A New Genus and Eight New Species of Coleoptera. By By Albert E. Brookes. [Read before the Auckland Institute, 25th November, 1924; received by Editor, 28th November, 1924; issued separately, 10th April, 1926.] So far as I am aware, nothing has been attempted in the Dominion in the way of descriptive work on our Coleoptera since the death of the late Major T. Broun, in 1919. The removal of Broun's great collection to the British Museum leaves the Dominion without a large number of representatives of his more recently described species, thus greatly increasing the difficulty, in many instances, of absolute identification. Of the 4,323 species recorded by Broun in his Manual, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., and Bulletins, 3,000 are represented in my collection, and in nearly every instance the identification has either been made or confirmed by Broun from the types in his collection. The systematic arrangement followed by Broun is now in a great measure obsolete according to later knowledge of the order. An up-to-date corrected catalogue of our Coleoptera and a revision of the Manual is very desirable, but would be a long and difficult task to undertake in New Zealand owing to the large amount of type material located so far away. Broun from time to time recorded many changes in the nomenclature, and generic location of species, but there is still much to be done in this respect. It is my intention when new species come under my notice to record them as far as possible, and to continue the numbering adopted throughout the Manual and the Bulletins.

Systematic List of The New Species. Suborder Adephaga. Superfamily Caraboidea. Family Carabidae. Subfamily Carabinae. Genus Mecodema. 4324. Mecodema exitiosus. 4325. Mecodema clarkei. Subfamily Harpalinae. Genus Pterostichus. 4326. Pterostichus melanostolus. Suborder Polyphaga. Superfamily Bostrichoidea. Family Ptinidae. Genus Ptinus. 4327. Ptinus maorianus. Group Lamellicornia. Superfamily Scarabaeoidea. Family Scarabaeidae. Subfamily Melolonthinae. Genera Pyronota, Odontria. 4328. Pyronota inconstans. 4329. Odontria calvescens. Group Phytophaga. Superfamily Cerambycoidea. Family Gerambycidae. Genus Navomorpha. 4330. Navomorpha philpotti. Group Rhynchophora. Superfamily Curculionoidea. Family Curculionidae, Subfamily Otiorhynchinae. Genus Callomaoria. 4331. Callomaoria harrisi. The above classification is based on that followed by Leng in his recent “Catalogue of the Coleoptera of America North of Mexico,” which is no doubt the most up-to-date list published to the present time, and is itself based on the painstaking researches of some of our most eminent coleopterists. Carabidae. Mecodema Blanchard, 1853, Voy. Pole Sud., p. 34. 4324. Mecodema exitiosus n. sp. Elongate, flatly convex; head, thorax, and elytra nitid or subopaque, black; palpi, antennae, and tarsi piceo-rufous, terminal joints of antennae and palpi lighter. Head including eyes narrower than thorax and sculptured in front with several grooves of irregular shape, with one puncture on each side near base of mandibles, the sides longitudinally rugose, extending nearly to the base of eyes, the outer one forming an ocular carina, base nearly smooth, divided from the anterior portion by a well-marked transverse

line, above which the rugae extend across the head, but leaving dorsal area smooth; there is also an ocular setigerous puncture opposite the centre of each eye. Mandibles obliquely grooved at base, scrobes broad, eyes prominent; labrum rufescent, with six well-marked setigerous punctures. Thorax transverse, widest about middle, incurved at apex, anterior angles depressed and rounded, lateral margins slightly crenulate, very gradually rounded to behind middle, then abruptly narrowed to subrectangular posterior angles, central groove distinct, not reaching apex or base, crossed by numerous irregular wrinkled transverse striae, basal fossae obsolete, posterior rather small, triangular. Elytra elongate-oval, a little more than 2½ times length of thorax, widest opposite hind-thighs, gradually rounded to base, where it is wider than base of thorax; they are purctatestriate, interstices flatly convex, third, fourth, and fifth about equal width, the first only reaching apex, all others convergins and forming a broken pattern there, seventh with four or five obvious punctures. Lower outer margin of anterior tibia slightly excavated. Antennae stout, last four joints pubescent, all except the two basal joints with apical punctures. Underside shining black. Prosternum smooth, broadly grooved between coxae, flanks punctate, with feeble rugose sculpture. Last abdominal segment finely transversely wrinkled, with two setigerous punctures on each side. Holotype, male: Length, 27 mm.; breadth, 8.5 mm. In author's collection. Allotype, female: Length, 22 mm.; breadth, 7.9 mm. In author's collection. Of a dull-black colour; thoracic sculpture less definite than in opposite sex. Variety, male: Length, 23 mm.; breadth, 7 mm. In author's collection. Interstices of elytra broken up with close transverse impressions, giving the whole surface a crinkled appearance. Material: A good series. Locality.