672 



STUDIES IN AUSTRALIAN ENTOMOLOGY. 



No. XI. 



Description of a New Ground Beetle from Victoria. 



1)Y 'J'homas G. Sloane. 



MORPHNOS BEST I, n.sp. 



Elliptical-oval, robust, convex, apterous ; prothorax cordate 

 with rectangular basal angles. Black. 



Head large (7 x 8 mm.); front strongly biimpressed ; gense 

 swollen below eyes. Mandibles prominent, decussating. Pro- 

 thorax cordiform (7*2x10 mm.); sides lightly sinuate towards 

 base ; anterior margin lightly and widely emarginate in middle ; 

 anterior angles very near head, obtuse, not advanced ; base 

 widely emarginate, truncate on each side ; basal angles rectan- 

 gular, rwt produced backwards; lateral border wide, reflexed, 

 continuing on to base at each side ; lateral channel wide, curving 

 widely on to base at each basal angle; posterior marginal setigerous 

 puncture distinct, placed on border at basal angle (outside lateral 

 channel); median line distinct. Elytra wide, oval (17x11-5 mm.); 

 sides roundly narrowed to humeral angles, these obtuse, not 

 marked ; seven inner striae deep, sulciform, subcrenulate ; inter- 

 stices convex, third usually unipunctate near apex ; eighth well 

 developed on sides, obsolete on basal sixth, obliterate on apical 

 fourth ; ninth (forming bottom of the wide lateral channel) 

 seriate-punctate ; lateral margin wide, carinate and reflexed on 

 basal third, thickened with rounded edge between basal tliird 

 and apical sinuosity; marginal plica distinct but not interrupting 

 lateral margin near apex. Posterior trochanters in $ stout, wide 

 near apex, the apex itself forming a short stout cylindrical 



