368 PHYTOPHAGA. 



Head rather flat, impunetate ; frontal tubercles absent ; carina very short ; four basal joints of the antennae 

 testaceous, the rest black, the third and fourth joints equal in length ; thorax transverse, convex, subcylin- 

 drical, the sides greatly deflexed, surface entirely impunetate, black, shining ; scutellum broadly ovate; 

 elytra convex, slightly depressed below the base at the sides and across the disc, the latter very finely 

 punctate-striate, the punctures distinct nearly to the apex ; tarsi and the base of the tibiae fulvous ; the 

 first joint of the posterior tarsi as long as the two following joints united. 



Had. Guatemala, Capetillo (Champion). 



There is only a single specimen before me of this very distinct species, which may be 

 known at once by its black colour, the transverse and impunetate thorax, and the pale 

 base of the tibiae and antennae ; all other characters are those of Aphthona. 



19. Aphthona brevicornis. 



Ovate, convex, black below ; four lower and the apical joint of the antennse fulvous ; above dark blue, shining; 

 thorax impunetate ; elytra regularly punctate-striate. 



Length 1 line. 



Head impunetate, with a deep transverse groove between the eyes ; frontal tubercles absent ; clypeus sub- 

 quadrate, impunetate ; labrum black ; apices of the mandibles fulvous ; antennae comparatively short, the 

 second joint much stouter and rather longer than the third joint; thorax nearly three times as broad as 

 long, the posterior margin moderately produced and rounded at the middle, the anterior angles obliquely 

 truncate, the surface entirely impunetate ; elytra convex, not dilated behind, the shoulders prominent and 

 bounded below by a semicircular depression, the disc distinctly and regularly punctate-striate, each elytron 

 with ten rows of punctures, which become nearly obsolete at the apex ; first joint of the posterior tarsi 

 slightly longer than the following. 



Hah. Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion). 



The shape of this species, of which only a single specimen was obtained, is quite 

 distinct from any of its allies, being much more convex and robust; this character, in 

 connexion with the short antennae, will aid in distinguishing A. brevicornis, which I 

 cannot separate by any other mark of distinction from the present genus. 



PHYLLOTRETA. 



Phyllotreta, Foudras, Muls. Col. France, 1860, p. 230; Leconte & Horn, Class. Col. N. A. p. 353. 



This genus, as already remarked, is closely allied to the genus Aphthona, from which, 

 however, it may be known by the more depressed and ovate form, the pygidium 

 generally not covered by the elytra, and the frontal tubercles for the most part very 

 small or absent. Phyllotreta contains, like Aphthona, mostly species of small size, 

 although some have been described which are much larger and possibly belong to 

 other genera. Europe furnishes also most of the species, several have been described 

 from North America, others from Africa and Australia, but, as far as I know, none 

 from the country under consideration. The genus contains many closely allied species, 

 some of which, under the name of Turnip-fly, have obtained great notoriety on account 

 of their destructive habits. 



