1909.] 



(= major, Fauv., nee Kraatz) is <^iven as British, and that T. hrunnei- 

 pennis, Kr., is qneried as a var. of T. linearis, Kr., in Ganglbauer's 

 work, and in Reitter's Catalogue. — Eds.] 



HOMALOTA (ACROTONA) PARENS, Mttls. et Rey : A BRITISH 



INSECT. 



BY G. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. 



The section Acrotona, Thorns. {Colpodota, M. & K.), of Homa- 

 lota includes thirteeii European species, nine of which appear on our 

 British list, and to this number one more, H. parens, M. & E.., can now 

 be added, as 1 have recently captured a specimen of it near Guildford. 

 This insect has the general facies of H. (Coprothassa) melanaria, 

 Mann., but it is not nearly so large, and has much shorter antennfe. 

 The stouter antennae, with joints 6 — 10 strongly transverse, separate 

 it from the more nearly allied fl. parva, 8ahlb., and H. aterrima, 

 Grav. The colour is variable, and the subsequently described H. 

 {Colpodota') piceorufa and K. (0.) suhgrisescens, M. & R., are sunk 

 as synonyms of R. (JJ.) parens in both editions of Reitter's Cata- 

 logue. The following description is taken from Mulsant and Rey's 

 " Brevipeniies, Myrmedoniaires," pp. 204, 205 : — 



H. (Colpodota) parens, M. & R. 



Subelongate, rather broad, fusiform, somewhat convex, very finely and densely 

 pubescent, pitchy-black, the elytra and antennae brownish or reddish-brown, the base 

 of the latter, the mouth, and legs testaceous, and the tip of the abdomen reddish. 

 Head very finely and densely punctured. Antennae distinctly thickened towards 

 the apes, shortly pilose, with joints 2 and 3 sub-equal, 4 moderately, and 6 — 10 

 strongly, transverse. Prothoras strongly transverse, rather convex, slightly retracted 

 in front, as broad behind as tiie elytra, moderately arcuate laterally, feebly sinuate 

 at the base on each side, very finely and densely punctured. Elytra strongly trans- 

 verse, a little longer lliau the prothorax, subdepressed, finely, densely, subrugulosely 

 punctured. Abdomen attenuated towards the apex, setulose, and with long, sub- 

 equally distributed pubescence, finely and densely punctured towards the base, a 

 little less densely so behind. Posterior tarsi elongate, a little shorter than the tibiae. 

 Long. 1 lin., breadth i lin. 



Not rare in moss and old faggots in autumn, at Lyons and 

 Beaujolais. Also recorded from Germany, Austria, and Hungary. 



I am indebted to Capt. Deville for his assistance in determining 

 my specimen of it. 



Horsell, Woking : 



December iOtk, 1908. 



