y [January, 



PACHl'COLEUS RUFESCENS, Sahlb. (FAM. CERATOCOMBID.E) 

 IN DEVONSHIRE. 



BY 6. C. CHAMPION, F.Z.S. 



During a visit to my friend, Mr. Philip de la Garde, at Christow, 

 South Devon, iu August last, he was kind enough to give me a few 

 Remiptera-Reteroptera he had picked up at odd times in Devonshire. 

 Amongst these I have recently detected a specimen of Pachycoleus 

 rufescens, Sahlb., a genus and species not 

 hitherto recorded as British. The insect in 

 question, a minute fragile creature, was shaken 

 from moss in a swampy wood near Dawlish last 

 March, and the actual locality was visited by 

 Mr. de la Garde and myself in company a day 

 or two before I went to Christow. The genus 

 Pachycoleus is closely related to Ceratocombus 

 and Gryptostemma (= Dipsocoris, Halid), the 

 only other European genera of the Family, but 

 it may be known from both of them by the 

 narrow, subquadrate,non-trapezoidal pronotum, 

 the longer rostrum, and the comparatively short second joint of the 

 antennae. P. rufescens is not unlike Gryptostemma alienum, H.-S., the 

 upper surface being opaque and the head very little longer than in 

 that species ; but it is reddish-brown in colour, much smaller (the size 

 nearly agreeing with that of C. pusillimum, Sahlb.), less elongate, and 

 not so depressed, and, as already stated, the pronotum is differently 

 shaped. I have seen O. alienum in abundance amongst the shingle on 

 the banks of the river at Watersmeet near Lynmoutb, and also 

 sparingly at Christow, and it is probable that the Pachycoleus may be 

 found in similar situations. 



The brief description appended, taken from Sahlberg's diagnosis 

 (published in 1875), applies to the Dawlish insect : — 



Pachtcoleus rufescens. 



Obovate, reddish-brown, opaque, thinly pubescent, abdomen fuscous, antennae 

 and legs flavous ; head large, triangular, somewhat convex ; pronotum distinctly 

 broader than long, transversely convex ; hemelytra subcoriaceous, a little shorter 

 than the abdomen, narrowly rounded at the apex ; legs sparsely, shortly setose ; 

 anterior tibiae dilated at the apex ; tarsi short. Long., £ lin. 



Rah. : Finland. 



This species has also been recorded from other European localities, 

 but is apparently rare. It is very nearly related to, and perhaps not 



