OCR Text |
Show 1892.] PHYTOPHAGOUS COLEOPTERA FROM MADAGASGAR. 5 73 tellurn fulvous ; elytra slightly widened at the middle, very closely and more strongly punctured than the thorax, the interstices obsoletely longitudinally costate at the sides, the shoulders prominent ; the breast and abdomen as well as the posterior femora black ; legs fulvous. This species varies in having metallic green or purplish elytra ; in two specimens the antennae have the last three joints black, in one they are entirely fulvous. AsPH.ERA MADAGASCARIENSIS, n. sp. Fulvous, shining ; the antennae (the basal two joints excepted), the apex of the femora, and the tibiae and tarsi black; thorax impunctate ; elytra closely punctured and finely rugose. Length 4 lines. Head impunctate, deeply transversely grooved between the eyes; frontal tubercles transverse, distinct; clypeus swollen ; palpi black ; antennae robust, black, the basal two joints fulvous, the terminal joints rather flattened ; thorax nearly three times as broad as long, the sides with a broad and reflexed margin, strongly rounded; the disc uneven, depressed at the sides and at the middle, impunctate, shining; elytra closely punctured, the interstices everywhere finely wrinkled and rugose ; the apex of the femora and the tibiae and tarsi black, tibia? deeply channelled ; the first joint of the posterior tarsi as long as the following joints together, claws moderately swollen. Apparently allied to A. melanarthra, Fairm., but differing in the colour of the legs and the wrinkled elytra, also in having but two joints of the antennae fulvous; M . Fairmaire describes his species as having fuscous legs (femora 3-4 excepted) (?), which is (probably through a misprint) unintelligible. ASPH.ERA BREVICORNIS, n. Sp. Flavous; the head, thorax, and legs pale fulvous; antennae (the basal four joints excepted) black, short; thorax impunctate; elytra very minutely and closely punctured. Length 3 lines. Head impunctate, the frontal tubercles transverse, nearly contiguous ; clypeus raised, short and truncate at the raised portion ; labrum, jaws, and palpi fulvous ; antennae only extending to the base of the elytra, black, the basal four joints fulvous, the third joint slightly shorter than the fourth, terminal joints thickened ; thorax more than twice as broad as long, rather strongly narrowed in front, the sides slightly rounded, narrowly marginate, the anterior angles rather strongly produced and thickened, the surface impunctate, shining, fulvous, rather deeply longitudinally sulcate near the lateral margins; elytra pale flavous, very finely and closely punctured ; legs fulvous ; the first joint of the posterior tarsi as long as the following joints together ; claws very slightly incrassate. This species has nearly simple, that is scarcely swollen, posterior claws, but agrees in all other respects with Aspho?ra. PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1892, No. XXXIX. 39 |