570 PHYTOPHAGA. 



general shape, by the unusually long basal joint of the antennse, and the long and 

 strongly narrowed thorax; moreover, the tibiae do not appear to be armed with a 

 spine at the apex as in Diabrotica. Although there is only a single specimen before 

 me, the characters pointed out are so different from those of the other known forms 

 inhabiting our region that I have no hesitation in establishing a genus for its 

 reception. 



1. Microbrotica subglabrata. (Tab. XXXIII. fig. 25.) 



Testaceous, the antennae (the first joint excepted), the intermediate and posterior tibiae and tarsi black ; 

 thorax impunctate ; elytra scarcely visibly punctured, the sides obsoletely costate below the shoulders. 



Length 1| line. 



Head rather broader than long, impunctate ; the eyes prominent and rounded ; the frontal tubercles distinct, 

 trigonate ; the clypeus broad, triangular, its apex extending upwards between the antennse, its anterior 

 margin slightly concave; antennas as long as the body, the basal joint testaceous, its apex black, the third 

 joint one half longer than the second, the apical two joints obscure fulvous, the rest black; thorax long? 

 the sides greatly narrowed at the base, the anterior and posterior margins straight, the surface with two 

 shallow discoidal depressions (visible only in certain lights), rather strongly deflexed at the sides, entirely 

 impunctate ; scutellum triangular ; elytra with a few minute punctures (only visible under a strong lens), 

 testaceous and shining like the rest of the surface, the sides from the shoulders to below the middle with 

 a single ridge ; the underside and legs testaceous, the anterior tibiae with a piceous upper edge, the other 

 tibiae black. 



Hab. Panama, David in Chiriqui [Champion). 

 A single specimen. 



PHtESTUS. 



Elongate ; head broad, not constricted behind ; eyes small ; antennae filiform, the terminal joints thin, the 

 third joint about three times longer than the second ; thorax transverse, the sides straight, the surface 

 transversely sulcate ; elytra very finely rugose, their epipleurae almost obsolete ; tibiae unarmed ; the first 

 joint of the posterior tarsi as long as the following two joints together; claws bifid; anterior coxal 

 cavities open. 



The curious insect for which I propose this new genus is distinguished by the head 

 b eingbroad and not constricted posteriorly, the thorax transversely sulcate, and the elytral 

 epipleurae almost obsolete ; it somewhat resembles in general appearance the genus 

 Dircema. The epipleurae of the elytra are entirely absent from the basal portion, and 

 extremely narrow from the middle downwards. The distinctly bifid claws separate 

 Phcestus from Phyllobrotica. In the slightly sulcate tibiae and general appearance 

 the genus approaches Ccelomera ; for the present, however, I preter to place it near 

 Microbrotica. 



1. PhaBstus chiriquensis. (Tab. XXXIII. fig. l.) 



Testaceous, the antennae and the legs black; thorax impunctate; elytra bluish-black, very finely rugose 



throughout. 

 Length 3-3| lines. 

 Head with a fine central longitudinal groove, the vertex swollen ; the frontal tubercles trigonate and distinct ; 



clypeus narrowly transverse, swollen ; labrum and palpi piceous ; antennae two thirds the length of the 



