224 REVISION OF THE AUSTRALIAN CURCULIONID^, 



Melanterius interstitialis, n.sp. 



Elliptic, moderately shining, convex. Piceous; legs and rostrum 

 dark brown, antennae dull red. Upper surface with scarcely 

 traceable hairs, more distinct but very small on legs and under 

 surface. 



Head densely punctate, punctures almost obsolete near base; 

 eyes large, rounded, coarsely faceted, rather distant. Rostrum 

 long, distinctly curved, parallel; densely punctate and having a 

 feeble multicarinate appearance. Scape inserted about one-third 

 from apex of rostrum, passing apex, apex and base slightly 

 thickened; 1st joint of funicle almost as long as 2nd-3rd combined, 

 3rd-5th feebly, 6th-7th widely transverse; club longer than three 

 preceding joints. Prothorax slightly transverse, apex very feebly 

 semicircularly produced, base almost truncate, sides rounded ; 

 emargination and lobes obtuse; densely punctate, punctures con- 

 fluent only at apex. Elytra wider than prothorax and scarcely 

 thrice its length, widest about basal third, thence feebly decreas- 

 ing to apex; shoulders scarcely rounded or oblique; each with 

 nine rows of elliptic subapproximate punctures; interstices densely 

 punctate, distinctly wider than rows of punctures, flattened, 

 becoming raised in middle of posterior declivity and towai^ds sides. 

 Pectoral canal rather shallow, moderately wide, anterior coxje 

 distinctly separated. Mesosternal plate transversely depressed, 

 punctate, apex emarginate, sides incurved, base truncate. Meta- 

 sternum feebly depressed on disc, densely punctate; episterna with 

 a distinct row of punctures. Abdomen not very densely punctate; 

 1st segment large, largely depressed on disc, slightly longer than 

 2nd and 3rd combined; intermediates with deep sutures; their 

 combined length slightly more than that of apical; apical slightly 

 longer than 2nd, its apex with a modei'ately distinct transverse 

 impression. Legs rather long, densely punctate; femora dentate, 

 posterior almost reaching apex of abdomen; tibife thin, somewhat 

 rounded, not grooved. Length 3, rostrum 1; width 1^ mm. 



^a6.— N.S.W. : Sydney. 



My specimen is probably ^; it has the rostrum slightly broader 

 than is usual, with the insertion of scape slightly more distant 



