Page:Travels in West Africa, Congo Français, Corisco and Cameroons (IA travelsinwestafr00kingrich).pdf/776

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Palophus centaurus, Westw. Cat. Phasm. p. 91, n. 233, pl. xxxi. fig. 1 (1859); Brogn. Nouv. Arch. Mus. Paris, (3) iii. p. 195, pl. viii., pl. ix. figs. 1-4 (1892).

One of the largest winged African Phasmidæ. A single female specimen was in the collection.

Female.—Apterous, rather stout, granulated; antennæ rather shorter than the front femora, 23-jointed, with most of the joints long and cylindrical; scape flattened, about twice as long as. broad, second joint also longer than broad and considerably longer than the following joints; front legs much longer and front femora much thicker than in the last two pairs of legs.

Readily distinguished from Phasma (Bacillus auct.) by the granulated body and the cylindrica] joints of the antennæ.

Uniform brown, except that the face is varied above with black and below with yellow. Head with a row of four raised tubercles behind; pronotum with three imperfectly formed grooves and a transverse one dividing it nearly equally; there is also a distinct carina on each side; mesonotum thickly granulated and with three central carinæ, the lateral ones not extending to its extremity, but a central one continued along the metanotum and abdomen; abdomen with segments 2-8 (counting the median segment as 1) gradually diminishing in length; ninth short and transverse; tenth three times as long as broad, gradually tapering, and extending for half its length beyond the operculum; cerci very short, rather broad and rounded, just projecting on each side at the base of the tenth segment. Under surface of the body carinated throughout on the central line behind the propectus, which is carinated on the sides; most of the hinder part of the body is carinated on the sides both above and below the middle. Legs carinated and sulcated; first joint of front tarsi about as long