitida, corpore subtus obecuriore; antennis submoniliformibus, nigro-cæruleis, articulis ultimia duobus albis; fronte, thorace (lateribus exceptis) pectorisque lateribus pallide rufo-piceis; elytris punctato-striatis, infra basin transversim impressis, maculis duabus baseos, duabus ante apicem minus distinctis, fasciisque duabus sinuatis, prima ante, secunda pone medium positis, pallide rufo-piceis.—Long. 3¼ lin.
Hab. Moreton Bay.
Subelongate, convex, nitidous. Face deeply impressed between the eyes; antennæ moderately robust, longer than half the body. Thorax nearly twice as broad as long, slightly narrowed from base to apex, apical margin moderately concave, sides nearly straight, more quickly narrowed and slightly rounded at the apex, anterior angles acute; above smooth and shining, scarcely thickened, impressed with a few distant minute punctures, central portion pale rufo-piceous, sides broadly rufo-fulvous; on either side the disk at its base is a distinct fovea; along the basal margin are also a few deep punctures. Elytra broader than the thorax, oblong, convex, the sides indistinctly curved, humeral callus prominent; each elytron impressed with eleven rows of fine punctures, the first abbreviated, all the rows nearly obsolete towards the apex of the elytron; basilar space bounded beneath by a deep
transverse depression, which commencing just within the suture terminates close to the outer border in a large deep fovea; the puncturing on the transverse groove deeper and coarser than elsewhere.
Allied in form to Ph. sinuata, but much smaller, the bands on the elytra narrower and much more sinuous.
Phyllocharis violaceipennis.
P. subelongata, postice paullo angustata, rufo-testacea, nitida; elytris violaceo-cupreis, nitidissimis; antennis nigris.—Long. 2¼ lin.
Hab. Dorey, New Guinea.
Subelongate, slightly narrowed behind, shining rufo-testaceous; elytra violet-copper; antennæ black. Head shining, impunctate; clypeus separated from the face by an angular groove, the apex of which is rounded; antennæ two-thirds the length of the body, robust, four basal joints shining, pitchy beneath. Thorax twice as broad as long; apex slightly concave-emarginate; sides straight and subparallel, narrowed and rounded in front, apex of anterior angles subacute; above transversely convex, surface smooth and shining, very remotely punctured, sides near the base impressed with numerous large round punctures. Scutellum semiovate, rufo-piceous. Elytra broader than the thorax, narrowly subovate, slightly narrowed towards their apex, the apex itself subacutely rounded; above convex, sinuate on the sides below the shoulder; each elytron impressed with eleven rows of fine but deep punctures, the first row abbreviated; interspaces distantly impressed with fine but distinct punctures, which are often arranged in a single row down the centre of the interspaces. Beneath shining rufo-testaceous, palpi pale piceous.
Phyllocharis Wallacei.
P. subelongata, metallico-cærulea, nitida; thorace pedibusque chalybeis.—Long. 2½ lin.
Hab. Batchian.
Subelongate, dark shining metallic blue, thorax and legs bright steel-blue. Head smooth and shining, impunctate; clypeus separated from the face by a deeply impressed angular groove, from the apex of which a shallow curved groove runs obliquely upwards on either side to the upper portion of the eyes; labrum piceous, its outer edge obscure fulvous, its surface sparingly covered with coarse white hairs; antennæ robust, scarcely more than half the length of the body, four basal joints glabrous, shining, the rest opake, covered with short black pubescence. Thorax twice as broad as long; apex slightly concave-emarginate; sides nearly straight and subparallel, narrowed and rounded in front, apex of anterior angles obtuse; above convex, smooth and shining, sparingly impressed here and there with a few deep punctures. Scutellum smooth and shining, semiovate. Elytra broader than the tho-
rax, oblong-ovate, sides slightly oval; apex subacutely rounded; above convex; each elytron with eleven rows of deeply impressed punctures, the first abbreviated, punctures regularly but somewhat distantly placed on the strinæ interspaces smooth and shining, impunctate.
Genus ÆSERNIA, Stål.
Promechus, Chevr. MSS.
Æsernia Whitei.