—Okauia, near Matamata, Waikato; collected at various times by the author. This species does not seem to have any near allies; it is very destructive to wattle and cherry trees planted in bush clearings, owing to the larvae completely destroying the boles and roots, in which I found many of them living. 4325. Mecodema clarkei n. sp. Elongate, flatly convex, nitid, black; antennae piceous; palpi, tarsi, tibia piceo-rufous. Head narrower than thorax, depressed in front, where surface is uneven, smooth behind, with two punctures between the moderately prominent eyes, forehead grooved in front. Labrum sinuously rounded, bearing five punctures. Mandibles grooved. Thorax broader than long, widest about middle, apex incurved, base subtruncate with short oblique angles, lateral side-channels shallow, with crenulated margins, median line distinct, not reaching apex or base; a slight frontal depression and two small indistinct submedian ones, posterior fossae moderately deep, with lateral margins slightly reflexed at angles, base narrowed. Elytra oblong-oval, gradually rounded, a little broader than thorax and twice as long. First, second, and third striae feebly impressed with rather distant small punctures, those on the seventh and eighth larger and well defined, extending to near apex, apical sculpture irregular, lateral margins irregularly

punctate. Antennae with last seven joints pubescent. Underside shining black. Prosternum smooth, flanks moderately distantly punctate. Metasternum with two conspicuous punctures, not a constant feature, as in some specimens they are wanting; abdominal segments faintly irregularly transversly striated, with a puncture on either side of middle, terminal segment with two punctures on each side close to margins. Holotype: Length, 21 mm.; breadth, 7 mm. In author's collection. Material: Five specimens, all females. Locality.—Mount Constitution, Otago; elevation, 3,000 ft. Named in honour of Mr. C. E. Clarke, Dunedin, who discovered this species on the 5th January, 1924. Pterostichus Bonelli, 1809, Obs. ent., vol. 1, tabl. synopt. 4326. Pterostichus melanostolus n. sp. Body oblong, flatly convex, shining black; mandibles, palpi, tarsi, and four basal joints of antennae piceo-rufous; terminal joints of antennae and palpi lighter. Head not constricted behind eyes, with two elongate depressions extending from base of mandibles to just beyond frontal margin of eyes, and united by a distinct curved occipital line. Eyes moderately prominent. Labrum rather narrow, frontal portion incurved, with a puncture on each outer angle, and three median. Thorax one-sixth broader than long, with a well-impressed median line attaining base but not apex, anterior margin, marginate, basal fossae elongate, broad, extending to nearly half the length of thorax, situated midway between lateral margins and central line, slightly curved at base towards posterior angles, sides gradually rounded and narrowed to base, marginate with four setae on each side. Elytra oblong-oval, widest opposite hind-thighs, and from there slightly sinuated towards apices. Shoulders rounded, a little raised, discoidal striae not deep, feebly punctated, sides distinctly and moderately distantly punctate, third interstice tripunctate. Underside black, shining. Prosternum sulcate below, its episternum finely distinctly rugose, outer margins of metasternum and abdominal segments with similar sculpture, and each with one puncture on either side of centre. Holotype: Length, 12 mm.; breadth, 4.3 mm. In author's collection. Allotype: Length, 13 mm.; breadth, 4.8 mm. In author's collection. It has the ventral segment tripunctate on each side. Material: Six specimens. Locality.—Waitati, near Dunedin. Another of Mr. C. E. Clarke's discoveries, who found it on the 13th October, 1923, and sent it to me under the name Trichosternus sternalis Although closely allied to P. sternalis Broun (No. 1149), it is wider, the striae broader and deeper, and the antennae stouter. Another closely allied form is P. mordax Broun (No. 1688), which has the labrum truncate, while in the species now described it is incurved. Ptinidae. Ptinus Linnaeus, 1767, Syst. Nat., 1, 2, p. 565. 4327. Ptinus maorianus n. sp. Body elongate, colour reddish-brown, dark above with yellowish-white markings. Head small, moderately coarsely sculptured with prominent

flattened granules which bear a single puncture. Antennae of the same colour as lower part of body, with last joint dark brown. Thorax about as long as broad, convex, with dilated sides and sculptured similar to head, disc raised, forepart descending, base constricted. There are several minute whitish dots forming a longitudinal line near lateral margins. Elytra wider than thorax, sides parallel to behind hind-thighs then obliquely rounded to suture; humeral angles oblique, raised; between these elevations and the suture there is another similar, with the intermediate spaces depressed; each elytron bears ten rows of elongately punctured striae. The derm is dark brown, and the whole surface closely clothed with intermixed cinnamon and ash-coloured fine recumbent hairs. A narrow irregularly inwardly-curved fascia extends from just behind hind-thighs to suture; this does not quite reach lateral margins, being subcircular there and gradually tapering to and broadening out again to apices. Legs redbrown, femora and last tarsal joint only a little lighter in colour than elytra, tibia nearly straight. Underside : Prosternum without pubescence, transversely striate-punotate, with a conspicuous puncture on each side of centre. Metasternum remotely punctate. Fourth abdominal segment short, others of about equal length, clothed with fine silky recumbent pubescence. Holotype, sex uncertain: Length, 2.8 mm.; breadth, 1.4 mm. In author's collection, with two paratypes. Material: Four specimens. Locality.