MORDELLA. 289 
apparently comes near M. flavonotata, but is much larger (4 millim.) and also differs 
in colour. MV. flaviventris is said to have a dorsal carina on the posterior tibiee and on 
the first joint of the posterior tarsi; in If. flavonotata there is only the faintest trace 
of a dorsal carina on the tibie. 
33. Mordella nigromaculata. (Tab. XII. fig. 20.) 
Moderately elongate, narrow, reddish-yellow, the eyes black, the elytra with a common scutellar spot, the 
shoulders, a broad median fascia, and the apices black; the pubescence partaking of the ground-colour. 
Head regularly convex ; palpi testaceous, the last joint of the maxillary pair broadly triangular, its apical 
side scarcely shorter than the inner or outer sides; (antenne broken off); elytra elongate, convex, the 
scutellar region somewhat depressed ; beneath entirely testaceous ; pygidium very slender and compressed, 
very long and acuminate, more than twice the length of the hypopygium; legs testaceous, the extreme 
apex of the hind tibie and the apex of each hind tarsal joint piceous ; hind tibie and first joint of hind 
tarsi with a faint dorsal carina. 
Length to end of the elytra 32, to tip of the pygidium 44, millim.; breadth 13 millim. 
- Hab. Mexico, Cordova (Sal/é). 
One example. Allied to M. flavonotata, but much more elongate and with a very 
different system of coloration. The black median and apical fascize are formed by 
rounded spots which are confluent at the suture with those on the opposite elytron. 
34. Mordella lineatipyga. (Tab. XII. fig. 21.) 
Elongate, narrow, cuneiform, black; the head in great part brown-pubescent, the sides narrowly white- 
pubescent; the prothorax with a very broad blackish-pubescent median vitta and a narrower similarly 
coloured stripe on either side of it (the former extending to the apex but not to the base, the latter not 
reaching either the base or the apex), for the rest clothed with whitish pubescence which (except at the 
sides) is intermixed with brown hairs; the elytra obscure testaceous at the shoulders, for the rest black, 
with the following brownish-cinereous-pubescent markings—a short stripe (widened in front) on the 
middle of the disc just below the base, a transverse fascia a little beyond the middle (not reaching the 
suture or lateral margin), and a curved narrower fascia just before the apex, the latter connected at the 
suture with a narrow stripe which extends upwards to the base and is continued along it to the shoulders, 
—the pubescence on the rest of the surface (the humeri excepted) black; the pygidium whitish- 
pubescent, with a blackish line along the middle. Palpi testaceous, the last joint of the maxillary pair 
broadly securiform ;, antenne pitchy-brown with the basal four joints testaceous, long and slender, joints 
3 and 4 about equal in length, 4 a little stouter than 3, 5-11 broader than 4, all much longer than broad, 
5-10 slightly decreasing in length, feebly subserrate, 11 much longer than 10; scutellum transversely 
triangular, rounded behind; elytra elongate, narrowing from the base; beneath black, densely clothed 
with white pubescence, the ventral segments with alittle brown pubescence at the sides behind; pygidium 
short and stout, conical, not twice the length of the hypopygium; legs moderately slender (the hind pair 
excepted), the two anterior pairs in great part and the posterior tibial spurs testaceous, the hind pair 
piceous, the penultimate joint of the anterior and middle tarsi feebly dilated. 
Length to end of the elytra 3, to tip of the pygidium 4, millim. ; breadth 13 millim. 
Hab. Panama, Bugaba (Champion). 
One example. In the form of the scutellum this little species is almost intermediate 
between Tomoxia interrupta and Mordella; but as the scutellum is really subtriangular 
(or rather trapezoidal), the insect is best placed in Mordella. The last joint of the 
BIOL. CENTR.-AMER., Coleopt., Vol, IV. Pt. 2, July 1891. 2PpP 
