Art. L.—On the Anthribidæ of New Zealand.

By D. Sharp.

[From the “Annals and Magazine of Natural History,” June, 1876.]

and A. phymatodes, Redt. White's species, I believe, is not among those I am acquainted with; and his description offers as striking an example as could well be pointed out of the use of hastily selected and indefinite terms for what purports to be a scientific description.

Redtenbacher's description of A. phymatodes, on the other hand, is a very good one; but yet I have some little doubts whether the species to which I have given that name be really the one intended by the talented Austrian entomologist (the sad news of whose death has reached me while writing these lines); for his description indicates a rather larger insect, and one having a more uneven surface of the thorax than the specimens before me.

Three species of the family have been previously described by myself, two of them with the generic name Lawsonia, which Mr. Pascoe, who is a great authority on this family, states to be synonymous with his Exillis, Lacordaire having assigned that genus an erroneous position as regards one of its important and easily seen structural characters. I do not on this account consider it necessary to change at present the names of my two species; but in case it should be ultimately considered that this should be done, I will take the opportunity to propose the name of Exillis lawsoni in place of that of Lawsonia longicornis used in the present paper.

Mr. Pascoe himself has recently described a species of the family; and as he has kindly sent me a type thereof, I am certainly right as to the insect to which I apply his name.

I acknowledge with great pleasure the kindness of Capt. T. Broun, of Tairua, and Mr. T. Lawson, of Auckland, who have collected the insects here described. Each of these entomologists has discovered so many interesting and unexpected additions to the New Zealand insect-fauna that it is to be hoped they will continue their researches, and so acquire for us a knowledge of many species which, if not speedily accumulated, will become extinct, as has already, indeed, been the case with many species of some other insular faunas, as well as with some of the most interesting of the larger components of the New Zealand fauna.

Table

Anthribus brouni, n. sp.

A. capite rostrato, oculis prominulis, ab antennis remotis, oblongus, variegato-tomentosus, antennis pedibusque testaceo fuscoque variegatis; elytris punctato-striatis. Long. corp. 2 ½-4 m.m.; antennarum 1 ⅖-3 m.m.

Antennæ variable in length, yellowish, the joints more or less marked

with dark fuscous, so as in some individuals to be nearly entirely black, the three apical joints forming a broad, flat club; first joint short, only moderately thickened; second rather longer than first, third longer and more slender than second; eighth distinctly stouter than the preceding joints. Head distinctly rostrate, the rostrum dilated towards the apex; its front margin slightly emarginate behind the labrum; the eyes prominent, oval, widely separated; the antennæ inserted at the sides, very near the apex, and separated from the eye by a space about equal to the length of the eye; the antennal cavities elongate foveæ, and abruptly limited behind; its surface densely and rather finely rugose-punctate, and bearing hairs a little variegated in colour. Thorax about as long as broad, much narrowed towards the front, its carina moderately distant from the elytra and gently bent forwards along the sides without forming an angle; the sides of the thorax behind the carina a good deal narrowed: the surface is densely but rather indistinctly rugosely sculptured, and bears variegated hairs as its clothing. Elytra much variegated, the sides and extremity being darker than the discoidal part, and near the sides there is a slight metallic appearance; they bear rows of punctures, which are rather coarse, but much obscured by the clothing. The legs are yellowish, more or less variegated with dark marks. Tarsi rather slender, second joint rather deeply emarginate, third small.

Sent from Auckland and Tairua by Captain Broun and Mr. Lawson.

Obs. I. This species varies much in size and in the development of the antennæ, and also a good deal in colour. The specimens which I consider to be females are small, and the antennæ are shorter and more slender than in the other sex; the rostrum also varies much in length.

Obs. II. This species in general structure much resembles Tropideres niveirostris, the antennæ of the two species being very similar. The rostrum, however, is much more produced in A. brouni; and its form, as well as that of the head, is different; the eyes are more entirely lateral in A. brouni, and the antennal cavities are different in form. Tropideres sepicola, however, in all these respects appears to approach Anthribus brouni more closely; so that the generic qualifications (if I may use this term) of A. brouni must be considered doubtful.

