APHCEBAKTUS. 257 



complicates mattei'S, as these two forms possess a distinct pencil 

 of hairs, whilst the bifurcation of the 2nd and 3rd veins takes 

 place half-way between the base of the discal cell and the anterior 

 cross-vein, its exact position not being constant. 



203. Aphoebantus ceylonicus, Brun. 



Arqyramceha ceylonica, Brunetti, Rec. Ind. Mus. ii, p. 471, pi. xii, 

 lig-. 24 (1909). 



S $ . Head : frons in J f^t vertex very narrow, one-fifth or 

 one-sixth of its widtii at level of antennae, where it is less than a 

 third the width of the head and widens from the vertex very 

 rapidly ; frons in $ one-third as wide at vertex as it is at level 

 of anteiuise, where it forms less than one-third of the head ; frons 

 and face dark grey, face sometimes lighter, covered rather densely 

 with bright yellow elongate scaly pubescence, which is generally 

 paler on face, even Avhitish or quite white ; antennae black, 3rd 

 joint onion-shaped, with a moderately long style, basal joints with 

 black bristles ; proboscis brownish, withdrawn ; occiput ash-grey, 

 much puffed out behind, especially in the 5 , covered with minute 

 impressed bright yellow scales ; side indentation of eye-margins 

 very considerable. Thorax black, dorsum covered thickly with 

 very minute bright yellow depressed scales and scale-like hairs, 

 ami with long pale yellow hairs rather thinly interspersed ; a 

 collar of very long elongate pale yellow scales on anterior margin, 

 a bunch of slightly shorter and paler ones on shoulders ; several 

 large yellow spines in front of wing-base and on posterior corners 

 of dorsum, and a row of yellow bristles towards hind margin ; 

 sides of thorax ash-grey, with a bunch of pale yellowish pubes- 

 cence below shoulders, also in front immediately below head ; 

 steriiopleurse with silky white pubescence ; scutellum with yellow 

 pubescence as on thorax, and a row of yellow bristles on hind 

 margin. Abdomen normally with middle jDart longitudinally to a 

 greater or less width black, remainder of dorsum brownish yellow ; 

 often the black colour covering nearly the whole surface, whilst 

 sometimes reduced (at least on anterior half of abdomen) to the 

 middle third ; hind margin of abdomen more or less yellowish ; 

 1st segment mainly black, yellowish towards sides, with a thick 

 bunch of yellowish scales covering each outer third, leaving the 

 middle third bare ; hind margin with minute bright yellow scales ; 

 whole surface of abdomen covered with minute bright yellow 

 semi-depressed thick hairs, with longer black thin hairs inter- 

 spersed; sides of abdomen with moderately long thin pale yellow 

 hairs, no trace of scales. Venter yellowish, more or less blackish 

 in middle or towards base, sometimes nearly all blackish, covered 

 with minute yellow pubescence ; genitaha brownish yellow, mainly 

 concealed. Legs : coxge ash-grey, with long whitish pubescence ; 

 femora and tibiae yellow ; about apical half of anterior tarsi and 

 all the hind tarsi black, at most the latter a little pale at base in 



s 