—Belgrove, near Nelson. Discovered by the late Mr. T. Hall on the 24th October, 1914. This interesting species is larger and more parallel-sided than P. speciosus Broun (No. 614); it more approaches P. plagiatus Broun (No. 3573) in form, but is narrower, the head distinctly so, and quite differently marked. Scarabaeidae. Pyronota Hope, 1837, Lacord., Hist. des. Ins. Coleop., tom. 3, p. 224. 4328. Pyronota inconstans n. sp. Dark green, lateral margins bronze-green of varying shades; antennae (except club), tarsal claws, and legs rufo-piceous; underside blackish. Labrum truncate in front with slightly oblique sides, front angles shortly rounded, coarsely remotely punctate and strongly marginate. Clypeus more finely and closely punctate, incurved obliquely towards centre. Eyes not prominent. Thorax transverse, widest just behind middle, gradually narrowed towards front which is broader than head, bisinuate in front with rather prominent angles. Base strongly bisinuate, posterior angles subquadrate. A short and shallow basal depression, not reaching middle. Antennae with basal joint stout, second short, both of a reddish colour, club 3-articulate, the three outer leaves of about equal length, inner one shorter, all nearly black. Elytra at base not wider than thorax, broadest opposite hind-thighs, apices rounded, interstices of about equal width, striae feebly but distinctly punctate. Scutellum curvilinearly triangulate, brownish-red. Anterior tibia straight, bidentate, apical tooth longest and curved outwardly, upper one very small. Underside dark, not quite black, legs piceous; sternal process long, reaching to front of anterior coxae; surface more or less covered with pallid bristles, which also adorn the legs, bristles being stronger and erect in front, with fine and recumbent clothing on the abdominal segments.

Holotype, male: Length, 9 mm.; breadth, 4.5 mm. In Cawthron Institute collection. Allotype, female: Length, 9 mm.; breadth, 4.8 mm. In author's collection. Pygidium in the female not covered by the elytra; the anterior tibia is tridentate, the upper tooth minute; all joints of antennae rufous, club black; articulations short, only one-fourth as long as those of male. Paratypes: A male is also in author's collection, and a female in Cawthron Institute collection. Material: Two of each sex. Locality.—Aniseed Valley, Nelson. Collected by Mr. A. Philpott, of the Cawthron Institute. Variety, male: Upper surface of a uniform crimson-lake colour, underside as in the typical form. The specimen has been returned with the type. This species can readily be identified by its dark underside, by being larger and having a more robust form than any of the other described species. Odontria White, 1846, Voy. Ereb. and Terr. Ins., p. 10. 4329. Odontria calvescens n. sp. Head and clypeus red-brown, shining, thorax only a little darker; elytra fulvo-castaneous; antennae, palpi, and legs lighter. Head and clypeus remotely coarsely punctate, clypeus marginate, rounded in front, with sides a little more obliquely curved. Head a little narrower than thorax, sinuated in front and somewhat depressed, of about the same length in middle as clypeus. Thorax transverse, distinctly moderately closely punctate, anterior angles prominent, deflected and projecting, sides obliquely rounded to middle where it is widest, then subparallel to slightly-rounded posterior angles, base sinuate, convexly rounded both transversely and longitudinally. Elytra narrower than thorax at base, widest behind posterior thighs, base rounded, dorsally, evenly convexly rounded, striae distinct, and the whole surface punctate. Scutellum about as broad as long, its sides triangularly rounded, punctate. Elytral apices not covering pygidium, subquadrate, slightly rounded at extremities, first, second, and fourth interstices of about equal width, all others wider and subequal. Antennal club 4-articulate. The whole insect sparsely clothed with short yellow hairs, sides of head and thorax with longer stiff hairs. Legs fulvous, with tarsal joints, spines, and denticles of anterior tibia piceous. Colour of underside does not vary much from that of elytra. Abdominal segments shining, remotely punctate, those in centre being elongate, last segment narrow, and all sparsely clothed with short yellowish recumbent hairs. Holotype, male: Length, 12 mm.; breadth, 6.4mm. In author's collection. Allotype, female: Length, 12 mm.; breadth, 6.5 mm. In author's collection. The inner articulation of antennal club is short, being only half length of adjoining one; in male it is about two-thirds as long. Material: A single pair. Locality.—Lake Ohia, Mongonui; taken at dusk off Leptospermum by the author on the 11th June, 1918. This species does not appear to have any near allies, but can readily be identified by the rather bright colouring of the head and thorax, and the cordate, punctate scutellum.