Anthribus bullatus, n. sp.

A. capite breviter rostrato, oculis prominulis, oblongus, variegato-tomentosus, antennis pedibusque testaceis; elytris pone medium quadrifasciculatis; pygidio quadrato. Long. corp. 2 ¾ m.m.

Antennæ formed much as in A. brouni, but with the joints of the club more laxly articulated, and with the eighth joint scarcely differing from the seventh. Rostrum similar in form to that of A. brouni, but yet much

shorter, so that the posterior margin of the antennal cavities is near to, though quite distinctly separated from, the eye; it bears two patches of dense white pubescence, which are conjoined behind though divergent in front. Thoracic carina distinctly sinuate on each side, and without any angle, and very gradually bent forwards. Elytra rather densely clothed, the shoulders and apex paler than the other parts, just above their declivity with a dense pencil of dark hairs, and with another but less distinct pencil just behind the middle; pygidium yellowish, quadrate; ventral plate of apical segment of hind body prominent and peculiarly flattened in the middle; basal joint of hind tarsus scarcely longer than second and third together.

Tairua: a single individual sent by Captain Broun. I believe it to be a male; and it is very probable that the peculiar form of the apex of the abdomen is peculiar to that sex.

Obs. Though much resembling the Anthribus brounri, the A. bullatus is readily distinguished therefrom by the short broad rostrum and by the short broad rostrum and by the waved thoracic carina.

Anthribus vates, n. sp.

A. capite rostrato, oculis perconvexis, piceus, tomento griseo fuscoque vestitus; prothorace conico, angulis posteriorbus minus discretis, carina ab elytrorum humeris remota. Long.corp. 5 m.m.

Antennaæ moderately stout, shorter than the body, obscure reddish; second joint rather elongate, third nearly one and a half times length of second. Head with a short, broad rostrum; antennal cavities large but not sulciform, placed quite at the side of rostrum, and distinctly prolonged on its under face, the space separating the bind edge of these cavities from the eye small but distinct; the eyes are almost hemispherical. Thorax conical, not quite so long as broad; its carina in the middle is separated by a short distance only from the base of the elytra, but is curved so that its angle is twice the distance from the elytra that the middle is; the angle of the carina is almost a right angle (but not sharply marked), and it is only produced a very short distance forwards along the side; behind the carina the sides of the thorax are narrowed, so that a very evident gap is left. on each side, between the angles of the thorax and those of the elytra. The elytra are covered with a dense variegated tomentum, which conceals their lines of punctures.

Tairua: a single male specimen sent by Captain Broun. The ventral segments in this sex are distinctly flattened and impressed along the middle.

Obs. Though this species in general structure is closely allied to A. huttoni, it is very readily distinguished therefrom by the difference in the

form of the basal parts of the thorax. The legs and antennæ are similar in structure to those of A. huttoni, but are rather stouter, and the second joint of the antennæ is more elongate in A. vates. Anthribus incertus, White, is possibly an allied but rather larger species.

Anthribus phymatodes, Redt.(?).

A. oblongus, angustulus, pube grisea leviter variegata vestitus; antennis pedibusque testaceis, his fusco maculatis; elytris quadricallosis, callositatibus posterioribus pone medium sitis. Long. corp. 3–4 m.m.

Antennæ elongate, reddish. Eyes moderately deeply emarginate; upper border of antennal cavity near, but distinctly separated from the eye. Thorax as long as broad, its carina very distinct, quite separated from the elytra, forming a rounded angle at the side, and extending forward about halfway to the front of thorax; hind angles of thorax quite indistinct, and not applied to shoulders of the elytra, so that a gap or notch is left on each side between the thorax and elytra; its surface is covered with fine, greyish, somewhat variegated hair-like scales. Elytra rather long and narrow, clothed with somewhat variegated greyish scales, and in front of the extremity bearing a transverse blackish mark; they bear near the suture four rather strongly elevated callosities, the scales on which are black; the front pair of these elevations are near the base, the hind pair just behind the middle. The legs are yellowish, with indistinct darker marks.