Æ. elongata, convexa, subparallela, metallico-viridis, nitida; capite (plaga magna frontali excepta), thorace infra, mesocoxis, trochanteribus, femoribus infra abdominisque apice, rufo-fulvis; antennis nigro-cæruleis, articulo basali subtus fulvo; thorace læte viridi-æneo, apice lateribusque rufo-fulvo marginato; elytris sat fortiter punctato-striatis, striis apicem versus fere deletis, utroque infra basin transversim sulcato, foveisque nonnullis impresso, metallico-viridi, purpureo-micante, fascia transversa vix pone medium utrinque abbreviata fulva.—Long. 7–9 lin.
Hab. Waigiou, New Guinea. Collected by Mr. Wallace.
Elongate, subparallel, moderately convex. Head impressed between the eyes with a large triangular fovea; antennæ filiform, two-thirds the length of the body. Thorax about a third broader at the base than long, narrowed from base to apex, apical margin concave, sides straight, obliquely narrowed at the apex; above smooth and shining, middle of disk with a faint longitudinal line; along and just within the outer border are placed a number of deep irregular excavations, the surfaces of which are deeply punctured; the green colour of the disk varies greatly in extent in different individuals, in some covering nearly the whole thorax, in others occupying only the centre of the disk, the rest of the surface being rufo-fulvous. Elytra scarcely broader than the base of the thorax, sides subparallel, apex subacutely rounded; surface of each elytron impressed with eleven rows of punctures, the first abbreviated; on the basal half the striæ are well marked and deeply punctured, on the apical half they become faint, confused, and nearly obsolete.
Genus AUSTRALICA, Baly.
Subgenus Stethomela.
Stethomela œneipennis.
S. oblonga, convexa, rufa, nitida; palpis antennisque flavis, his articulis intermediis nigris; elytris viridi-æneis, punctato-striatis, lateribus infra humeros trifoveolatis.—Long. 4 lin.
Hab. Batchian.
Oblong, convex, shining rufous; labrum, palpi and antennæ yellowish-white, the latter with the fifth and three following joints black; elytra punctate-striate, bright metallic green. Head shining impunctate; clypeus separated from the face by a very deeply impressed angular groove, from the apex of which a short deeply grooved line runs upwards
on the face; jaws deeply punctate, their apex black; antennæ slender, filiform. Thorax nearly three times as broad as long; apex slightly concave-emarginate; sides rotundate-angustate in front, more quickly narrowed at the apex, nearly straight and parallel behind, anterior and posterior angles slightly produced, acute; above moderately convex, smooth and shining, sparingly impressed with fine but distinct punctures; sides near the anterior angles obsoletely excavated; extreme lateral and basal margins indistinctly edged with piceous. Scutellum semiovate, smooth and shining. Elytra broader than the thorax, nearly twice as long as broad, nitidous, bright metallic green; sides subparallel, apex regularly rounded; above convex, each elytron with eleven rows of distinct punctures, the first abbreviated, outer row placed on the extreme lateral margin, subsulcate; striæ towards their apex much more finely impressed, nearly obsolete; interspaces smooth and shining, impunctate; each elytron also impressed with two deep foveæ placed transversely immediately below the shoulder, the outer one on the lateral border larger and deeper than the other, which is ovate and placed in the middle of the disk; on the outer margin beyond its middle are also several indistinct foveæ.
Stethomela scintillans.
S. oblonga, convexa, nitida, obscure rufo-picea, cupreo-micans; antennis extrorsum nigris; pedibus obscure rufis, genibus cupreis; supra cuprea, nitidissima; thorace transverse disco subremote, lateribus subcrebre viridi-æneo punctato; elytris punctato-striatis, punctis viridi-æneis.—Long. 5 lin.
Hab. Dorey, New Guinea.
Oblong, convex. Face deeply impressed between the eyes, lower portion distinctly punctured, vertex remotely covered with minute punctures. Thorax more than twice as broad as long, apex deeply concave, sides nearly straight, narrowed from base to apex, rounded in front, posterior angles slightly produced; surface covered with moderate-sized but deep punctures, which have a strong brassy-green reflexion. Each elytron impressed with eleven rows of similar punctures, the first row abbreviated; the punctures on each stria irregularly arranged in a single line.
