OCR Text |
Show 1901.] PHYTOPHAGOUS COLEOPTERA. 161 elytra sculptured like the thorax but rather more strongly so, with the usual four ridges strongly marked, of which the first and second are connected by a transverse ridge below the middle, the third runs parallel with the second and commences at the middle of the base, it is likewise connected with the fourth ridge by a transverse costa below the base, less strongly marked than the first transverse ridge: pygidium flavous, reticulate throughout; abdomen and legs reddish, sculptured like the pygidium; the tarsi broad, flavous. Hab. Amazons, Cavallo-Cocho (my collection). This is a species of easy recognition on account of the absence of any elytral tubercles and the bright red coloration. C. kermes agrees in this respect with the present species, but has distinctly tuberculate elytra. Klug has described and figured a species under the name of C. granulata which seems to come very near to the one here described; but Lacordaire, who gives a more detailed description of it under the name of C. gysseleni Koll., speaks of tubercles and numerous other elytral obscure ridges of which I can see no trace; he also gives the length as 1£ line, while Klug says 2 lines as the size of his species ; the structure of the thorax also differs, inasmuch as C. gysseleni has no sulcus at the top of the elevation. CHLAMYS TUBERCULICOLLIS, sp. n. Bluish or violaceous black, the head, the anterior part of the thorax (more or less), and the anterior legs fulvous ; thorax with a truncate elevation, bituberculate in front; elytra rugose-punctate, with a strongly raised subsutural, sinuate ridge joined to a straighter ridge from the base to the apex, the latter with two tubercles ; legs spotted. Length 3-3| millim. Of elongate and parallel shape, the head finely rugose and puuctured, flavous, the extreme vertex blackish; antennae flavous, the apical joints slightly darker, third and fourth joints comparatively thin and elongate, the others but slightly thickened for this genus : thorax with the middle portion strongly raised, the top truncate, strongly rugose, the anterior portion terminating in two compressed tubercles of large size, between which a smaller one is placed, the sides likewise furnished with two small callosities, the anterior margin more or less flavous, the rest of the surface violaceous black, the posterior margin in front of the scutellum truncate, the latter impunctate ; elytra with the suture crenulate throughout, the ridges strongly raised, the first strongly sinuate, is placed near the suture, where it joins the second ridge below the middle, this latter is nearly straight and commences as usual at the middle of the base, at its middle it sends off a short transverse branch which unites with the fourth ridge near the lateral margins, the third ridge runs close and parallel to the second for a short distance below the middle ; below the point of juncture with the first the second ridge again curves round to the suture, enclosing an oblong cavity; an elongate tubercle at the apex near the suture PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1901, VOL. I. No. XI. 11 |