Cerambycidae. Navomorpha Blanchard, 1853, Lacord., Hist. des. Ins. Coleop., tom. 9, p. 224. 4330. Navomorpha philpotti n. sp. Uniformly red-brown, shining, tibia and upper part of femora lighter, lower third of femora and apices of tarsal joints blue-black, antennae normal. Head depressed in front, with oblique raised lateral margins which extend to eyes, two rather narrow furrows and a median one appear between antennae, the two outer filled with rather long and dense ash-coloured pubescence, curved outwardly and scarcely reaching base, discal portion between these lines smooth and shining, base slightly constricted, narrower than thorax. Also an elongated depression between frontal one and base. Thorax as broad as long, widest behind middle, sides sinuated, very gradually narrowed towards obliquely-rounded anterior angles, front truncate, base distinctly bisinuate, sides with swollen appearance, rugose, punctate, this sculpture extending beneath to sternum and reaching close up to lines bordering dorsal area, which is quite nude and shining, with two shallow depressions similar to head, one in front and the other behind the middle. Elytra wider than thorax, with rounded shoulders, very gradually narrowed towards apices, which are individually rounded; each elytron strongly broadly tricostate, the outer and inner coalescing, well behind posterior thighs and continuing on to apical angles, middle one shortened, allowing intervening furrows on either side to meet at extremity, furrows filled with pubescence of same colour as that in furrows of head and thorax. Suture and lateral margins finely marginated. Scutellum broadly triangular, with a medially depressed line, pubescent on lower half. Legs pubescent, femora and upper part of tibia sparsely clothed with pale hairs, lower part of tibia and tarsi more closely covered, underside of tarsi very densely clothed with short hairs. Underside: Head, sternum, and first four ventral segments of a blue-black colour, remainder same shade as above, and more or less clothed with pubescence of a silvery or ash colour. Holotype, male: Length, 19 mm.; breadth, 4.3 mm. In Cawthron Institute collection. Allotype, female: Length, 20 mm.; breadth, 5 mm. In author's collection. Rather lighter in colour than the male, antennae more slender, thorax with lateral margins straightly narrowed towards front, sides smooth, without any perceptible punctation, basal depression on head and the two similar ones on dorsal area of thorax wanting. Markings similar to male, but furrows between costae do not meet, being separated by a very narrow space, and distinctly divided at extremities. Material: A single pair. Locality.—Dun Mountain, Nelson. Discovered by Mr. A. Philpott, of the Cawthron Institute, on the 8th February, 1924, to whom I have much pleasure in dedicating this fine species. The male of this species differs from all the other members of the genus in the strongly punctate thorax. The female in colouring is not unlike the female of N. lineatum Fabr. (No. 1028), but is larger, elytral furrows narrower and costae broader; but in form it more approaches N. sticticum Broun (No. 2261). This now makes the fourth recognized member of the genus so far brought to light. N. neglectum Broun (No. 1030), being synonymous with N. sulcatum Fabr. (No. 1029), will have to be eliminated from our lists.