Genus CHALCOMELA, Baly.
Chalcomela ornatissima.
C. rotundata, valde convexa, nitido-cuprea; pedibus, ore antennisque rufo-fulvis, his extrorsum nigris; elytris punctato-striatis, albo-flavis, sin-gulatim limbo basi angustato et ad angulum suturalem dilatato, maculis duabus, harum una humerali, altera pone medium, utraque limbo adfixa, plagaque magna irregulari communi prope medium posita nitido-cupreis.—Long. 2½ lin.
Hab. Dawson's River, Queensland, Australia.
Rotundate, very convex, shining cupreous; lower portion of face,
basal half of antennæ and legs obscure rufo-fulvous, outer half of antennæ black. Thorax nearly three times as broad at the base as long, sides narrowly margined, narrowed and slightly rounded from the base to the apex, more quickly rounded near the anterior angles; upper surface smooth and shining, remotely covered with minute punctures only visible under a lens. Scutellum semiovate, chalybeate. Elytra broader than the thorax, their epipleural margin slightly produced; surface of each impressed with eleven regular rows of fine punctures, the first abbreviated; the interstices smooth, impunctate; the larger irregular cupreous patch covers nearly the whole of the inner disk.
Fam. Gallerucidæ.
Genus ADORIUM, Fabr.
Adorium collaris.
A. ovatum, convexum, nigrum, subnitidum; abdominis apice thoraceque pallide fulvo-flavis; antennis brevibus.—Long. 6 lin.
Hab. Lake N'Gami.
Regularly oval, black, subnitidous, nitidous beneath; apical segment of abdomen, together with the entire thorax, pale fulvous; sides of the latter margined and rounded, their anterior angles slightly produced; the upper surface excavated, finely but not closely punctured. Elytra ovate, acutely rounded at their apex; sides narrowly margined; upper surface closely covered with deeply impressed punctures.
Adorium ornatum.
A. oblongo-ovatum, convexum, nigrum, nitidum; thorace femorumque basi fulvo-flavis; abdomine elytrisque testaceis, his subcrebre punctatis, fascia lata basali et utriusque macula transversa pone medium nigras.—Long. 5 lin.
Hab. New Guinea.
Antennæ more than three-fourths the length of the body, moderately robust, gradually tapering towards their apex, the third and fourth joints slightly elongate, nearly equal, three basal joints fulvous beneath. Sides of thorax slightly rounded, somewhat narrowed and subsinuate in front, upper surface impressed with irregularly crowded punctures; pleuræ stained with fulvous; abdomen paler than the elytra, clothed with fine adpressed pubescence.
Nearly allied to A. rubrum, Blanch.; but in that insect the whole surface of the body (the fuscous outer half of the antennæ and the black markings of the elytra excepted) is a bright uniform testaceous red: the arrangement of the markings is similar to that of the present insect, with the exception that here the basal fascia is abbreviated on the extreme lateral border, and the spot on the hinder portion of each elytron is much larger, forming an irregular rotundate patch;
the thorax is broader, and its disk impressed on either side by a distinct fovea.
Adorium circumdatum.
A. late ovatum, poetice paullo ampliatum, convexum, nitidum, fulvo-testaceum; antennis, tibiis (illis articulo basali, his basi exceptis) tarsisque nigris; elytris subcrebre tenuiter punctatis, olivaceis, anguste fulvo-testaceo limbatis; thoracis disco trifoveolato.—Long. 5 lin.
Hab. Moreton Bay.
Antennæ two-thirds the length of the body, second and third joints equal in length. Thorax finely but distinctly punctured, also impressed with three large shallow foveæ placed 2·1 on the disk; sides narrowly margined, rotundate behind the middle, thence rotundate-angustate to their apex. Tibiæ and tarsi covered with short adpressed hairs.
Genus EUSTETHA.
Corpus anguste oblongum, convexum. Caput deflexum; antennis modice robustis, filiformibus, interdum subfusiformibus, articulis secundo et tertio brevibus; mandibulis apice dentatis; mento transverso; palparum max-illarum articulis duobus ultimis conjunctim obovatis; oculis integris. Thorax transversus. Elytra oblonga, convexa, punctato-striata. Pedes simplices; coxis anticis distantibus, fere rotundatis; unguiculis appen-diculatis. Prosternum elevatum, dorso canaliculatum. Metasternum inter coxas intermedias antrorsum protensum.
