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Show 1897.] PHYTOPHAGOUS COLEOPTERA OF AFRICA. 257 Head rugosely punctured, more or less dark brown, with the margins round the eyes and the clypeus flavous ; antennas short, not extending much beyond the base of the thorax, the lower five joints flavous, the others black, the second and third joint equal in length, the following two joints more elongate, equal, the others only about one-half longer than broad ; thorax of usual shape, the sides moderately rounded, the surface very sparingly and finely punctured, flavous, the basal margin narrowly black, the others brownish, the disc wdth two longitudinal nearly black bands from base to apex, their margins stained with brown ; scutellum flavous, the base black ; elytra wdth the shoulders scarcely prominent, impressed with large, round, and distantly-placed piceous punctures, flavous, the sutural and lateral margins posteriorly brown, the shoulders with a black mark, followed by a transverse, short, strongly-angulate, reddish-fulvous band, which does not extend to either margin, four round black spots are placed transversely below the middle; pygidium with two large dark brownish patches ; underside and legs pale fulvous, the breast darker; prosternum broad, its base bisinuate. Hah. Natal, Estcourt (67. Marshall). This is a curiously-marked species, of which two specimens are before me. I only know of one or two similar instances in which the elytral markings are of two shades amongst the African species of Cryptocephalinas ; as both the specimens are exactly similar in every respect, I have no doubt that it is the normal coloration of the species, which would find its place near C. blfasclatus, Fabr., or allies. CRYPTOCEPHALUS AGGREGATUS, n. sp. Dark blue or greenish ; the tibias and tarsi more or less fulvous ; thorax strongly rugose-punctate; elytra with deep and very close rows of punctures, the interstices also strongly and closely punctured. Length lg-2 lines. Head closely rugose-punctate, the eyes rather closely approached at the top, broadly triangularly notched ; antennas black, the third and fourth joint equal, the following joints rather strongly triangularly widened; thorax with slightly rounded sides, strongly narrowed anteriorly, the posterior margin without teeth, the surface very strongly convex, deeply rugose-punctate, the punctures round, extremely closely placed, the interstices reticulate and partly confluent ; scutellum broad, with a few fine punctures; elytra narrowed posteriorly, the shoulders rounded, not prominent, the surface closely and entirely covered by deep transversely-shaped punctures, which are rather indistinctly arranged in rows and divided by slightly smaller punctures ; pygidium black, finely rugose; underside and the femora bluish black, finely punctured and pubescent; tibias and tarsi more or less fulvous ; prosternum broad, its base nearly truncate. Hab. Niger-Benue Expedition (Staudinger). PROC ZOOL. Soc-1897, No. XVII. 17 |
