480 a revision of the staphylinid^ of australia, 



123. Xantholinus erythropterus. 



Xantholinus erythropterus, Erichson, Gen. Staph, p. 320 (184:0); 

 Fauvel, Ann. Mus. Genov. X. p. 240 (1877) — Xantholinus 

 cervinipennis, Macleay, Trans, Ent, See. N.S.W. II. p. 138 

 (1871). 



Pitchy black, shining ; elytra, anus, and legs reddish testaceous; 

 prothorax with a dorsal series of four or five punctures on 

 each side. 



Head sub-quadrate, rather broader than the piothorax, truncate 

 at the base, with a few strongly impressed punctures on each 

 side, the frontal sulci short and terminating internally in a 

 foveolate puncture ; sides nearly straight ; posterior angles 

 rounded. Antennte piceous, a little longer than the head, the 1st 

 joint reddish piceous, the 3rd elongate, about twice as long as the 

 2nd, joints 4-10 cylindrical, slightly transverse, the last joint 

 ferruginous at the apex, Prothorax rather long, a little narrower 

 than the elytra, considerably narrowed behind, with a series of 

 four or five rather strong punctures on each side of the middle, 

 and five or six less strongly marked punctures near the lateral 

 margins. Scutellum moderately strongly and sparingly punc- 

 tured. Elytra a little longer than the prothorax, rather finely 

 and sparingly punctured, lateral margin free from punctures. 

 Abdomen very finely and sparingly punctured, finely pubescent, 

 the apex of the penultimate, and the whole of the terminal seg- 

 ment dark reddish testaceous. Length 10-14 mm. 



Mulgrave River, Rockhampton, Gayndah, Moreton Bay, 

 Queensland ; Manly, Sydney, Noav South Wales ; Victoria ; 

 Adelaide, South Australia. 



An abundant species which may be found, frequently in com- 

 pany with Hololepta, between the fronds of almost every decaying 

 grass tree (Xanthorrhoea). 