Type, Eustetha flaviventris, Baly.
This genus differs from Doryxena in the appendiculated claws, the short third joint of the antennæ, the broad, distinctly elevated prosternum, and the distant subrotundate anterior coxæ.
Eustetha flaviventris.
E. oblonga, convexa, purpureo-chalybea, nitida, subtus obecurior, abdomine pallide flavo; thorace hic illic sparse punctato, disco utrinque transversim sulcato; elytris subfortiter punctatis, punctis in striis numerosis confuse dispositis.—Long. 4 lin.
Hab. Northern China.
Antennæ robust, filiform, nearly two-thirds the length of the body; second and third joints very short, nearly equal; fourth longer than the two preceding, nearly equal to the fifth; fourth, fifth and sixth in the male compressed, slightly dilated. Thorax transverse, impressed here and there with a few scattered punctures; base with a single shallow fovea.
Eustetha gloriosa.
E. oblonga, convexa, purpurea, nitida; antennis (basi excepta) nigris, pleuris viridi-æneis, abdomine flavo-limbato; supra viridi-ænea, iridescens; thorace transverso, disco hic illic distincte punctato, utrinque
transversim sulcato, purpureo limbato, ante medium fascia lata transversa rubro-ignea instructo; scutello purpureo; elytris sat fortiter striato-punctatis, rubro-igneis, sutura margineque laterali anguste purpureis, vitta subsuturali, limbo sublaterali, vitta obliqua humerali maculaque vix pone medium margini adfixa viridi-æneis.—Long. 4½ lin.
Hab. Northern China.
Antennæ scarcely half the length of the body, moderately robust, subfiliform, stouter, indistinctly thickened and subfusiform in the male; second and third joints short, the third twice the length of the second; first three joints glabrous, shining purple, the others closely covered with short adpressed fuscous hairs; face stained between the eyes with a rufo-igneous patch; forehead impressed with a deep fovea. Thorax rather more than twice as broad as long, sides margined, slightly rounded, obliquely narrowed in front, anterior angles thickened; upper surface remotely punctured, impressed on either side the disk by a deep, slightly curved transverse fossa. Elytra scarcely broader than the thorax, oblong, each elytron with about eleven rows of distinct deeply impressed punctures, placed at irregular intervals on the rows, interspaces finely punctured; basilar space bounded beneath by a shallow fovea.
Genus MELOSPILA.
Antennœ compressæ, subserratæ, articulis secundo et tertio brevibus. Coxœ anticœ subcontiguæ, crassæ, perpendiculares. Prosternum an-gustatissimum, integrum. Palparum maxillarum articuli duo ultimi conjunctim ovati.
Characteres cæteri ut in Eustetha sunt.
Type, Melospila nigromaculata, Baly.
Very closely allied to Eustetha, but separated by the characters given above.
Melospila nigromaculata.
M. oblonga, convexa, nigra, nitida; antennis compressis, subserratis; tho-race hic illic fortiter punctato; elytris fortiter striato-punctatis, flavis, vitta suturali, linea marginali antice abbreviate et apice dilatata, fascia lata vix ante medium, extrorsum abbreviate, maculisque 10, harum tribus baseos inter se confluentibus, quinque pone medium taransversim positis, duabusque apicalibus, nigris.—Long. 3¼ lin.
Hab. Northern China.
Antennæ more than two-thirds the length of the body; second and third joints short, nearly equal, the remainder compressed and dilated on their inner edge from base to apex, the latter being slightly produced and acute. Thorax convex, its sides margined, rounded and entire. Punctures on the elytra deeply impressed, somewhat irregularly arranged in eleven longitudinal rows, the first abbreviated.
Genus MORPHOSPHÆRA.
