240 REVISION OP THE AUSTRALIAN CURCULIONID^, 



triangularly raised on apical half. Mesosternal plate strongly 

 transverse, depressed, concave and punctate. Metasternum 

 depressed and impuiictate in middle, raised between coxse, sides 

 strongly punctate; episterna each with a single row of punctures. 

 Two basal segments of abdomen irregularly and not densely 

 punctate ; intermediates sparsely and finely, their combined 

 length slightly more than that of 2nd or 5thj 5th densely punc- 

 tate. Femora stout, feebly grooved, strongl}"- dentate; tibia3 thin, 

 compressed, bisinuate, punctures in decided grooves. Length 4^, 

 rostrum 1|; width 2i; variation in length 3^-4| mm. 



Hah. — S. Australia (Macleay Museum). 



The pads on the metasternum should render this species easy 

 of recognition; they are not confined to (although more distinct 

 on) the males. 



Melanterius aratus, Pasc; I.e. No. 5393. 



Ovate, moderately convex, shining. Black ; antenna? red. 

 Prothorax with a spot of silvery scales in the middle of the basie; 

 elytra with a few smaller spots of similar scales scattered about. 

 Under surface and legs moderately denselj^ clothed with stout 

 white setse; the 2nd-4th abdominal segments almost glabrous. 



Head densely punctate, punctures small and shallow ; eyes 

 large, subreniform, feebly separated. Rostrum modei*ately stout, 

 parallel-sided, curved ; rather densely punctate. Scape stout, 

 inserted two-tifths from apex of rostrum, noticeably shorter than 

 funicle; club subcontinuous with funicle. Prothorax transverse, 

 base bisinuate and not twice the width of apex; with dense, com- 

 paratively small and sharply defined punctures. Scutellum 

 globose. Elytra triangularly cordate, not much more than twice 

 the length of prothorax; seriate-punctate, punctures large and 

 suboblong, in shallow grooves ; interstices triangularly raised, 

 towards base and suture more obtusely so than elsewhere. Meta- 

 sternum decidedly shorter than usual, with sparse large punctures; 

 episterna with a scarcely traceable row of very small punctures. 

 Basal segment of abdomen almost as long as the three following 

 combined and with a few large punctures, 2nd-4th with fine 