Sent from Tairua by Captain Broun.

Obs. I. I have seen only three mutilated individuals of this species: two of them bear a pair of strongly elevated tubercles on the head just anterior to the eyes; the other specimen is smaller, and has the head and rostrum narrower, and has no trace of the tubercles just mentioned. It is perhaps a female, while the larger individuals are no doubt males.

Obs. II. This species is very distinct from Lawsonia longicornis and variabilis, by its tuberculated elytra, by the differently formed basal portion of the thorax, by the differently shaped eyes, and by the greater space between these and the upper margin of the antennal cavities.

Anthribus hetara, n.sp.

A. oblongus, angustulus, pube grisea leviter variegata vestitus; antennis testaceis, clava nigricante, et articulis 30–8m apicibus nigris, iisdem apicibus vix nodosis, pedibus testaceis, nigro maculatis; elytris quadricallosis, callositatibus posterioribus pone medium sitis. Long. corp. 3 m.m.

Antennæ just about as long as the insect (3 millims), yellow, with the club black, and the apex of each joint from the third to the eighth also black, but the extremity of each of these joints only indistinctly nodose, the ninth joint not quite so long as the tenth and eleventh together.

Tairua: a single individual sent by Captain Broun.

Obs. This insect differs from A. phymatodes only in the colour and form of the antennæ; and if the individual of that species with untuberculated head prove to be only an undeveloped male, then A. hetara will perhaps be found to be only the female of A. phymatodes.

Anthribus discedens, n. sp.

A. oculis vix emarginatis, oblongus, pube grisea et nigro-fusca vestitus; antennis pedibusque rufis, illis articulis spice, his femoribus medio fuscis; elytris basi bicallosis. Long. corp. 3 ½ m.m.

Antennæ elongate and slender, reddish, joints 3–8 each a little thickened, but scarcely nodose at their apex; ninth joint quite as long as the tenth and eleventh together; antennal cavities large, their upper edge approaching very close to the eye; the eye itself is scarcely emarginate. The thorax is not quite so long as broad, is densely and rather coarsely punctured, and clothed with variegated hair-like scales; its carina distinct and forming an obtuse angle on each side. Elytra with rows of rather strong punctures, clothed in large part with blackish hair-like scales, and elsewhere with similar but greyish hairs, at the base with a pair of quite distinct callosities, and with indications of a second pair of callosities just on the middle.

Tairua: a single specimen sent by Captain Broun.

Obs. The different form of the eye very readily distinguishes this from the other allied species; the form of the thorax is similar to that of Lawsonia longicornis rather than to that of A. phymatodes. At first sight it would be thought that the eye in this species is not emarginate; but on a comparison with allied species it is seen that we have here an emarginate eye, in which there is a concomitant change of form, so that it appears like a round eye with a pointed projection above the cavity for the antennæ.

Anthribus altus, n. sp. (Cratoparis).

A. oblongus, dense tomentosus, antennis pedibusque testaceis fusco variegatus, illarum clava fusca; rostro ante oculos fovea minuta, oblonga; elytris basi bicallosis, pone medium penicillis duobus. Long. corp. 4 m.m.

Antennæ shorter than the head and thorax; second joint oval, about as long as first; of the following joints, 3–8, each is a little shorter than its predecessor, 9–11 forming an abrupt loosely articulated club. Rostrum short and broad, a good deal constricted in front of the eyes, and in the middle showing a small oblong depression. Thorax not so long as broad, a good deal narrowed in front, its disc forming an indistinct elevation or callosity; elytra with the basal part on each side the scutellum much elevated, and behind the middle each bearing an elevated tuft of pubescence;

they, like the rest of the surface, are densely clothed with tomentum, and show a more or less distinct circular mark between the four elevations. Legs yellowish and not very distinetly spotted.

Two individuals have been sent to me by Captain Broun. I do not know their sex.

Obs. I. This species seems to agree very well with the character assigned by Lacordaire to the genus Cratoparis, except that it has the rostrum decidedly contracted at its base.

