6 ARKIV FÖR ZOOLOGI. BAND 10. NiO 10. 



white markings, sericeous, dark greenish; eyes very large and 

 prominent, head between eyes excavated, longitudinally stri- 

 ated, the striation between root of antennse träns versal, 

 labrum black on each side with a wide central vitta white, 

 with three large lateral teeth and three smaller apical ones, the 

 median one a trifJe larger, mandibles white with black tips; 

 antennse slender, the two basal joints white, slightly infuscate 

 on the back, the third and fourth ones very dark, the 

 following ones lighter, prothorax narrow, constricted in front 

 and at base, with a deep transversal impression in front and 

 at base and a median not very deep line, on the disc trans- 

 versally striated ; elytra elongate, the shoulders not prominent, 

 slightly rounded, dark green, somewhat shiny, except the 

 hnmeral corner and a median (lateral) fascia which are more 

 yellow; the legs are påle yellowish, the femora broadly in- 

 fuscate at their distal portion, but only on the inside; this 

 is also the case with the tarsi throughout their whole length; 

 the apical end of the tarsal joints slightly darker; as for 

 the under surface, prosternum and the episterna are like the 

 meso- and metasternum, metallic green, on the abdominal 

 segments more metallic blue. 

 Length of body: 10 mm. 



A The only green species known, all 



the other ones being dark with yellow 

 or white bands or spöts. The most inter- 

 esting fact is, that this new form lives 

 ^ on the mossy trunks of the scrubtrees, on 

 which it runs about. Thanks to its green 

 Fig. 5. Labrum of colour, it is very härd to detect. It illust- 



Diattpstdera aericea .p ii i • i • i 



Mjöb. n. sp. råtes beautifully the biologicai concep- 



tion «protective colour». All the other 

 Australian species belong to the open forest country, where 

 they live on the trunks of different trees, eucalyptus, etc. A 

 green coloar seems to be very common among jungle ani- 

 mals, whether mammals birds, or insects; thus for instance, 

 one of the phalangers, Pseudochirus Archeri Coll. is more or 

 less green with two silvery stripes on the back. It is the 

 only one that runs about in the daytime, being well aware 

 of its protective dress. 



I have taken four specimens (3 cfc?^, 1 $) at Malanda, 

 North Queensland, into deep jungle or «scrub», February 1913. 



