Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia Volume II Part 37

62. Gastrodus albolineatus (n.s.) G. niger thorace scabriusculo rugis transversis duabus lineaque laterali alba, elytris nigris striato-punctatis sutura striaque media elevatis laevibus linea laterali alba haud apicem attingente, apice rufescente albo-punctato.

63. Festus rubripes (n.s.) F. niger capite linea transversa constricto; vertice lineis quatuor elevatis clypeoque tribus, antennis piceis clava obscura, thorace punctis elevatis scabro: elytris punctis impressis striatis, punctis conspicuis argenteo-squamigeris pedibus rufis geniculis obscuris.

Obs. I am doubtful whether this insect truly belongs to Megerle's genus Festus. The antennae are much shorter than in Pachygaster.

64. Cenchroma lanuginosa. Dej. Cat. page 95.

65. Cenchroma obscura (n.s.) C. nigra squamis cinereis asperga clypeo lineis duabus mediis approximatis elevatis lateribus albis, thorace ca.n.a.liculato, elytris punctis impressis striatis squamisque cinereis subaureis praesertim ad latera aspersis, corpore subtus ad latera pedibusque albo-squamosis.

66. Curculio cultratus. Fab. Syst. Eleuth. 2 586. 173.

Oliv. Ins. 83. figure 157.

Obs. This is a new genus of the Curculionidae, but as I am not able in this place to give the characters of it, I prefer to cite the insect under its Fabrician t.i.tle.

67. Rhynchaenus cylindrirostris. Fab. Syst. Eleuth. 2 463. 125.

Oliv. Ins. 83, figure 128.

Obs. This insect is altogether as different from the true Rhynchaeni, as the preceding one is from the true Curculiones.

68. Rhynchaenus bidens. Fab. Syst. Eleuth. 2 457. 96.

Oliv. Ins. 83. figure 113.

Obs. This is also not a true Rhynchaenus, but is a very singular insect in appearance, as the acute spine, which rises from each elytron, appears to be its peculiar defence against entomological collectors.

69. Eurhinus scabrior. Kirby. in Linnean Transactions 12 page 428. 65.

70. Rhinotia haemoptera. Kirby, in Linnean Transactions 12 page 426.

71. Orthorhynchus suturalis (n.s.) O. nigro-fuscus punctis impressus vertice ad oculos albo-bilineato, thorace fossula postica media alba, elytris ad suturam linea pilis alba, corpore subtus lateribus albis.

72. Carpophagus banksiae (n.s.) C. nigro-fuscus pilis albis aspersus capite thoraceque punctatis linea media glabra divisis, scutello cinereo, elytris rugosis lineis quatuor subelevatis, corpore subtus pedibusque cinereo-sericeis.

Table B. figure 1.

Obs. This curious insect is said to be found on the Banksia, and would probably, with Linnaeus, have been a Bruchus. The following are the characters of this new genus.

CARPOPHAGUS (novum genus.)

Antennae ante oculos insertae filiformes articulo basilari cra.s.siori, secundo subgloboso brevissimo, ultimo apice conico acuto,

Labrum semicirculare margine antico integro rotundato ciliato.

Mandibulae validae corneae arcuatae, intus apicem versus subsinuatae edentulae basin versus ciliatae vel submembranaceae.

Maxillae basi corneae processubus duobus membranaceis apicem versus instructae, lobo externo vel apicali ovali extus ciliato; interno tenuiori lanciformi apice acuto.

Palpi maxillares breves cra.s.si vix ultra maxillarum apicem extensi, quadriarticulati articulo stipitali vix conspicuo secundo obconico tertio subgloboso breviori ultimo ovali obtuso.

Palpi l.a.b.i.ales triarticulati articulo stipitali minimo, secundo obconico longiore, ultimo cra.s.siori ovato, apice truncato.

Labium obcordatum basi corneum angustius apice membranaceum medio emarginatum ciliatum lobo utrinque rotundato.

Mentum semicirculare antice rotundatum medio emarginato sive edentulo.

Caput porr.e.c.t.u.m oculis prominulis thorace angustiua clypeo quadrato vertice inter oculos fossulis duabus antice convergentibus. Thorax haud marginatus lateribus haud rotundatis subcylindricus antice angustius, postice sublobatus. Scutellum tuberculare mucronatum. Abdomen thorace duplo latius. Elytra convexa humeris eminentibus postice divergentia rotundata. Pedes pentameri articulis tribus tarsorum primis ciliatis pulvillatis dilatatis, tertio bilobo, quarto brevissimo et quinto tenuibus obconicis, hoc biunguiculato. Femora postica valde incra.s.sata intus unidentata; dente magno. Tibiae posticae compressae apice dilatatae.