Obs. II. The two individuals before me are very different in the colour of their clothing, though they agree exactly in other respects.

Anthribus huttoni, n. sp.

A. capite rostrato, oculis prominulis, cinereo-griseo-fuscoque tomentosus; antennis femoribusque piceis, tibiis tarsisque rufescentibus: prothorace conico, angulis posterioribus acutis, carina basi sub-contigua. Long. corp. 4 ½ m.m.

Body clothed with grey, ashy, and fuscous hair-like scales, which form on the elytra an indistinct tessellated pattern. Antennæ dark red or pitchy, either shorter than the length of the insect, or nearly reaching that length; they are moderately stout; second joint about equal in length to the first, rather more slender than it; third joint longer than any of the others; eighth joint similar in shape to the seventh, and but little shorter than it; ninth almost triangular, becoming gradually broader from its base to its extremity; the three apical joints form a rather broad, flattened club, of variable length. Head in front of the eyes with a broad flat rostrum, which is a little dilated towards the extremity, its front edge being scarcely emarginate; the antennal cavities are near the apex of the rostrum, rather widely separated from the eye; they are foveiform, being slightly prolonged towards one another on the under face of the rostrum; the eyes are large and prominent, not emarginate, their front part encroaching a little on the front of the rostrum. Thorax only about half as broad at its front margin as at its base, its carina very close to the elytra (but not applied to them) in front of the scuttellum, then gently sinuate on each side so as to form the hind angle of the thorax, which is acute and extends quite as far outwards as the shoulder of the elytra; the lateral portion of the carina forms the lateral margin of the hind portion of the thorax, and does not extend quite so far forwards as half the length of the thorax. The elytra are very convex transversely, and so densely clothed that their sculpture is quite obscured. The legs are long and slender, and the basal joint of the tarsi is as long as the three following together.

In the male the antennæ are variable in length, but are generally longer and stouter than in the female; in this latter sex also they appear to be

variable in their development. The two sexes may be readily distinguished by the form of the last ventral plate, which in the female is much more elongate than in the male, and is shaped so that its middle part forms a sort of projection.

Auckland and Tairua: sent by Mr. Lawson as well as by Captain Broun, but apparently rare.

Obs. I. In certain specimens the elytra are marked by a dark transverse fascia across the middle, of which there is no trace in other specimens.

Obs. II. This species is one whose position in the accepted classification of the group I should find it very difficult to define. In respect to the peculiar form of the hind angles of the thorax, and the position of the thoracic carina, it forms a decided point of connection with Etnalis spinicollis, from which, however, it is very distinct by reason of its emarginate eyes and more rostrate head.

Obs. III. I have named this interesting species in honour of Captain F. W. Hutton, of Dunedin, to whom science is largely indebted for its recent progress in New Zealand.

Anthribus crassus, n. sp.

A. capite haud rostrato, oculis subconvexis, brevis, transversim convexus, niger, nigro-tomentosus et minus distincte cinereo-maculatus; elytris disco fascia abbreviata transversa, cinerea; antennarum basi tarsisque rufo-testaceis. Long. corp. 2 m.m.

Carina of thorax quite basal; antennæ inserted at inner margin of eyes. Head small, and much inserted in thorax, with a fine, dense, and indistinct punctuation. Eyes rather large, but not very prominent, their inner edge scarcely rounded and taking an oblique direction; along this inner edge of the eye and at some little distance behind its most anterior part is the point of insertion of the antennæ; there is no distinct cavity for their reception. The parts of the mouth are very small, and the front of the clypeus is truncate. The antennæ are pitchy, except the two basal joints, which are yellowish; they are slender, and about as long as the thorax; the first joint is about as stout, as the first, and rather shorter than it; joints 3–8 are very slender, each is distinctly shorter than its predecessor, the eighth being but short; joints 9, 10, and 11 form a long, slender, and very articulated club, each of them being quite narrow at the point of insertion. Thorax rather large, a good deal narrowed towards the front, the disc a little elevated, covered with a dense, fine, rugose sculpture, and only with excessively indistinct pubescence; its carina is close to the elytra, and follows the direction of their base so as to form the hind angle of the thorax, which is about a right angle; it is continued at the sides not quite

