OCR Text |
Show 246 MR. M. JACOBY ON T H E [Feb. 2, This and the following species seem to me to find their places best in Lacordaire's subgenus Lophohasls, on account of the basal ridge of the elytra, although some of the other structural characters do not agree with the genus, but in that respect scarcely two species are similar amongst these variable insects. Of both sexes a good many specimens are before m e : in some the elytra are without the dark margins and the thoracic spots are much smaller; the females differ much in the more strongly and closely punctured elytra, wdiich are also more shining, and in having entirely flavous legs. MIOPRISTIS SUBRUGOSA, n. sp. (Plate XVII. fig. 7.) Black, pubescent; the clypeus and the legs fulvous; thorax remotely and strongly punctured, flavous with two large black spots ; elytra very closely and strongly punctured, testaceous, a spot on the shoulder and three others placed triangularly near the apex, black. Var. Some or all the elytral spots absent. Mas. The anterior legs elongate, the tibias strongly curved. Fern. Legs normal, thorax and elytra nearly rugosely punctured. Length 2^-3 lines. Head pubescent and of the same sculpture and colour as in the preceding species; the antennas also exactly similar, as well as the thorax ; elytra with the basal margin likewise in shape of a ridge, very closely and strongly punctured, wdth an elongate spot on the shoulders and three round spots near the apex black-of these latter, one is placed close to the suture aud two near the lateral margin, forming together a triangle ; legs fulvous, the femora above and the tarsi black. Hah. Natal, Estcourt (67. Marshall). Closely allied to the preceding species, but quite distinct on account of the almost rugose punctuation of the elytra and their pattern; and even if the spots of the elytra are absent, both sexes may be at once known from M. natalensis by their sculpture, which renders the elytra opaque, the female of the last-named species, on the contrary, having the elytra distinctly shining; the spots of the thorax are as variable as usual in these insects. MIOPRISTIS ATROFASCIATA, n. sp. (Plate XVII. fig. 6.) Fulvous, the upper part of the head, the tibias, tarsi, and sides of the breast black ; thorax nearly impunctate; elytra with fine rows of punctures, fulvous, a triangular band at the base, and a transverse spot below the middle, black. Mas. The anterior legs elongate ; the first joint of the tarsi as long as the two following joints together. Length 3 lines. Head strongly covered with transverse and longitudinal strigas, the vertex smoother, black, in shape of a transverse band with its anterior edge concave, lower portion of face fulvous, the anterior margin of the clypeus deeply triangularly emarginate, eyes moderate, distinctly notched, sides of the face produced into a |