OCR Text |
Show 1900.] FROM SOUTH AND CENTRAL AFRICA. 219 the middle and of slightly oblique shape, another broad transverse band occupies the apex of both elytra; below black j the legs robust, flavous, as well as the prosternum and mesosternum, the former longer than broad, its base deeply concave, the sides raised into narrow ridges. Hab. Port Alfred, South Africa (Rev. J. O'Neil). Of this very pretty but small species I received a single example; like several of its congeners at present placed in this genus, the eyes are not approached or contiguous, but the prosternum agrees with the typical forms. ACH.ENOPS (?) PUNCTICOLLIS, sp. n. Yellowish white, the terminal joints of the antennae and the breast and abdomen black ; thorax very closely punctured, with or without piceous transverse bands; elytra strongly and semi-regularly punctate-striate, a spot on the shoulders aud two near the apex piceous or black. Var. Thorax without markings, underside flavous. Length 3-4 millim. Head broad, yellowish, strongly but not very closely punctured, the vertex with a central black narrow stripe; eyes broadly emarginate ; antennae short and stout, extending to the base of the elytra, the lower six joints pale flavous, the others black, terminal joints, with the exception of the last one, dilated ; thorax more than twice as broad as long, the sides rounded, the surface very closely and strongly puuctured, yellowish white, with a transverse narrow piceous stripe at each side, sending off branches at right angles to the anterior and posterior margin, another piceous spot is placed at the middle of the base, the basal margin likewise narrowly black; scutellum truncate at its apex, the latter flavous, the base black ; elytra subcylindrical, pale yellowish, strongly punctured in irregular rows, of which ten are placed on each elytron, the sutural one being very short, near the apex some of the rows unite in pairs, forming broader spaces between them, all the punctures of piceous colours, a small piceous spot is placed on each shoulder, two others more or less distinct are seen near the apex, the inner one of which is placed rather higher than the other spot; legs pale flavous, the femora with a piceous spot; prosternum widened at the base, strongly punctured; breast and abdomen black. Hab. Dunbrody, Cape Colony, S. Africa (Rev. J. O'Neil), on mimosa-bushes. This little Cryptocephalus, of which I received two specimens, is doubtfully placed by me in Achcenops, as the structure of the prosternum does not agree with that genus, but I do not consider it desirable to establish another genus on a single species. The present insect has very nearly the general appearance of a Pachybrachys; the colour and the system of punctation is the same, but the antennae agree better with Monachus on account of their shortness and the dilated terminal joints; the prosternum |