halfway forward to the front; this part of it, however, is but little conspicuous. Elytra clothed with a fine black pubescence, and on the middle with a small ash-coloured mark; the basal part of each near the suture is a little elevated, and the rest of the surface is rather uneven with indistinct elevations and depressions; the rows of punctures are distinct, but not very regular. The pygidium is moderately large; and the penultimate dorsal segment appears to be grooved in the middle for the apex of the elytra. The legs are nearly black, except the tarsi, which are reddish. The anterior coxæ are quite contiguous; the middle and hind coxæ are rather widely separated. The second joint of the tarsus is but little distinctly emarginate; the third joint is small and cleft to the base, so as to consist of two narrow lobes.

Tairua: a single individual sent by Captain Broun.

The nearest described ally of this species is probably the Dysnos semiaureus of Pascoe, from the Malay Archipelago. The appearance or that species is said to be that of a Scolytid; Anthribus crassus suggests to me rather the appearance of a minute Chlamys-like insect. The fine pubescence, which forms on the thorax and elytra indistinct pale spots, only strikes the eye when a careful glance is directed to them.

Anthribus nanus, n. sp.

A. capite haud rostrato, oculis subconvexis, piceus, transversim convexis, vix distincte tomentosus, antennarum basi, tarsisque rufotestaceis; elytris superficie valde inæquali. Long. corp. 1 ⅔ m.m.

This species appears to be very closely allied to Anthribus crassus, but is smaller, and has the surface of the elytra much more uneven, there being before the apex some elevations which do not exist in A. crassus; this unevenness of their surface renders the lines of punctures very irregular. The pale spots of fine pubescence seen in A. crassus appear to be absent in my individual of A. nanus.

Tairua: a single individual sent by Captain Broun; it shows me no indication of its sex.

Anthribus atomus, n. sp.

A. capite nullo modo rostrato, oculis minoribus, sat convexis, oblongus, transversim convexus; prothorace sericeo-opaco, impunctato, setis depressis pallidis parce vestito; elytris fere nudis, striatis, striis indistincte punctatis. Long. corp. 1 m.m.

Antennæ as long as the thorax, yellowish, with the club darker; the joints 1 and 2 largely developed, and together almost as long as joints 3–8, which are small; of these each is a little shorter than its predecessor, and also very slightly stouter; joints, 9–11 form a rather large flat club, the first two of these joints being transverse. Thorax not so long as broad, its

front part greatly deflexed, its carina contiguous with base of elytra; its surface without sculpture, but exhibiting a peculiar silky opacity, and clothed with distinct scanty hairs. Elytra rather deeply striated, but the striæ only indistinctly punctured. Legs rather long, yellowish.

Sent both from Auckland and Tairua by Messrs. Lawson and Broun.

Obs. I. This minute little species, which is of the size and form of an Atomaria, is variable in colour and size. Sometimes it is nearly entirely black, with the legs and basal portion of the antennæ paler; in others the general colour of the upper surface is yellow, with the middle of the thorax and variable marks on the elytra of a dark colour.

Obs. II. In this species the diminution of the head and rostrum seems to reach the greatest point it attains in the Anthribidœ. The antennæ are inserted in a cavity situated at the inner side and front part of the eye, which is small, but prominent, and about circular in form. The natural position of the head seems to be that of deflection or inflection; and the prosternum is much reduced in size, so that in the position of repose the head is brought near to the mesosternum. The basal line of the thorax is curved forwards along the sides, but is fine and indistinct; the front coxæ are continuous, and the middle ones are only a little separated from one another; the metasternum is very short; the penultimate dorsal segment of the hind body is deeply grooved for the extremity of the elytra, and the groove extends to the basal part of the pygidium. The basal joint of the tarsi is rather small; the second is distinctly emarginate; and the exposed part of the third joint is scarcely so large as the second.

