OCR Text |
Show 1897.] PHYTOPHAGOUS COLEOPTERA OF AFRICA. 247 transverse ridge ; mandibles robust, fulvous, the apex angularly curved, black; antennas extending to the base of the thorax, black, the lower five joints flavous, basal joint widened and curved, third one-half longer than the second, fourth more elongate, the others triangularly widened ; thorax twice as broad as long, the sides strongly rounded, the posterior angles distinct, the sides with a narrow reflexed margin, the disc very strongly convex, sulcate near the anterior margin at the middle, strongly punctured at the same place, the rest of the surface impunctate, reddish fulvous or rufous ; scutellum broad, black, its apex slightly raised : elytra parallel, finely punctured in widely separated rows, fulvous, the base with a transverse black band, which is gradually widened towards the suture and is slightly obliquely cut at the same place; it extends as far as the shoulders only, where it ends in a spot; below the middle is another transversely subquarate short band: the underside and the base of the femora fulvous, the apex of the anterior femora and all the tibias and tarsi, as well as the sides of the breast, black. Hab. Natal, Estcourt (67. Marshall). Both male and female specimens are before m e ; the anterior legs of the former are, as usual, very elongate and their tibias curved. The system of coloration in this species differs from any of those placed in this genus ; but I see no structural differences of importance to separate it from Miopristis, although it might perhaps be equally well placed in Antipus. The females only differ in the shorter legs and less transverse thorax, the mandibles also are smaller. MELITONOMA EPISTOMALIS, Lac The specimens which Mr. Marshall obtained at Mashonaland agree very nearly with Lacordaire's description. The species differs from any other contained in the genus by the truncate margin of the epistome, wdiich leaves a cavity exposing broadly the labrum ; this cavity is bounded at the sides by flattened projections, which are turned inwards (Lacordaire says " tubercles"). All the specimens before m e have the thorax marked with two large black spots joined at the base, and the elytra instead of having five spots have only one on the shoulder, a transverse band at, aud another below, the middle black; as the elytral spots are often confluent in these insects I do not think that the Mashonaland specimens represent a new species, but only a variety. In the female the head is normal. PEPLOPTERA QUADRIPUNCTATA, n. sp. Black ; thorax rufous, finely punctured ; elytra rather strongly and closely punctate-striate, flavous, two spots near the base and two behind the middle, placed transversely, black. Length 3£ lines. Head black, the vertex rather closely and finely punctured, the space between the eyes wdth a round fovea, strongly and closely punctured ; antennas not extending to the base of tbe thorax, |