OCR Text |
Show 1887.] PHYTOPHAGOUS COLEOPTERA OF CEYLON. 115 closed coxal cavities requires yet careful study, as it is not improbable that intermediate degrees exist even in the same species, which makes the conclusion in regard to the state of the cavities uncertain. HYPH^ENIA FLAVOFEMORATUS, Motsch. (?). Closed anterior coxal cavities, unarmed tibiae, a square-shaped thorax, and other characters peculiar to Baly's genus are present in an insect contained in this collection, which also agrees very nearly with Motschulsky's species, to which I will refer for the present this insect. The entire upper surface is metallic greenish or aeneous. The antennae are as long as the body, obscure piceous with the basal joints fulvous. The head is finely granulate, the lower part being testaceous ; the thorax is square-shaped, with two impressions, finely granulate and punctured (Motschulsky gives the thorax as smooth). The elytra are finely rugose and punctured. The colour of the legs is flavous ; sometimes the tibiae and the tarsi are obscurely stained with fuscous. The femora are all of the same thickness, and the first joint of the posterior tarsi is as long as the two following joints together. Claws appendiculate. The underside is nearly black ; and the entire shape of the insect is narrowly parallel with the elytra flattened along the sutural margin. The size of the insect is If line. Dikoya. DORYSCUS (gen. nov. Galerucinse). Body elongate, parallel; anterior coxal cavities closed. Antennse filiform, the second joint small, the third double the length. Thorax subquadrate, strongly constricted at the base, the disk biimpressed. Elytra geminate punctate-striate, costate, and pubescent. Tibiae mucronate ; the first joint of the posterior tarsi as long as the two following joints together ; claws appendiculate, those of the posterior tarsi very long and curved, united, but bifid at the extreme apices. Elytral epipleurae narrow, but continued below the middle. Whether the peculiar structure of the posterior claws in this genus is a sexual character only or to be found in either sex I a m unable to say, having only two specimens before me, which agree with each other in every respect. The posterior claw seems to consist of a single piece only, being joined together except at the extreme apices, as is the case, but to a m u c h smaller degree, in the genus Lema. In Doryscus they are very long and curved, while the claws of the four anterior legs are of normal size and appendiculate. The peculiar form of the thorax, in connection with the punctate-striate elytra and their pubesence, are characters which further distinguish the present insect. DORYSCUS TESTACEUS, sp. nov. Testaceous ; the sutural and extreme lateral margin narrowly black anteriorly ; head and thorax impunctate; elytra strongly geminate punctate-striate, the interstices longitudinally costate. Var. Entirely testaceous. Length 2 lines. |