OCR Text |
Show 1866.] MR. F. P. PASCOE ON THE COLEOPTERA OF PENANG. 531 mucronate; body beneath brownish luteous, finely pubescent; legs brown; antennae about as long as the body, brown, with subulate processes luteous and finely fringed on each side in the direction of their axis*. Length 20 lines. RHYTIDODERA. Hammaticherus, White, Cat. Long. Brit. Mus. p. 132. RHYTIDODERA SIMULANS. Hammaticherusl simulans, White, op. cit. p. 132. It is difficult to say why this species, except for its transverse instead of longitudinal prothoracic striae, was placed (even though doubtfully) with Hammaticherus, seeing that Rhytidodera, to which it naturally belongs, is proposed for a nearly cognate species immediately after it, and to which indeed Mr. White compares it. Hammaticherus, a name coined by Megerle, in compliance with a most faulty principle, to supersede the old name of Cerambyx, was first described and applied by Serville to Plocarderus of Dejean, Cerambyx being properly retained by the same author for the European species, which are naturally the most familiar, and, in the usual sense, the most typical. RHYTIDODERA CRISTATA. (PL XLIII. fig. 1.) R. supra pube purpureo-fusca dense vestita ; prothorace utrinque longitudinaliter bicarinato, in medio crista pilosa elliptica in-structo. Densely covered above with a dark purplish-brown pubescence; head with a coarse irregular pubescence; prothorax broader than the head, sulcated at the base and apex, the intermediate part with three smooth longitudinal grooves on each side, enclosing two well-marked ridges, between the two series of grooves an elevated elliptical protuberance densely covered with perfectly erect hairs; scutellum subtriangular, truncate at the apex; elytra more than three times the length of the prothorax, broadest behind the middle, the apices emarginate with each angle shortly mucronate; pubescence slightly mixed with greyish hairs, especially at the sides; body beneath and legs reddish chestnut, with a thin greyish pile; antennae considerably shorter than the body, the third to the eighth joints nodose at the apex, scape more densely pubescent. Length 13 lines. The clothes-brush-like crest on the prothorax is very remarkable and peculiar. The protuberance that forms the basis appears to be deeply constricted all round, and the upper surface to be somewhat convex. The elytra are more or less clouded, according to the light, the dark spots being more particularly visible on each side behind * A nearly allied genus has been recently described by M. Kaup (Einige Ceramb. der Grossherzog. Samralung zu Darmstadt) under the name of Westwoodia. This name has, however, been twice previously used; I have therefore to propose Jprosictus in its stead, under which it has long stood in m y cabinet waiting publication in the ' Longicornia Malayana.' |