| OCR Text |
Show 576 ON THE PHYTOPHAGOUS COLEOPTERA OF AFRICA. [May 18, PLATYXANTHA (?) SCUTELLATA, 11. Sp. Fulvous, the antennae (the basal joint excepted), the scutellum, and the tibiae and tarsi black; thorax without depression, finely punctured; elytra very closely aud finely punctate. Length 3 lines. Head broad, impunctate, the frontal tubercles very strongly raised, transverse ; clypeus rather broadly swollen; eyes large; antennas slender, fuscous or black, the basal joint (sometimes the first three joints) fulvous, the second small, the third double the length but much smaller than the fourth joint; thorax transversely subquadrate, rather convex, the sides evenly rounded, the anterior angles slightly produced outwTards, posterior ones slightly thickened, the surface very finely and closely punctured, without depressions ; scutellum black, shining ; elytra wider at the base than the thorax, convex, parallel, the punctures like those of the thorax and extremely closely placed : underside and legs fulvous ; the tibiae and tarsi black, finely pubescent, like the rest of the underside; the metatarsus of the posterior legs as long as the following three joints together; claws appendiculate. Hah. Mashonaland (67. Marshall). British Museum and my own collection. The shape of the thorax is quite different in this species from that of the preceding, not being narrowed at the base ; it resembles in this respect that of a species of Malacosoma. I cannot, however, find any structural differences of importance to separate the insect from Platyxantha. PLATYXANTHA (?) PALLIDA, n. Sp. Pale testaceous, antennae fulvous; thorax transversely subquadrate, minutely punctured; elytra extremely finely and closely punctured. Length 3| lines. Head as in the preceding species, impunctate; antennas nearly extending to the apex of the elytra, pale fulvous, the second joint half the length of the third, the fourth twice as long as the preceding joint, the following joints still more elongate and slender; thorax of exactly the same shape as in P. scuteUata and as finely punctured; scutellum pale; elytra punctured like the thorax: underside and legs entirely pale fulvous or testaceous. Hab. Mashonaland (67. Marshall). British Mus. coll. and my own. Bather larger than P. scuteUata and entirely of pale coloration, the antennae still longer and the punctuation also rather finer. NOTE.-Dlorrhahda maculiceps, Jac, doubtfully referred by me to this genus, must find its place in Galerucella, as the coxal cavities are open, not closed. I have lately received specimens of this species from the Cameroons which do not differ from the Abyssinian type, but vary greatly in coloration. |
