7s [^5optembcl■, 



DESGEIPTION OF A NEW GENUS OF ANISOTOMID^E. 

 BY D. SHAEP, M.B. 



DIETTA, nov. gen. Anisotomidariim. 

 F7'ons emarginata, clypco mcmhranaceo. 

 Antennce clavd lata is-articiilatd. 

 Coxce intermccUce vaJde distantes. 



Mandibles elongate (quite as long as the width of the head between the eyes), 

 the left obsoletely, the right distinctly, toothed below the middle. Superior lobe of 

 maxilla elongate and slender, with long hairs on the inner side ; first joint of maxillary 

 palpi very indistinct, 2nd rather long, 3rd a good deal shorter than 2nd, 4th quite as 

 long as 2nd, not thickened. Mentum large, horny, forming a short broad triangle, 

 beyond which projects the small ligula, surmounted by two minute paraglossae ; the 

 labial palpi very exposed, elongate and slender, 2nd joint shorter than either the Ist 

 or 3rd, which are about equal in length. Front of the head rather strongly mar- 

 gined and forming a curve, in front of which is the membranaceous clypeus, to the 

 anterior margin of wliich is attached the large membranaceous labrum, this being 

 indistinctly bilobed. Antennae short, ten-jointed, the last four joints forming an 

 extremely broad and abrupt club, the 10th or terminal joint being only about half as 

 broad as the 7th ; the 7th joint is not closely applied to the 8th, so that it is possible 

 there may be a minute joint concealed between tliem, in which case the antennfe 

 would possess the normal number of eleven joints. Pronotum oblong, but slightly 

 narrowed towards the front, the sides and front margined, the base not margined 

 but rounded. Prosternum excessively reduced. Front coxae large, elongate, vertical, 

 quite exposed, contiguous ; side piece of the pro thorax produced behind the coxae, 

 but extremely slender, so as to be only a spine, — the two not meeting in the middle. 

 Middle coxae large, partly exserted, separated by a very broad space, the suture be- 

 tween the meso- and meta-sterna straight and very conspicuous. Hind coxae large, 

 contiguous, forming a large plate. Hind-body with five visible segments. All the 

 tibiae thick, and armed with closely set spines and hairs ; the front tarsi four-jointed, 

 the middle and hind ones almost certainly five-jointed, but the basal joint is concealed 

 by the broad apex of the tibia and its liairs and spines. 



Tlie interesting insect I here describe should be placed in or near 

 the Anisolomides, from all the known members of which group it differs 

 strikingly by the membranaceous clypeus, the very distant inter- 

 mediate coxae, and the absence of the small intermediate claval joint 

 characteristic of the family : the structure of the hind coxa3 and 

 troclianters is, however, quite that of Anisotoma cinnamomea. 



DiETTA SPEKATA, 11. .s'J). 



Ohlongo-ocalis, rufescens, nitida, capitc obsolete punctato, oculis 

 mcignis, contexts ; prothorace sparsim obsolete punctcdo, scd punctis ha- 



