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Show 1897.] PHYTOPHAGOUS COLEOPTERA OF AFRICA. 243 Length 2\ lines. Head impunctate at the vertex, the space round the eyes finely punctured and pubescent, with a short central groove ; antennas very short and robust, black, the basal two joints fulvous ; thorax subcylindrical, but slightly constricted at the base ; the sulcus indistinct and placed close to the base, the disc with two rows of rather deep punctures at the middle and a few others near the anterior angles ; elytra with deep round punctures, placed in closely approached rows, the punctuation getting finer towards the apex, tbe interstices sparingly impressed with minute punctures, convex near the apex, there are some slight transverse wrinkles to be seen below the base; underside and the femora fulvous, clothed with extremely short yellow pubescence, tibias and tarsi piceous or black. Hah. Madagascar, Diego-Suarez (C. Alluaud). Smaller than C. livlda, Dahlm.; the thorax more cylindrical and with two rows of punctures only; the antennas also differently coloured. CRIOCERIS MADAGASCARIENSIS, n. sp. Dark fulvous ; antennas short, the last four joints black; thorax flat, strongly and closely punctured ; elytra finely punctate-striate, the interstices sparingly and finely punctured. Length 3 lines. Head deeply constricted at the base, with a short central and deep lateral grooves ; eyes deeply notched ; clypeus finely punctured ; palpi filiform; antennas extending to the base of the thorax only, the second joint moniliform, third and fourth short, equal, the following joints triangularly widened, the terminal ones strongly transverse, the lower seven joints fulvous, the others black; thorax subquadrate, slightly longer than broad, but moderately constricted at the middle, the anterior angles rounded, the surface rather flattened, strongly, irregularly, and closely punctured, the space near the base nearly impunctate, with a very feeble transverse sulcation; scutellum narrowly elongate; elytra not depressed below the base, nor raised near the scutellum, with very regular rows of punctures, which are larger anteriorly on the inner disc, the interstices flat, with a single row^ of fine punctures which are more or less interrupted, lateral margin strongly thickened ; underside nearly smooth and impunctate; tarsi blackish. Hah. Madagascar, Diego-Suarez (Alluaud). Closely allied to C. antennalls, Lac, also from Madagascar; but smaller, the last four, not five joints of the antennas black, the thorax much more strongly and closely punctured, and the elytral interstices likewise finely punctidate. C. dlmlcllaticornis, Lac, is described as having the antennas one-third the length of the body, the interstices of the elytra finely alutaceous and convex posteriorly, and the apex of the tibias black as well as the tarsi. M. Alluaud has sent m e three specimens of the present species which show no differences in any way. 16* |