73. Megamerus kingii (n.s.) M. nigro-fuscus labro palpisque piceis thorace vix punctato postice rugoso, elytris rugis vel punctis confluentibus substriatis fossula ad humeros profunda lineaque suturali impressis, corpore subtus pilis sub-sericeo pedibusque concoloribus.

Table B. figure 2.

Obs. This singular insect has an affinity to Sagra, but differs from that genus in having setiform antennae, porrect mandibles, and securiform palpi. Its habit is also totally different from that of a Sagra, and more like that of some of those insects which belong to the heterogeneous magazine called Prionus. It is, undoubtedly, the most singular and novel form in Captain King's collection, and forms a new genus, of which the characters are as follow.

MEGAMERUS (novum genus).

Antennae inter oculos insertae filiformes vel potius setaceae articulo basilari cra.s.siori secundo subgloboso brevissimo apicali acuto.

Labrum transverso-quadratum antice submembranaceum tomentosum subemarginatum.

Mandibulae exertae porrectae supra convexiusculae lunulatae vel falciformes dorso subsinuatae apice vel extus oblique truncatae acutissimae.

Maxillae basi corneae processubus duobus submembranaceis apicem versus instructae, lobo externo vel apicali ovali extus ciliato, interno tenuiori apice subacuto margineque interno vix unidentato.

Palpi maxillares quadriarticulati, articulo stipitali minimo inconspicuo, secundo obconico longo duobus ultimis simul sumptis longitudine fere aequali, tertio obconico cra.s.siori, ultimo securiformi compressa.

Palpi l.a.b.i.ales triarticulati articulo stipitali minimo inconspicuo, secundo longo obconico setis quibusdam ad apicem instructo, tertio triangulari compresso vel securiformi.

Labium membranaceum cordatam antice bilob.u.m, lobis elongatis ciliatis interno latere rectilineari extus ad apicem rotundatis.

Mentum semicirculare antice rotundatum margine antico emarginato.

Caput porr.e.c.t.u.m oculis prominentibus thorace haud angustius. Thorax convexus antice posticeque marginatus lateribus rotundatis haud marginatis. Scutellum triangulare subacutum. Abdomen thorace fere duplo latius. Elytra humeris eminentibus marginatis, lateribus parallelis.

Pedes pentameri articulis tribus tarsorom primis ciliatis pulvillatis dilatatis, penultimo bilobo, ultimo tenui biunguiculato. Femora postica valde incra.s.sata intus unidentata. Tibiae posticae compressae apice dilatatae angulo externo acuto.

Obs. The structure of the tarsus in this genus, so near in affinity to Carpophagus and Sagra, has led me to investigate more minutely the tarsus in the tetramerous and trimerous insects of the French entomologists, and the result has been that the arrangement given in the third volume of M.

Cuvier's Regne Animal, is discovered to be as erroneous in point of description, as it is inconsistent with natural affinities.

74. Prionus bidentatus. Don. Ins. of New Holland, table 6.

75. Prionus fasciatus. Don. Ins. of New Holland, table 6.

76. Prionus spinicollis (n.s.) P. piceus antennis filiformibus basi nigris articulo ultimo vix cra.s.siore, capite fusco tomentoso, thorace nigro-fusco punctis scabroso, lateribus spinulosus, in medio postice carina laevi tuberculoque utrinque magno compressa scabro; scutello piceo nigro-marginato, elytris testaceis punctulatis substriatis apice unidentatis, pectoris lateribus rufo-tomentosis.

77. Distichocera maculicollis. Kirby, in Linnean Transactions 12.

78. Distichocera ? rubripennis (n.s.) D. rufo-testacea subtomentosa, capitis lateribus oreque nigris, vertice ca.n.a.liculato, antennis nigris articulis vix biramosis ramis sinistris brevissimis, thorace atro vitta utrinque rufotestacea, scutello nigro, elytris rufo-testaceis tomentosis apice obtusis dehiscentibus, corpore cuneiformi subtus villo argenteo micante, abdomine utrinque nigro maculato, pedibus nigris.

Obs. This insect may be considered a Molorchus with elytra as long as its wings; and it, therefore, evidently connects this genus with Distichocera.