276 HETEROMERA. 
10. Mordella signata. (Tab. XI. figg. 26; 26a, antenna; 27, var.) 
Elongate, broadly cuneiform, black ; the head cinereous-pubescent ; the prothorax with a broad black median 
vitta (extending to the apex but not to the base) and a very large rounded black spot on either side of 
this about the middle, for the rest cinereous- or yellowish-cinereous-pubescent; the scutellum cinereo- 
pubescent; the elytra with a rather broad angulated fascia at about one-third from the base, extending 
upwards and downwards along the suture and reaching the base, and an equally broad transverse lunate 
mark on the disc beyond the middle (these markings in one example coalescent at the suture with those 
on the opposite elytron, in the other narrowly separated) cinereous- or yellowish cinereous-pubescent, 
the pubescence on the rest of the surface black. Head canaliculate; antenne black, reddish towards the 
base, rather slender, joints 3 and 4 narrow, 5-11 broader, 5-10 moderately serrate, in the female a little 
shorter; prothorax transverse, very little rounded at the sides when viewed from in front; elytra 
moderately long, narrowing from the base, more rapidly so in the male, the sides almost straight, the 
disc flattened or depressed, the shoulders prominent; beneath cinereous-pubescent, a broad sublateral 
band and the last three ventral segments (except laterally in front) black; pygidium long and stout, 
not much compressed at the sides, bluntly rounded at the apex, a little shorter in the female. 
Var. a. The pubescence on the head darker, fuscous behind, cinereous in front; the light markings on the 
prothorax reduced to a line along the base and a sinuous transverse line towards the anterior margin; 
the antemedian angulated fascia of the elytra broken up into spots and disconnected from the short 
sutural mark at the base, the lunate mark on the disc beyond the middle not reaching the suture (in one 
specimen broad, in two others much reduced in size); the pubescence of the under surface in great part 
black. (Fig. 27.) 
Var. B. Above and beneath black, the head with a little cinereous pubescence in front. 
Length to end of the elytra 84-10, to tip of the pygidium 12-133, millim.; breadth 33-43 millim. (¢ 2.) 
Hab. Mexico (Sturm, in coll. Sallé), Cerro de Plumas (Hége), Santecomapan (Sal/é) ; 
Nicaraaua, Chontales (Belt, Janson). 
Seven examples. The description is taken from two well-marked specimens, one 
from Chontales and one from Cerro de Plumas; of the var. @ there are three speci- 
mens, two from Mexico (labelled M. signata, Sturm, in Sallé’s collection) and one 
from Chontales; of the var. 8, two specimens from Santecomapan. ‘This species is 
fully as large as MW. picta, from which its distinctly shorter, broader, less compressed, 
obtuse pygidium, less prominent humeral callus, &c., distinguish it at once. The 
elytra are flattened or slightly depressed on the disc, and the shoulders prominent. In 
the male the hypopygium is nearly two-thirds, in the female about half the length of 
the pygidium, the latter being a little longer in the male than in the female. 
11. Mordella tripartita, (Tab. XII. fig. 1.) 
Elongate, broadly cuneiform, black; the head cinereo-pubescent ; the prothorax with a broad black median 
vitta (not quite reaching the base or apex) and a large black patch on the disc on either side of it, for 
the rest cinereo-pubescent ; the scutellum cinereo-pubescent ; the elytra with three narrow fascize—one 
some distance below the base, one a little beyond the middle, and one before the apex, the anterior two 
partly interrupted,—and the suture very narrowly from the base to the anteapical fascia, cinereo- 
pubescent, the rest of the pubescence black; the pygidium narrowly cinereo-pubescent at the base, for 
the rest black. Head somewhat deeply canaliculate ; antenne (¢ ) moderately long, rather stout, joints 
3 and 4 narrow, 5-11 broader, 5-10 subserrate, decreasing in length, 9 and 10 not much longer than 
broad; elytra moderately long, rapidly narrowing from the base, flattened on the disc, with rather 
prominent shoulders, the sides straight ; beneath (and the lower side of the femora) cinereo-pubescent, a 
broad sublateral band and the last three ventral segments (except at the sides anteriorly) black ; 
