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THE CARABIDAE OF TASMANIA. 

 By Thomas G. Sloane. 

 (With four text -figures.) 



Tliis paper is founded on the Carabidae from the collection of the late Mr. 

 Augustus Simson, of Launeeston, which has recently been acquired by the Trus- 

 tees of the South Australian Museum. In addition, I have been able to examine 

 the large collection of Carabidae made by Messrs. H. J. Carter and A. M. 

 Lea in northern and western Tasmania dui-ing the month of January, 1918, which 

 consisted of 51 species; 14 of these were new species, of which 11 were not 

 represented in the Simson collection. The Tasmanian species in my own collec- 

 tion, some belonging to Mr. Lea, and some sent by Mr. F. M. Littler from 

 Launeeston have also been seen. 



The type specimens of the new species described in this paper have been 

 sent to the South Australian Museum. 



I Synopsis of Paper. 



(1) Introduction. 



Scutellar stride of the Carabidae. 

 Tarsal vesture of the Carabidae. 



Umbilicate punctures of the elytra of the Carabidae. 

 Anterior cotyloid cavities of the Carabidae. 

 , Middle cotyloid cavities of the Carabidae. 



Anterior tibiae and tibial spurs of the Carabidae. 

 Components of the Tasmanian Carabideous fauna. 

 Key to tribes of Carabidae in Australia and Tasmania. 



(2) The Carabidae of Tasmania and islands of Bass Straits. 



(3) Appendix. List of species not dealt with in the body of the paper. 



Introduction. 



Scutellar striole. In the Carabidae the elytra have usually nine striae and a 

 short striole at the base of the first or second stria known as the scutellar striole.* 

 There are many variations from this normal pattern; bometimes the elytra are 

 without any striae, while in Planetes australis Macl., there are twenty-five striae; 

 probably every number from one to twenty-five occurs, but I only know of more 

 than seventeen as occurring in some species of Planetes and in the genus Polij- 

 stichus. Only the scutellar striole will be considered, in order to obtain an idea 

 of its taxonomic value; for, though it has been used as a classificatory character, 

 its morphology and origin do not seem to have been given attention. The 

 Carabidae must originally have had the elytra 10-striate, the scutellar striole 



* Sometimes in the tribe Pterostichini a well developed tenth stria occurs, but 

 in such cases the series of umbilicate punctures is found in the( usual position on 

 the ninth interstice, so that in these cases it seems evident that the extra stria has 

 been developed on the ninth interstice. 