I do not know any very near ally of this insect, of which the place in classification at present should be near to Choragus. It is undoubtedly closely allied to Anthribus inflatus, but differs therefrom by the diminished basal portion of the prothorax.

Anthribus inflatus, n. sp.

A. capite haud rostrato, oculis minoribus sat convexis, piceus, nitidus, nudus, antennis pedidusque testaceis, illarum clava infuscata; prothorace parce punctato, lateribus, rotundatis, carina a basi sat remota; elytris minus fortiter, striato-punctatis. Long. corp. 1 ½–1 ⅔ m.m.

Var. Prothoracis marginibus et elytrorum basi apiceque plus minusve dilutioribus.

Antennæ about as long as the thorax, yellow, with the club infuscate, the joints bearing fine and somewhat scanty, but quite distinct outstanding setæ; first joint dilated towards the extremity, and rounded on the inner side; second joint almost as long as first and rather more slender than it; joints 3–8 slender, each shorter than its predecessor; joints 9–11 forming a

rather large, loosely jointed club; the middle joint being transverse. Eyes rather prominent, but small and transverse; the antennæ inserted just at their inner and front edge; the rostrum very short and rather sparingly punctured. Thorax rather large, convex, longer than broad, the sides curved; the carina not close to the base in the middle, and curved away from it towards the sides, and appearing not to be distinctly bent up, but gradually curved forwards, and quite indistinct in its lateral portions; the surface of the thorax is covered with moderately coarse but rather distant punctures. The elytra are short and convex, curved at the sides, and each one bears nine rows of shallow, moderately coarse punctures. The legs are yellow, but the knees and the apex of tibiæ and base of the tarsi are a little infuscate.

Sent from the Northern Island both by Messrs Broun and Lawson. Though I have examined several individuals, I see no external sexual marks.

Obs. The nearest ally of this species as yet known is doubtless the Notioxenus rufopictus, Wollaston; but the Anthribus inflatus differs, I judge, from that species by the form of the basal portion of the thorax. The carina in A. inflatus is simply curved, so that its lateral portions are more distant from the elytra than the middle portion is; behind this carina the basal part of the thorax is depressed, and at the sides is much narrowed towards the base. The metasternum in A. inflatus is excessively short, and the legs are long; the second joint of the tarsi is smaller than usual in the Anthribidœ, so that the third joint about equals it in size.

Anthribus rugosus, n. sp.

A. piceus, opacus, antennis pedibusque testaceis, elytris testaceo signatis; thorace dense, fortiter profundeque punctato; elytris striatis, striis profunde impressis fortiterque punctatis, interstitiis angustis. Long. corp. 1 ½ m.m.

Antennæ yellow, with the club more obscure in colour; rostrum and vertex coarsely punctured. Thorax with a very dense and coarse punctuation, and bearing a few fine hairs. Elytra black, with two small spots at the base of each and a very large apical patch, yellow; they bear each nine broad and deep striæ, so that the interstices between these are very narrow; the striæ, so that the interstices between these are very narrow; the striæ also are coarsely punctured. Legs yellow, with the knees and tarsi a little infuscate.

Tairua: a single specimen sent by Caylain Broun.

Obs. In size, form, and structure, this species seems almost similar to A. inflatus; but the sculpture of the upper surface is extremely different.

Postscript.

Since the preceding paper left my hands I have received from Captain

Broun a few species of New Zealand Coleoptera; and among them are three very interesting new Anthribidœ. The descriptions of these I have thought it well to publish in company with those of the preceding species and as they are not indicated in the tabular arrangement, I have pointed out the nearest ally of each. Captain Broun informs me that he can at present give no further information as to the habits of these three species, than that they are found on birch and are excessively rare.

Anthribus spinifer, n.sp.

A. capite longius rostrato, oculis convexis, niger, fusco-nigro tomentosus; capite ad oculorum margines, prothorace basi utrinque scutelloque tenuiter ochraceo lineatis; coleopteris brevibus latis, sutura medio acute elevata apice bipenicillata. Long. corp. (rostro incl.) 5 m.m.

