542 PHYTOPHAGA. 



the three apical joints obscure fulvous, the rest fuscous ; thorax twice as broad as long, strongly punc- 

 tured, bifoveolate ; scutellum black ; elytra more strongly punctured than the thorax, each with three 

 longitudinal black stripes (the outer one near the lateral margin the longest, the others placed at equal 

 distances and gradually shortened), between which indications of other short stripes are here and there 

 visible, the suture also narrowly margined with black, the interstices rugose ; underside piceous ; femora 

 flavous, the anterior pair marked with a black streak above, the tibiae and tarsi black. 



Hab. Mexico, Juquila (Salle). 



A single specimen. The rugosely and strongly punctured elytra separate this very 

 distinct species from any of the preceding. 



91. Diabrotica dejeani. 



Black, the head and thorax fulvous, the latter obsoletely depressed ; elytra testaceous, remotely punctured, the 

 anterior half of the sutural margin, and a longitudinal posteriorly greatly dilated band on the disc of each, 

 black ; femora testaceous. 



Length lf-2 lines. 



Head fulvous, the labrum piceous ; antennse nearly as long as the body, black, the basal joint fulvous below, 

 the third joint twice the length of the second and shorter than the fourth joint ; thorax nearly twice as 

 broad as long, impunctate, the disc with a more or less distinct oblique depression on each side ; scutellum 

 fulvous or black ; elytra remotely but distinctly punctured, the sides below the shoulder with an obsolete 

 slightly curved costa, the sutural black stripe, extending to the middle, where it is sharply pointed, the 

 discoidal stripe occupying nearly the entire disc (being surrounded by a narrow testaceous margin of the 

 ground-colour), the apical angles each with a minute black spot. 



Hab. Panama, Bugaba (Champion). 



Separated from the allied species with longitudinal black elytral bands by the fulvous 

 head and the longer and more slender antennse, and by the sutural stripe of the elytra 

 only extending to the middle. 



c. Elytra black, with flavous spots or transverse bands. 



92. Diabrotica lepida. 



Galleruca lepida, Say, Bost. Journ. Nat. Hist. i. p. 198 (1835) x ; Complete Writings, ii. p. 667. 

 Cerotoma quadripustulata, Baly, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond. 3rd ser. ii. p. 477 \ 

 Diabrotica signata, Sturm, Cat. p. 279 (1843) 3 . 



Hab. Mexico x 2 3 , Toxpam, Vera Cruz, Cordova, Orizaba, Puebla, Oaxaca, Teapa 

 (SallS), Jalapa (Edge); British Honduras, R. Sarstoon, R. Hondo (Blancaneaux) ; 

 Guatemala 2 , Yzabal (Salle), Senahu, Teleman, Tamahu, Panima, and Purula in Vera 

 Paz (Champion) ; Nicaragua, Chontales (Janson, Belt) ; Costa Pica, Cache (Bogers). 



This inseet, on account of the open coxal cavities, must find its place in Biabrotica ; 

 it is very variable in size, and may be known by the elytra being black, with a trans- 

 verse flavous central band and similarly-coloured apical spot ; the head and thorax are 

 rufous; the antennse and legs flavous, the apical joints of the former fuscous; and the 

 male has the deep frontal excavation of the head peculiar to several other species of 

 the genus Biabrotica. 



