268 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. iis 



Neohrolica has entirely the appearance and in many instances the elytral 

 pattern of Diabrotica. It might be easily mistaken for that genus unless the 

 claws are examined, these being appendieulate in Neohrolica (instead of 

 bifid as in Diabrotica) ; with this character a deeply sulcate thorax is generally 

 combined. Several species described here offer a striking instance of so-called 

 "mimicry" in regard to colour and mai'kings of the elytra (and indeed of the 

 antennae also), and in this respect agree in every particular with some forms 

 of Diabrotica. As I have in several cases both sexes before me, there can be 

 no question of sexual differences in regard to the structure of the claws, etc. 

 The genus will no doubt include some species at present referred to Diabrotica 

 and Cerotoma. 



It is inevitable that some of the species under Jacoby's rather broad 

 and general classification of a transversely sulcate pro thorax, appen- 

 dieulate claws, and open anterior coxal cavities should not be very 

 close to the genotype as typified by N. variabilis. In a previous 

 paper (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 1958, vol. 108, no. 3395, pp. 59-102) 

 I have shown that N. sexplagiata and N. ruatinae belong with the 

 Galerucine beetles that have excised middle tibiae in the male. 

 Others, the types of which I had not seen at that time, notably 

 N. pallida Jacoby and N. analis Weise, also belong in the excised 

 middle tibiae group. And there are still other species of Jacoby's 

 that do not easily fit into the genus and belong elsewhere, although 

 it is true that they fulfill the generic requirements as stated by Jacoby. 

 None of the species described by Weise are in Neobrotica, and two of 

 Bechyne's, N. latifrons and A^. lineigera, belong to Deuterobrotica, a 

 genus that Bechyne himself described. 



In Neobrotica, as I am restricting the genus, the antennae are 

 always filiform; the third joint is almost as long as the fourth, never 

 longer, and not different m the sexes; the front of the head is not 

 hollowed out but with a carina more or less distinct down the front. 

 The frontal tubercles are distinct and usually with a median depression 

 above them. The prothorax has an explanate margin usually ob- 

 scured from view anteriorly when viewed from above; the disc has 

 a transverse sulcus curving across the basal half; the elytra usually 

 have traces of costae, in some groups more developed than in others 

 and occasionally there is no sign of costation. The punctation tends 

 to be feebly striate in the more costate species. The anterior coxal 

 cavities are open and the claws appendieulate. The legs are moder- 

 ately long; in the male the front tibiae are frequently stout and the 

 first tarsal joint of the front feet is somewhat enlarged, but not so 

 dilated as in some species of Cerotoma. The first joint of the hind 

 tarsus is very long. The aedeagus is not a distinguishing factor in 

 separating the species, as it varies little. 



In markings, the head is most frequently dark at least over the 

 occiput; the pronotum is almost always without dark markings; the 



