Page:Madras journal of literature and science vol 2 new series 1857.djvu/63

 APRIL— JUNE, 1857.] Descriptio7is of new Ceylon Coleoptera. 53

infra med. fortius angustatus, basi parum prolongatus. Pedunculus brevis. Elytra apicem versus leviter dilatata, apice fortiter subqua- drate truncata. Pedes robusti, simplices, subaequales, ant. tibiis profunda excavatis, omnes tarsis brevibus art. 1° sequentium 2 fere longitudine, subcylindrico, 2 3 gradatim minoribus, magis minusve triangularibus, 4° magn^, profunde bilobo, 5° mediocri, unguibus siraplicibus, art. 4° subtus dense penicillato. ,

44. Creagris lahrosa N.

C. picea, ore antennisque, coxis, trochanteribus femorum tibia- rumque apice r,t tarsis brunneis ; dense punctata obsoleteque pu- bescens ; elytris striatis ; long. corp. 4 J lin.

Specimen singulum prope Colombo nocte ad lumen cepi.

I consider this scarce and interesting insect to form a passage between the Lebiid^ and Pericalid^, but am doubtful to which of these two tribes to refer it as, although it partakes of the characterristics of either, it is at the same time distinct from both. Distinguished in several respects, its most extraordinary character lies in the curious shape of the mentum. This is, however, easily described as large, of the shape of a horseshoe with a long, thin, very pointed tooth in the middle, the apical half of the sides (lobes) being at the same time gently dilated, the apex itself being obliquely cut away from the outer towards the inner side (the inner angle being the most advanced) and slightly dentated at the edge thus formed. Or it may also be described as a fork with the outer teeth some- what enlarged, truncated at the apex and so forth. As far as I know, this variation from the usual form of the mentum is re- peated in no other Carahideous insect. The other parts of the mouth have not much to distinguish them with the exception, however of the labrura which attains a very extraordinary degree of de- velopment occupying rather more than one-third of the ivhole head^ although the latter itself is large and heavy. It is of a suborbicular shape, very slightly produced in front into an obtuse p^igle, is vaulted, covers the mandibles, has two longitudinal impressions at the sides of the base and is highly polished. The head has two impressions in front of the eyes, is densely punctured and thinly pubescent, it is strongly but gradually contracted behind the eyes