130 PHYTOPHAGA. 
PORPHYRASPIS. 
Porphyraspis, Hope, Col. Man. iii. p. 154 (1840) ; Boheman, Monogr. Cassid. 1. p. 89: 
Twenty species of this peculiar genus have been described, all but one from Tropical 
South America or the Antilles, the latter, P. cyanea, Say (= erythrocera, Germ.), 
being from the Southern States of North America. No representative of the genus 
has been discovered as yet in Mexico. The sculpture of the elytra in some of the 
species is very like that of Chlamys, and it is difficult to describe in an intelligible 
manner. ‘Three species of Porphyraspis are now recorded from within our limits, two 
from the State of Panama and one from Guatemala. 
a. Llytra feebly and regularly costate on the disc. 
1. Porphyraspis circumdata. (Tab. V. fig. 10.) 
Porphyraspis circumdata, Boh. Monogr. Cassid. i. p. 94°, and iv. p. 88°; Cat. Col. Ins. Brit. Mus. 
ix. p. 16°. 
Hab. Panama, Bugaba, Volcan de Chiriqui (Champion).—Co.omta !-°. 
Numerous examples. 
b. Elytra with sharply raised, irregular, transversely connected 
coste on the dise. 
2. Porphyraspis flexuosa. (Tab. V. fig. 11.) 
‘Rotundate, short, very convex, obscure sanguineous, shining, the anterior angles of the prothorax yellowish ; 
the antenne, legs, and under surface testaceous. Head almost smooth, canaliculate in the middle in 
front; antenne short, only extending a little beyond the humeri, rather stout, considerably thickened 
towards the tip. Prothorax short, broadly and deeply emarginate in front, and moderately dilated at 
the sides; the sides rounded, abruptly and subarcuately converging anteriorly; the anterior angles 
rather sharp ; the disc moderately convex, strongly transversely depressed before the middle, obliquely 
grooved on either side behind, and with an interrupted median channel, sparsely, irregularly, rather 
coarsely punctured in front and on either side at the base; the lateral portions deeply excavate, 
exceedingly coarsely punctured. Scutellum almost smooth. Elytra very much wider than the prothorax, 
short, rounded at the sides, widest at the middle, deeply emarginate in front, obtuse behind, the humeri 
prominent and somewhat dentiform ; the disc gibbous, with irregular close series of coarse, deep, partly 
confluent impressions, aud a smooth, prominent humeral callus, between which and the suture are two 
sharply raised carinse, these extending downwards nearly to the apex and here and there connected with 
each other, and with the sharply raised suture before the middle, by oblique or transverse rami, the 
other interspaces more or less transversely plicate; the margins moderately expanded, with a double 
series of exceedingly coarse rounded fovex, the interspaces irregularly transversely plicate. Beneath 
shining, almost smooth. 
Length 33, breadth 33 millim. 
Hab. Panama, Bugaba (Champion).—Cotomata, Santa Marta (Mus. Brit.). 
One specimen from each locality. A small species allied to P. cyclica, Boh., from 
Guiana, and P. reticulata, Wag., from S. America. It is much smaller than P. cyclica, 
and has the disc of the prothorax more uneven and the carine on the elytra more 
