OCR Text |
Show 1894.] COLEOPTERA OF T H E G E N U S CEPIONYCHIS. 615 margins, the lower edge of the posterior band emarginate at the apex. Length 2\-2>\ lines. Head greenish black at the vertex, with some punctures near the eyes, the space surrounding the latter and the lower portion of the face flavous; labrum black ; antenna? short, reaching only to the base of the elytra, black, the apical joint obscure fulvous, the basal joints stained with testaceous at the apex, the fourth joint very slightly longer than the third ; thorax nearly three times as broad as long, the sides straight at the base, rounded in front, the anterior angles produced outward into a tooth, the surface with a few minute punctures, the sides broadly flattened; scutellum black; elytra convex, nearly parallel, the lateral margins narrowly and a transverse straight narrow band at the middle as well as the apex flavous, the rest of the surface occupied by two broad transverse metallic blue bands, the lower edge of the posterior band emarginate near the apical angle, the punctuation very fine, more strongly marked in the flavous portion ; underside and legs black. Hah. Brazil. Closely allied in coloration to several other species, notably to (E. honesta, Illig., (E. eburata, Germ., (E. bifasciata, Baly, and (E. steinheili, Jac, but differing from (E. honesta in the shape of the posterior blue elytral band, which does not extend to the lateral margins as is the case in the last-named species, and in the black colour of the legs: (E. eburata is described as having a black hind margin to the thorax and black elytral bands; (E. bifasciata has a fulvous underside and legs as well as similarly coloured head; (E. steinheili is much larger and differs likewise in the colour of the head, antennae, and underside; while (E. blanda, Har., has only the base and the apex of the elytra blue. In the present species the blue elytral bands are divided by a perfectly straight fulvous band at the middle, which is half the length of the dark band at the base; the emargination of the posterior band near the apex will further help to distinguish (E. quadriplagiata, in one specimen the flavous central band does not quite reach the suture. (EPIONYCHIS CENTURIO (Clk. Catal.). Flavous, the base of the head and the antennae (the basal joints excepted) black; thorax flavous, impunctate ; elytra finely punctured, a transverse band at the base, another below the middle, and the extreme apex metallic blue. Length 2 lines. Head with a few deep punctures on the vertex, bluish black, the lower part of the face flavous ; antennae black, the lower three joints obscure fulvous, third and fourth joints equal; thorax twice and a half broader than long, the sides moderately rounded, very obsoletely angulate at the middle, the anterior angles dentiform, the surface impunctate, flavous, very obsoletely sulcate near the base; scutellum black; elytra closely and finely punctured, flavous, |