MORDELLA. 291 
are widened on the inner side from near the base and are therefore less triangular in 
shape. The more elongate antenne, the stouter fourth joint, and the obliquely 
quadrate shape of joints 6-10 separate WM. atricolor from M. scutellaris. So far as can 
be ascertained without dissection, the outer lobe of the maxilla is short, not elongated 
as it is in M. aculeata. The pubescence of the head, thorax, and elytra is uniformly 
black; in one example, however, a few single scattered cinereous hairs are visible upon 
the elytra. 
37. Mordella pustulosa, (Tab. XII. figg. 23-25.) 
Elongate, rather broad, black ; the head cinereo-pubescent; the prothorax with a broad black median vitta 
(extending to the apex but not to the base) and a large rounded transverse black spot on either side of 
this about the middle, for the rest yellowish-cinereous-pubescent ; the scutellum cinereo-pubescent ; the 
elytra with the suture for a short distance from the base downwards, an oblique mark on the disc in a 
line with the lower portion of this, curving outwards and narrowly extended to the base, a short curved 
oblique stripe external to it, an oblong rounded spot close to the suture before the middle, and a rather 
broad angulated fascia some distance beyond the middle (deeply excised on its anterior edge near the 
suture and almost divided in the middle of the disc by a line of black pubescence extending inwards from 
its posterior margin) golden-pubescent, the rest of the pubescence black; the pygidium cinereo-pubescent 
towards the base, black beyond. Head convex, obsoletely canaliculate ; the last joint of the maxillary 
palpi piceous, broad and securiform in both sexes; antenne black, sometimes reddish towards the base, 
moderately long in both sexes, joint 3 slender, 4-11 wider, much longer than broad, 4-10 serrate, 5-7 
more strongly so; elytra narrowing from the base, moderately long, flattened on the disc, declivous 
laterally, with rather prominent shoulders ; beneath with the pubescence in great part cinereous; pygidium 
moderately long, somewhat obtuse at the tip, especially in the female, one and a third or one and a half 
times as long as the hypopygium, a little shorter in the female; legs black, the hind tibial spurs (and the 
anterior femora in part) testaceous; the anterior tibie a little curved and the anterior femora ciliate 
within in the male. 
Var, a. The postmedian fascia divided into two spots on each elytron (placed obliquely, one before the other) ; 
the anterior femora entirely testaceous. 
Var. 3. The sutural patch abbreviated, the oblique mark on the disc at the base divided into two spots (placed 
one below the other), the curved oblique stripe external to it lower down extending to beyond the middle 
of the elytra and broken up into a series of spots, and the postmedian fascia much narrower than in the 
type, not reaching to the suture and deeply excised on its lower edge. (Fig. 24.) 
Var. y. As in B, but with the oblique stripe below the shoulders much abbreviated or almost obsolete (some- 
times represented by a short transverse mark), and the postmedian fascia reduced to a narrow transverse 
lunate mark or small spot on each elytron. (Fig. 25.) 
Length to end of the elytra 44-7, to tip of the pygidium 63-84, millim.; breadth 24-3 millim. (¢ 9.) 
_ Hab. Nicaracua, Chontales (Belt); Panama, Bugaba, Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion). 
Nine examples. The description is chiefly taken from a large well-marked example 
from Chontales; of the var. « we have only one specimen, from Chiriqui; of the var. 3 
one female only, from Chontales ; and of the var. y six specimens, one from Chontales 
and the rest from Chiriqui. The insect varies very much in size, and also in the form of 
the postmedian fascia—in the var. y it being reduced to a small lunate mark or puncti- 
form spot. In the var. @ the oblique line of spots on the outer portion of the disc is 
not symmetrical with that on the opposite elytron. The anterior femora in one example 
are entirely testaceous. The thorax is similarly marked in all the forms. The much 
smaller size, shorter and more pointed pygidium, very different elytral markings, &c. 
2PP2 
