Mar. 4, i9is Weevils Affecting Potatoes 6ii 



A WEEVIL WHICH ATTACKS THE TUBERS OF YAMS 



Palaeopus dioscoreae, n. sp. (PI. 32, E, F) 



Described from two specimens reared from tubers of Dioscorea batatas, 

 Hope, Kingston, Jamaica, by Mr. S. F. Ashby in April, 191 4. Belongs 

 in the same subfamily as Euscepes. 



Length 4.5 mm., breadth 1.75 mm. Piceous black, with reddish brown append- 

 ages. It is sparsely clad with dark brown or whitish oblong decumbent scales 

 and erect, longer truncate scales of variable color. The punctuation is very coarse. 



Head smooth, beak separated from head by strong transverse constriction. Beak 

 longitudinally five-striate and bristling in basal half with erect brown scales; apical 

 half smoother, with confluent pimctures and flat scales. Scrobes beginning beyond 

 middle, diagonal, reaching eyes beneath. Eyes lateral, separated by width of beak, 

 covered when at rest by pronotal lobes. Antennal funicle seven-jointed, first joint 

 a little longer than second. Pro thorax broad, depressed, convexly rounded on 

 sides, bisinuate at base, lobed over eyes, trtmcate at apex which is about half as 

 wide as base; median line broadly elevated; punctuation very coarse. Elytra 10- 

 striate, the tenth striae abbreviated; strial ptmctures. large, rounded, well separated, 

 and setigerous; interspaces not wider than striae, clad with a single row of erect squa- 

 mose setae of variable color. Scutellum indistinct. Elytra broader at base than 

 thorax; with distinct humeri. 



Sternal canal deep, sharply margined, limited by a cuplike depression of the 

 mesostemum. Posterior coxae very broadly separated. Metastemum at middle as 

 long as first abdominal segment behind coxae. Intercoxal piece of first abdominal 

 segment angulate at middle. Second segment not as long as third and fourth 

 together. * 



Femora dentate and canaliculate beneath. Tibiae curved at base, strongly hooked 

 at the apex. Tarsal claws simple. 



Type. — Cat. No. 21612, United States National Museum. 

 38324°— 18— 7 



