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Show 516 MR. F. P. PASCOE ON THE COLEOPTERA OF PENANG. [Nov. 22, Erythrus differs from the next genus, Pyrestes, principally in its short prothorax; in other characters there are variations: but the two, although closely allied, are distinguishable at a glance. The sculpture of the prothorax and elytra is somewhat peculiar. It consists of minute crowded punctures, especially on the elytra, with the intervals so raised as to give them the appearance of being equally minutely granulated, shagreened as it were; pubescence is almost wanting, except in E. apiculatus. Erythrus used by Mr. Walker for a genus of Chalcididar was never anything but a catalogue name, and therefore it does not appear to m e to be necessary to change Mr. White's. PYRESTES. Pyrestes, Pascoe, Trans. Ent. Soc. ser. 2. iv. p. 96. PYRESTES POLITUS. (PI. XLIL fig. 6.) P. niger, nitidissimus; elytris impunctatis, apicibus subbimucro-natis, larte coccineis, macula prarapicali excepta; abdomine rufo, nitido. Deep black, except the elytra, and very smooth and glossy; head rather broad below the eyes, finely punctured ; prothorax at the apex nearly as broad as the head, transversely striate anteriorly, and nearly impunctate ; scutellum oblong, very convex, narrowed behind; elytra less than twice as long as the head and prothorax, impunctate, rich glossy vermilion, except a large black praeapical spot, the base irregularly furrowed on each side of the scutellum, the sides with a strongly marked raised margin, the apices emarginate, with the sutural angle mucronate, and the external only slightly produced; abdomen dark vermilion, shining, sterna black; legs rather stout; antennae with the third joint shorter than the scape, fourth shortest of all, except the second. Length 10 lines. Distinguished, inter alia, from P. eximius, which are the only two glossy species at present known, by its bimucronate elytra. PYRESTES SCAPULARIS. (PI. XLIL fig. 5.) P. niger, opacus; prothorace elytrisque (sutura, apice scapulisque exceptis) coccineis, his apicibus extus rotundatis, ad suturam mucronatis; abdomine nigrescente. Head black, narrowed below the eyes and sparingly punctured, the vertex closely punctured; prothorax at the vertex as broad as the head, deep vermilion, black at the sides and the anterior border, with deep crowded punctures; scutellum narrowly triangular, concave; elytra bright vermilion, the suture, shoulders, and apex black, closely punctured, the punctures coarser at the base, the intervals subgranulose, the apices rounded externally but slightly mucronate at the suture; body black, but having a reddish tinge on the abdomen; legs short; antennae with the third joint longer than the scape, the fourth not shorter than the four or five terminal joints. Length 8 lines. |