Corpus ovatum, valde convexum. Caput thoraci insertum; facie fera perpendiculari; antennis gracilibus, filiformibus, longitudini corporis æqualibus, articulo primo curvato, apicem versus incrassato, duobus proximis brevibus, æqualibus, (cæteris longioribus, inter se fere æqualibus; labro semiovato; mandibulis apice dentatis; palpis robustis, articulo ultimo obtuso; mento latitudine vix longiore, a basi ad apicem angustato; oculis prominulis, integris. Thorax transversus. Scutellum trigonatum. Elytra breviter ovata, thorace paullo latiora, valde convexa, confuse punctata. Pedes graciles, simplices; coxis anticis contiguis; femoribus posticis non incrassatis; unguiculis appendiculatis.
In form Morphosphœra closely resembles Adorium; but the very slender filiform antennæ at once divide it from that genus.
Morphosphœra maculicollis.
M. ovalis, valde convexa, nitida, nigra; labro, abdominis margine thoraceque fulvis, hoc nigro 4-notato; elytris obscure cæruleis, subcrebre punctatis.—Long. 5½ lin.
Hab. India.
Oval, very convex, shining black; labrum, margin of the abdomen, together with the thorax, fulvous, the latter marked with four black spots, placed transversely across the disk. Head short; epistome bounded on either side by an oblique groove which extends from the base of the antennæ to the angle of the jaw, and seems formed for the reception of the basal joint of the antenna. Thorax more than twice as broad as long, rounded at the base, sides slightly rounded, narrowed from the base to the apex, anterior angles slightly prominent, all the angles obtuse; upper surface finely punctured, impressed with three or four indistinct foveæ, lateral border slightly reflexed. Scutellum trigonate. Elytra ovate, rather broader at their base than the thorax, sides oval, apex regularly rounded; surface somewhat closely punctured, the punctures much deeper and coarser than those on the thorax.
Genus XENARTHRA.
Corpus elongatum, angustatum, dorso paullo convexum. Caput exsertum; antennis difformibus, corpora longioribus, 12-articulatis, articulo primo incrassato, secundo brevissimo, subcylindrico, tertio primi longitudini fere æquali, compresso, sursum curvato, a basi ad apicem intus dilatato, angulo antico interiore in dentem acutum producto, quarto et quinto sextoque compressis, dilatatis, latitudine fere æqualibus, septimo difformi, basi compresso-dilatato, intus prope medium in processum validum flexuosum producto, octavo nonoque angustatis, basi intus in processum ligulæformem productis, decimo difformi, incrassato, basi angustato, extus et ad apicem emarginato, angulo antico interiore antrorsum pro-
ducto, ultimis duobus gracilibus, illo basi flexuoso, hoc curvato; labro transverso, antice emarginato; mandibulis apice dentatis; palpis maxillaribus articulo primo parvo, duorum sequentium utroque a basi ad apicem ampliato, illo paullo elongato, hoc dilatato, ultimo conico, subacute; mento transverso-quadrato; oculis magnis, rotundatis, prominentibus. Thorax transversus, dorso bi-impressus. Scutellum trigonatum. Elytra thorace latiora, parallela, dorso subconvexa. Pedes graciles et (præsertim postici) elongati; coxis anticis contiguis, intermediis magnis, fere contiguis; tarsis tibiarum apici insertis; unguiculis appendiculatis.
Type, Xenarthra cervicornis, Baly.
This genus can be at once separated from congeneric forms by the remarkable 12-jointed antennæ, the joints themselves presenting such strange contortions that it is almost impossible to describe them. I must therefore refer to the figure in Plate XII. for a more correct idea of their form.
Xenarthra cervicornis. (Plate XII. fig. 4.)
X. elongata, sat angustata, pallide flava, nitida; antennis difformibus, nigris; capitis thoracisque lateribus, metasterno, abdomine (baseos medio excepto) tibiisque posticis (his basi exceptis) piceis; elytris obsolete costatis, fortiter subcrebre punctatis, viridi-æneis.—Long. 3 lin.
Hab. Ceylon.
