OCR Text |
Show 266 MR. G. A. K. MARSHALL ON THE [Mar. 20, truncate at apex, sides subparallel from base to about middle, then roundly narrowed to apex; upper surface convex, set with low rounded or confluent granules which are often more sparse on the disk, with a variable central carina which is sometimes complete and distinct, but usually more or less abbreviated or even entirely absent; colour piceous, the granules bare, the interstices with grey or yellowjsh sealing which is denser laterally. Elytra narrowly ovate in the o*, broader in the 2 a n d more acuminate posteriorly, slightly sinuate at base, sides rounded, broadest before middle; upper surface convex, with broad stria? containing shallow punctuation separated by small granules; the interstices convex, of equal width, closely and irregularly set with small low and usually con-fluent granules, often giving them a transversely rugose appearance ; colour piceous or black, with fine grey or yellowish scaling, which is very thin on the disk but rather denser along the inflexed margins. Legs rather long and slender, piceous or ferruginous, with very fine pale scaling, the exterior edge of the anterior tibia? straight in the 2 > distinctly curved close to apex only in the <$. T Y P E S O* $ in the Stockholm Museum. C A P E C O L O N Y : Grahamstown [Oxf. Mus.]. ORANGE RIVER C O L O N Y : Bloemfontein (Miss Wilman-Camb. Mus.). Although I have no evidence as to the insects actually being taken in copula, I can have no doubt that porcatus Gyl. is the 2 of tottus Sparrm., the characters distinguishing them being evidently sexual. Including the typical specimens from Stockholm, I have seen six porcatus and four tottus. *29. SCIOBIUS MURICATUS Boh. S. muricatus Boh. op. cit. vii. 1, p. 193 (1843). " Almost half as small as Sciobius tottus, more convex ; thorax very short; the intervals of the elytra remotely tuberculate posteriorly : these characters will at once distinguish it from the preceding species [tottus and porcatus], " Head short and broad, almost plane above, vertex finely and closely punctured; forehead rugosely striolate, entirely piceous, and with sparse grey scaling, separated from the rostrum by a deep angulated impression ; eyes sub-rotundate, slightly prominent, brownish black. Rostrum a little narrower and longer than the head, stout, porrect, almost plane above, tricarinate, obsoletely punctulate, piceous black, and with denser grey scaling. Antennce inserted towards the apex of rostrum, longer than half the body, slender, piceous and sparsely pubescent, the club narrow, acuminate. Thorax very short, transverse, truncate at base and apex, a little narrower anteriorly, obsoletely constricted close to apex; sides not ampliated, almost straight; upper surface slightly convex, obsoletely tuberculate throughout, piceous black, with the anterior margin paler, sparsely covered with grey scaling. Scu-tellum minute, scarcely visible. Elytra truncate anteriorly, scarcely broader than the base of the thorax, but obliquely ampliated a short distance behind the base ; shoulders rounded, |