OCR Text |
Show 1899.] PHYTOPHAGOUS COLEOPTERA OF AFRICA. 357 NOTOMELA, gen. n. Body oblong ; antennas widely separated, very short, the terminal joints transverse, palpi subfiliform ; thorax transverse, without depressions ; elytra glabrous, geminate punctate-striate ; legs short and robust, the posterior femora strongly incrassate, the tibias widened at the apex, deeply silicate, the four posterior ones mucronate; claAvs appendiculate; prosternum much nan-owed between the coxas; mesosternum short, deeply bilobed posteriorly; the anterior cotyloid cavities closed. There are but feAV genera of Halticidce which agree with the present one in the widely separated antennas and the punctate-striate elytra; and although I have only a single specimen before me, the structural differences of the species are so Avell marked that it Avill be easy to recognize the insect, Avhich would perhaps best be placed near Amphimela Chap., which is, however, of strongly rounded shape. NOTOMELA CYANIPENNIS, Sp. n. Beddish fulvous, the apical joints of the antennas fuscous ; thorax strongly and closely punctured ; elytra dark metallic blue, strongly geminate punctate-striate, longitudinally costate near the lateral margin. Length 3 millim. Head fulvous, closely and strongly punctured, the frontal tubercles in shape of narrow transverse ridges; clypeus deeply separated from the face by a transverse groove, broader than long ; antennas scarcely extending beyond the base of the thorax, fulvous, the last four or five joints fuscous, the basal joint thickened, curved and moderately long, the second short, tbe third twice as long, the others shorter and gradually transversely thickened; thorax more than twice as broad as long, Avidened at the middle, the sides rounded before the middle, the anterior angles thickened, the surface closely and strongly punctured, but more so at the sides, where the punctures are large and round; scutellum triangular, fulvous; elytra not wider at the base than the thorax, dark metallic blue, each elytron with nine or ten double rows of strong punctures, the lateral margin strongly thickened in shape of a costa; underside and legs fulvous, abdomen subremotely punctured ; the first joint of the posterior tarsi shorter than the following two joints together. Hab. Cameroons, West Africa (Conrad). This species much resembles those of the genus Australica amongst the Chrysomelidce in its general shape. I received a specimen from Dr. Kraatz, of Berlin. HALTICELLA, gen. n. Bounded, convex; the eyes surrounded by a sulcus ; the antennas subfiliform; thorax transverse, without depressions or sulci; elytra semiregularly punctate-striate, their epipleuras broad; posterior P R O C ZOOL. Soc-1899, N o . X X I V . 24 |