Head strongly exserted; eyes prominent; face above the antennæ furnished with a triangular elevated space, divided longitudinally by a medial groove, the apex of which terminates in a deep fovea; antennæ rather longer than the body, 12-jointed, the twelfth articulation being formed, by the separation of the false joint visible in nearly all Phytophagous insects at the apex of the antennæ, into a distinct piece. Thorax one-third broader than long, narrowly margined, sides nearly parallel, slightly produced and angled in the middle; upper surface slightly convex, smooth, impunctate, impressed behind the middle with two large and deep parallel foveæ. Scutellum trigonate, its apex acute. Elytra rather broader than the thorax, parallel, moderately convex, deeply punctured, each elytron with five or six indistinct longitudinal costæ. Legs slender; tarsi stained with fuscous.
Genus STENOPLATYS.
Corpus subelongatum. Caput exsertum; antennis gracillimis, filiformibus, corpore longioribus, articulo primo curvato, a basi ad apicem leniter in-crassato, secundo brevi, tertio quarto vix longiore, maris articulis ultimis tribus compressis, paullo dilatatis, clavam angustam acutam formantibus; epistomate brevi, transverso, utrinque abbreviato; labro trans-verso; mandibulis crassis, obtusis, apice dentatis; palpis maxillaribus articulo primo parvo, duobus sequentibus crassiusculis, ultimo semi-ovato; mento transverso, angulis anticis obsoletis; ligula oblonga, obtusa,
basi paullo angustata; palpis labialibus articulo ultimo conico, acuto; oculis prominentibus. Thorax transversus. Scutellum subtrigonum, apice obtuso. Elytra oblonga, modice convexa, thorace latiora, parallela. Pedes graciles, simplices; coxis anticis contiguis, perpendicularibus; unguiculis appendiculatis.
Type, Stenoplatys Pascoei, Baly.
The general form of the body resembles Aplosonyx; but the entirely different antennæ at once separate Stenoplatys from that genus.
Stenoplatys Pascoei. (Plate XII. fig. 5.)
S. subelongata, modice convexa, pallide flavo-fulva, nitida; antennis (apice excepto) elytrisque fuscis, his æneo micantibus, tenuissime sub-crebre punctatis, antice fossa communi cruciformi impressis; postpectore abdomineque piceis.—Long. 5–5½ lin.
Var. A. Corpore pallide piceo, pedibus flavis.
Mas. Abdominis segmento anali trilobato.
Hab. Old Calabar.
Subelongate, moderately convex. Head impressed on the vertex with a deep fovea; face oblong; apex of jaws black; antennæ slender, nearly equal in length to the body. Thorax twice as broad as long, sides narrowly margined, straight and nearly parallel, obtusely angled just before the middle, thence obliquely narrowed to the apex, all the angles prominent; disk minutely punctured, impressed with three large shallow foveæ. Elytra much broader than the thorax, oblong, parallel, their apex rounded, above moderately convex, impressed longitudinally along the suture, and transversely below the basilar space, the two depressions forming a large common cruciform fossa, the suture itself indistinctly costate; basilar space on each elytron obsoletely elevated; on the outer disk, a short distance below the transverse groove, is a large shallow fovea.
Genus PRASONA.
Corpus elongatum, modice convexum. Caput porrectum; antennis fili-formibus, apicem versus attenuatis, articulo primo incrassato, subclavato, secundo brevi, obovato, tertio duobusque proximis singulatim secundo triplo longioribus, inter se longitudine æqualibus, cæteris paullo brevi-oribus; labro transverso, margine rotundato; mandibulis curvatis, apice dentatis; mento transverso-quadrato; palparum articulo ultimo apice acuto; oculis prominulis, integris. Thorax transversus, lateribus fere parallelis, dorso ante basin transverso-sulcato. Scutellum subtrigonatum. Elytra thorace paullo latiora, parallela, apice rotundata, dorso modice convexa, confuse punctata. Pedes mediocres; femoribus posticis modice incrassatis, subtus ante apicem levitersulcatis; tibiis posticis apice dentibus duobus brevibus armatis; tarsis posticis tibiarum apici insertis; unguiculis appendiculatis. Prosternum modice angustatum, distinctum, apice dilatatum.
Type, Prasona prasina, Baly.
Near Crepidodera, but separated by the different form of the antennæ and the irregularly punctured elytra.
Prasona viridis.
