DIPLATTS. 41 



3. Penultimate ventral segment very 



gently sinuate \ greeai, Burr, p. 50, 



3.3. Penultimate ventral segment trun- 

 cate. 

 4. Last dorsal segment scai'cely 

 wider than the abdomen; forceps 

 trigono-conical. 

 5. Penultimate ventral segment 

 rectangular, the angles not 



rounded rnfescens, Kirby, p. 5] . 



•5.5. Penultimate ventral segment 



with the angles rounded. . . . Jletcheri, sp. n., p. o'2. 

 4.4. Last dorsal segment decidedly 

 wider than the abdomen ; for- 

 ceps depressed liberatus, sp. n., p. 62. 



4. Diplatys gladiator, Burr* 



Diplatys gladiator, Burr, (05) pp. 28 & 29, (OG^) p. 319. 



Pale testaceous or reddish ; elytra black. Antennae with 

 14 segments, pale straw-coloured ; third segment not very long, 

 fourth much shorter, and fifth a little shorter than the third, 

 all cylindrical. Head tumid between the eyes, not remarkably 

 depressed on the occiput, postocular keels nearly obsolete; sutures 

 not very distinct ; there is a faint small ridge on each side of the 

 median suture and parallel to it ; colour fuscous or reddish. Pro- 

 notum of S and 5 as broad as long, subquadrate, with rounded 

 sides and angles, truncate posteriorly, testaceous ; prozona tumid ; 

 metazona and sides depressed. Scutellum pale, larger in the $ 

 than in the S • Elytra black, short and broad, convex posteriorly ; 

 in the $ the elytra slope away at the base and so expose a larger 

 scutehum than in the J. Wings abortive. Legs pale and 

 slender. Abdomen yellowish near the base, reddish or darker 

 near the apex ; cylindrical in the S , rather depressed in the $ ; 

 smooth lateral tubercles on the third and fourth segments distinct 

 in both sexes. In the S the eighth and ninth segments are wider 

 than the others but very short ; in the $ they are normal and 

 somewhat narrowed. Last dorsal segment in the c? very ample, 

 quadrate and smooth, the median sulcus nearly obsolete ; posterior 

 margin subsinuate, shghtly convex on each side over the forceps; 

 exterior angles depressed, prominent, and rectangular. In the $ the 

 last dorsal segment sloping, narrow, normal. Penultimate ventral 

 segment of d" as ample as the last dorsal segment, posterior margin 

 gently rounded, angles rounded. Forceps of the c? with the 

 branches very depressed and strongly dilated near the base itself, 

 forming a flattened but sharp tooth, at which point the two inner- 

 margins touch ; then suddenly and strongly attenuate and 

 arcuate, enclosing an elliptical area : in the 2 straight, simple, 

 and slender. 



(S 



Leugth of body 8-75 mm. 



„ forceps 1-5 „ 



