OCR Text |
Show 1889.] COLLECTED IN VENEZUELA. 275 frontal elevations distinct; the clypeus broadly triangular; the palpi more or less piceous ; antennae extending below the middle of the elytra, black (the basal two joints sometimes obscure fulvous), the fourth joint distinctly longer than the third ; thorax subquadrate, the sides widened before the middle, rather suddenly narrowed in front, the anterior angles slightly produced outwards, the surface impunctate, shining, reddish fulvous with a very obsolete transverse depression near the basal margin, the latter straight; scutellum fulvous ; elytra somewhat depressed along the base at the suture, metallic dark blue, very closely and finely punctured; the breast and legs fulvous ; the abdomen, the apex of the femora, and the tibiae and tarsi black ; posterior femora but very moderately dilated, the tibiae with a small spine, the first joint of the posterior tarsi longer than the three following joints together ; claws appendiculate ; anterior coxal cavities open. San Esteban. It is difficult to point out the exact place of this insect, which I have only provisionally placed in Cacoscelis ; it is probably the representative of a new genus, should other species with similar structural characters be found ; the thorax is nearly quadrate, not transverse as in Cacoscelis; all the tibiae are marked with a small spine, and the metatarsus of the posterior legs is also much longer than in the typical forms of the genus; the posterior femora are but moderately dilated and the general shape of the insect is narrowly elongate ; the long first joint of the posterior tarsi separates the species from those composing the genus Haltica (Graptodei-a). APHTHONA REGULATA, n. sp. Oblong, dark violaceous blue ; the basal joints of the antennae and the anterior legs more or less fulvous; thorax impunctate; elytra regularly punctate-striate. Length 1 line. Head impunctate ; the frontal elevations transverse, distinct; carina acute and long; antennae not extending to half the length of the elytra, black, the four basal joints fulvous, the second and third joints equal; thorax about one half broader than long, the sides nearly straight, the anterior angles oblique, forming a tooth before the middle, the surface impunctate ; elytra rather closely, finely, and regularly punctate-striate ; below piceous ; posterior femora bluish ; tibiae and tarsi more or less fulvous. Caracas. The leaden-blue colour and the regularly punctate-striate elytra separate A. regulata from its allies. HOMOPHOSTA CEQUINOCTIALIS, Linn. San Esteban, Caracas, Corozal, and Colonia Tovar. HOMOPHCETA VARIABILIS, Jac. San Esteban and Colonia Tovar. |