P. elongate, subparallela, pallide viridis, subnitida; antennis obscurioribus, piceo tinctis; femoribus anterioribus dorso lineatis nigro; elytris crebre punctatis, linea suturali male definita, vitta brevi leniter curvata intra humeros posita, macula prope medium disci vittaque submarginali a callo humerali ad paullo pone medium extensa piceis.—Long. 3 2/3 lin.
Var. A. Elytris immaculatis.
Hab. Mexico.
Elongate, moderately convex. Face trigonate, elevated between the eyes, upper portion of the raised space impressed by a longitudinal fovea; vertex finely but remotely punctured. Thorax nearly twice as broad as long, sides subparallel, sinuate at the base, slightly dilated and rounded before the middle; above closely punctured, a narrow longitudinal space down the middle impunctate; disk impressed on either side with shallow irregular excavations, base transversely sulcate, side border reflexed. Elytra broader than the thorax, sides subparallel, slightly ovate, upper surface closely punctured; on the disk of each elytron are seen (with difficulty in some specimens) five or six obsoletely elevated vittæ; one, rather more distinct, extends from the humeral callus down the side a short distance within the lateral border, the space between this latter and the vitta concave.
NOTES.
Chrysomela Templetoni, ante, p. 93 (October 1860). Chrysomela Iole, Stål, Ofvers. af K. Vet. Akad. Förh. (November 1860) p. 463.
Chrysomela Fortunei, ante, p. 94 (October 1860). Count Motschulsky has indicated this beautiful species, but without giving a detailed description, under the name of Ambrostoma Chinensis, Motsch., in the 2nd part of the Entomological portion of Schrenck's 'Reisen im Amur-Lande,' published at St. Petersburg, December 1860.
Chrysomela Bowringii, ante, p. 96 (October 1860). Chrysomela Niobe, Stål, Ofvers. af K. Vet. Akad. Förh. (November 1860) p. 463.
Chrysomela cingulata, ante, p. 97. This insect was described some years since by the Rev. F. W. Hope, under the name of Chrysomela Vishnu, in his paper on Nepaulese Insects, published in Gray's 'Zoological Miscellany,' p. 30; my name must therefore fall. I unfortunately overlooked the type in the British Museum collection when I wrote my paper; and Hope's description is so short and im-
perfect, that it is impossible to recognize the species without a reference to the original specimen.
Crioceris Salléi, ante, p. 195. This species possesses a distinct prosternum, and therefore ought to he placed in the 1st section of the genus.
XXIV.—Entomological Notes. By FRANCIS P. PASCOE, F.L.S.
1. HAVING recently seen a specimen of Meryx rugosa, Latr., in Melly's collection at Geneva, I at once identified it with my genus Rhyssopera (ante, p. 98), probably R. illota. The habitat given hy Latreille, "in India orientali," is doubtless a mistake. In my description, the tarsi, by a lapsus calami, are described as five-jointed; they are, however, only four-jointed, as may be seen by the naked eye, and the genus must therefore be 'technically' referred to the Colydiidæ.
2. Glœania ulomoides (ante, p. 100) is an Aulonium belonging to a section of that genus, the species of which are found from Brazil to Mexico, and represented by Colydium bidentatum*, Fab. The minute basal joint described by me appears to be only the deeply constricted portion of the articulation of the joint.
3. The genus Althœsia (ante, p. 117), Mr. Janson suggests, should probably be referred to the Endomychidæ. As in any case the genus approaches Mycetœa, which is referred to the Mycetophagidæ by Mr. Wollaston, and by M. Jacquelin Duval is made the type of a distinct family in immediate sequence to it, the position I have assigned it may be considered as dependent upon the views which may be ultimately taken of Mycetœa.
4. Evethis and Anomœsia, referred as synonyms to Frixus, Thoms., by M. Chevrolat, at p. 190 of this Journal, must all give way to Eunidia, Erichs., as I have already stated in the Proc. Ent. Soc. July 1859.
5. At p. 192 of this Journal, M. Chevrolat gives Cylindrepomus, Pascoe, as a synonym of Gerania, Serv. In the first place, Cylindrepomus is a genus of Blanchard's; and secondly, it is altogether very different from Gerania.
* I have nine species in my collection, to any of which the Fabrician description is applicable.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2012-. Wallace Online. (http://wallace-online.org/)
File last updated 26 September, 2012