Antennæ reaching to the back of the thorax, black, with the eighth joint clothed with white hairs; first and second joints rather long, about equal to one another; of 3–8 each is a little shorter than its predecessor; eighth joint slender, much longer than broad; ninth joint dilated gradually from base to apex, distinctly longer than broad; tenth transverse; eleventh longer than tenth. Head produced into a rostrum, which is greatly dilated at the extremity and is rather shorter than the thorax: the eyes are quite entire, very prominent, and nearly circular; the antennæ are inserted near the apex, quite at the sides, in short cavities which are very slightly prolonged backwards and downwards: it is black in colour, with a line of yellow scales at the inner margin of each eye. Thorax a good deal narrower than the elytra, rather longer than broad; the carina distant from the base, nearest to it in front of the scutellum, and gradually curved forwards towards the sides, and not continued forwards after the termination of the curve: in front of the curve; it is impunctate and clothed with a very fine black tomentum; at the base, at a distance from the middle on each side, is a patch of yellow scales; and there are some yellow scales in front of the scutellum, which is densely covered with yellow tomentum; there are also some indications of these marks being carried forwards towards the front of the thorax. Elytra short and broad, and quite rounded at the extremity, bearing rows of distant punctures, and clothed with a fine dark tomentum, and with a pale mark at the humeral angle; just about the middle of the suture is a large elevation, which is furcate at its apex, and clothed with a long pointed pencil of black tomentum. Tarsi nearly black, ariegated with white hairs. Under surface impunctate and sparingly clothed with very fine tomentum.

A single individual has been sent me by Captain Broun, labelled No. 167.

Obs. This very curious species should be placed, in my arrangement, at the head of the New Zealand species, on account of its elongate rostrum; I anticipate, however, that it will prove to be more nearly allied to Anthribus vates than to A. brouni, on account of the form of its thorax and antennæ.

Anthribus ornatus, n. sp.

A. capite breviter rostrato, oculis rotundatis convexis, robustus, latior, elytris tuberculis sex magnis; dense subtiliterque scabroso-punctatus, olivaceus, subtus pallide tomentosus, in rostro et ad marginem anteriorem prothoracis albido-tomentosus, tuberculis plus minusve aureo-vestitis; tibiarum apice tarsisque nigris; antennis medio testaceis, basi apiceque fuscis. Long. corp. 7 ½ m.m.

Rostrum short and very broad; mandibles very broad; antennæ inserted at the sides in a large fovea, widely separated from the eye; which is moderately large, very prominent, and nearly circular. Antennæ short; the two basal joints rather slender, the second rather the longer; of 3–8 each is a little shorter but not broader than its predecessor; 9–11 forming a stout club, the eleventh being the largest of the three. The rostrum bears a deep fovea on the middle; and round this is a space clothed with nearly white scales. Thorax sinuate at the sides and much depressed at the front angles; the carina strongly elevated, very near to the elytra except in the middle, it forms on each side a well-defined right angle, and is continued forwards to near the front; the disc of the thorax bears two coarse tubercles or angular elevations, it is of a greenish colour, densely and finely punctured, and clothed with very fine hairs, with a dense patch of irregular shape at the front angles nearly white, and at the base on each side of the middle with some golden-coloured hairs, and with some similar ones about the tubercles. Elytra with a very fine and dense punctuation, and with some rather larger punctures, which are indistinctly arranged in rows; each one bears three very large tubercles placed at a little distance from the suture, and each is notched at the base so as to expose the rather large and elevated scutellum; the suture just behind the scutellum is elevated, and there is a fine but distinct sutural stria; the surface bears extremely short and fine and indistinct pale hairs, which are more conspicuous about the tubercles than elsewhere. Under surface rather densely clothed with a pale grey pubescence. Legs pale green, with the apex of the tibiæ and the tarsi black.

Obs. This very remarkable insect is readily distinguished by the rounded scutellar angles of the elytra; its place among the New Zealand species at present known is next to Anthribus altus, and, in the present state of the classification of the Anthribidœ, should find its place near the species of Oratoparis.