Curculionidae; Otiorhynchinae. Callomaoria n. gen. Rostrum longer than thorax, half its width at base, not pterygiate, tricarinate, intervening grooves wide at base gradually narrowed towards apex, scrobes linear, beginning near apex and reaching eyes, open above. Head short, a little wider than rostrum, broadly convex below. Eyes depressed, moderately coarsely faceted, slightly obliquely transverse, widely separated, just free of thorax below. Scape inserted near apex, slender. thickened at its intersection with funiculus and attaining eyes. Funiculus 7-articulate, basal joint about two-thirds length of second, joints 3–6 of equal length, submoniliform, last joint obconical, club elongate-oval 3-articulate. Thorax subtruncate in front with well-developed ocular lobes, bisinuate behind, subquadrate. Scutellum invisible. Elytra oblong with prominent rounded shoulders, very little wider than base of thorax, sides rounded and narrowed, apices subvertically descending. Femora simple, moderately clavate in middle, with a subapical notch beneath, corbels rounded and cavernous. Tibia flexuous, mucronate. Tarsi with first three joints transverse, basal longer than second, penultimate expanded and deeply bilobed, densely finely setigerous beneath. Prosternum incurved in front, anterior coxae hardly contiguous, intermediate narrowly separated, posterior more distant. Mesosternum punctate in front, with a narrow process reaching to middle of intermediate coxae. Metasternum very short. Basal ventral segment only slightly longer than second, posterior margin sinuated, broadly hollowed between coxae: second nearly as long as preceding and quite as long as following segments combined, broadly strongly convex, third and fourth very narrow, depressed, truncate. Mentum moderate, not quite filling the buccal cavity. Palpi invisible. Callomaoria n. gen. a, rostrum, showing scrobe; b, antenna; c, anterior leg. Genotype: Callomaoria harrisi n. sp. 4331. Callomaoria harrisi n. sp. Opaque, dark brown variegated with white, interspersed with coppery scales. Rostrum curved, tricarinate, the intervening grooves widest at base, narrowed in front. Scrobes, elongately-open above, apical area rugose, nude and shining, upper portion of rostrum clothed with coppery and grey coloured scales. Head short with an interocular depression, clothed

the same as rostrum. Antennae and tarsi dark reddish-brown. Scape and funiculus of about equal length, club finely pubescent, the funiculus ciliated. Thorax very little wider than head, obliquely narrowed towards front from the middle where it is widest, and from the middle subparallel towards the slightly bisinuated base, posterior angles roundly depressed. It is transversely raised at its widest part, which is somewhat broken up in middle, and distinctly depressed between this elevation and apex, which is also raised in centre, granulose in front, coarsely punctate behind, and sparsely clothed with small coppery scales. Elytra with base broadly V-shaped, a little wider than thorax, broadening to behind posterior thighs where it is widest, then considerably narrowed to apices. Humeral angles quadrate, sides immediately behind shoulders depressed, the whole surface above declivity sculptured with rather large punctures and small dark shining granules. In side depressions behind base is a small patch of cream-coloured scales, and in the same transverse line there are two smaller elevated spots, one each side of suture, immediately behind these one to two other small spots, and bordering top of declivity and continuing almost to elytral margins is a narrow line, all of the same pale colour. Declivity abruptly descending, practically without clothing, distinctly punctate, with four low rounded elevations on top, half-way down four others, and near apices two more, rather indistinct. Femora incrassate, flexuous, slightly rounded, notched. Tibia outwardly curved, a little flexuous, mucronate. Upper portion of femora clothed with dark-brown scales, also upper apical portion, middle banded with ash-colour. Tibia variegated with dark tawny, and bearing some curled hairs. Underside: Rostrum striate-punctate; head transversely finely striate; mesosternum and the first two basal ventral segments punctate; tarsi spongy beneath, densely clothed with pallid silky pubescenc. Holotype, female (by selection): Length, 8 mm., including rostrum; breadth, 3.5 mm. In author's collection. Allotype, male (by selection): Length, 5 mm., including rostrum; breadth, 2.4 mm. In author's collection. This does not differ materially from the other sex except in its smaller size. The head is clothed with almost white scales in which there are two minute dark-brown dots. Material: Several specimens of each sex. Locality.—Ohakune, Main Trunk line. Discovered by Mr. T. R. Harris, in whose honour I have much pleasure in naming it, and to whom a set of paratypes are returned. The abdominal structure of this weevil is peculiar, and, having no known near allies, makes it difficult to find a satisfactory position for it. For the present it may be placed near Agatholobus, but the two genera are widely different.