502 PHTTOPHAGA. 



fulvous, the middle of the disc with a regular broad black band ; elytra rounded at the apices, each with 

 three narrow raised lines (not extending to the base or apex) on the middle of the disc, the sutural and 

 apical margins narrowly black, the rest fulvous ; underside and the legs black. 



Eab. Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui {Champion). A single specimen. 



The thorax in S. suturalis is shorter than in the other species of the genus described 

 here ; this character, in connection with the very elongate general shape and the different 

 coloration, will assist in the recognition of the present insect. 



DIABROTICA. 



Diabrotica, Chevrolat, D'Orbign. Diet. univ. Hist. nat. iv. p. 717 (1843). 



Amongst the entire subfamily of Galerucinee no genus contains so many species as 

 Diabrotica ; at least two hundred have already been described, and the undescribed 

 forms contained in collections must also be counted by hundreds. Here, perhaps, more 

 than in any other genus of Phytophaga, may be found species which require long series 

 of specimens to settle their specific value ; sometimes their characters of distinction 

 are very minute, and it must, in many cases, remain a question of opinion whether 

 certain forms must be looked upon as varieties of one and the same insect or as true 

 species. There are plenty of instances in which certain species cannot be satisfactorily 

 separated until their localities are considered in connection with some slight mark of 

 distinction, requiring often a good many specimens to come to any conclusion at all, 

 and even then it is justifiable to doubt the propriety of describing such closely allied 

 forms as distinct and not rather as local varieties. If this latter plan were, however, 

 adopted, the same difficulties as to where to draw the line would be encountered; 

 nothing remains but to draw attention to those differences, even if slight, between the 

 many species at present considered distinct. The entire New World is the true home 

 of Diabrotica, the species abounding in the tropics, but diminishing gradually in point 

 of numbers towards the more northern and southern parts. In Central America many 

 species may be said to swarm in certain localities ; they are especially abundant 

 (according to Mr. Champion) at the commencement of the rainy season, and are found 

 upon the fresh growth in new forest-clearings, and on the margins of the coffee and 

 sugar-cane plantations, upon the leaves of the growing maize, &c. I have arranged our 

 species according to the length of the joints of the antennse and partly by the coloration 

 of the elytra. 



Section 1. Antennae with the second and third joints short, the third often longer than 



the second. 

 a. Elytra black or brown, with large fulvous or greenish spots. 



l. Diabrotica regalis. (Tab. xxvm. fig. 18.) 



Diabrotica regalis, Baly, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 3rd ser. iv. p. 270 (1859) l j Journ. Linn. Soc, 

 Zool. xix. p. 213 (1885) \ 



