1900.] Catcdoijue of the Colcoptera of South Africa. 321 



Heliocopkis atropos, Bohem., 



Plate XXXI., fig. 3. 



Ofvers. Yet. Ak. Forh., 1860, p. 109. 



Black, or piceous black, sliining ; head transversely plicate even 

 on the genoe which are also slightly granulose ; prothorax very 

 closely granulose in the dorsal and also in the anterior part, 

 although in the large development this anterior part is roughly 

 plicate transversely ; elytra narrowly punctato-striate, intervals 

 deeply and somewhat closely punctate ; pygidium very closely and 

 deeply pitted ; metasternum with a moderately broad, sub-basal 

 impression, and a median, deep sulcus. 



Male : Clypeus elongate, sub-semicircular, gense in a line with 

 the clypeus, in the median part of the head there is a semicircular 

 ridge abutting on each side on a vertical cephalic sub- cylindrical 

 horn, varying in length from 2^- to 4^ mm., the frontal carina varies 

 much in shape, semicircular normally, it is sometimes triangular, 

 and it may be altogether absent, in which case the two vertical horns 

 are replaced by an arcuate, very highly raised carina the outer angles 

 of which are sharp, and slightly dentate ; prothorax nearly vertical 

 in front, veiy deeply impressed laterally, the impression extending 

 to a short distance from the base, and bounded by a slightly raised 

 ridge, while the median part is produced into a vertical lobe, very 

 strongly emarginate in the centre, and still more so laterally, the 

 outer part being in the shape of a very broad, triangular tooth over- 

 hanging laterally the lateral impression ; elytra with two large basal 

 tubercles on the fourth and fifth intervals ; in the small development 

 the median lobe of the prothorax is carinate, very slightly emargi- 

 nate at middle and bluntly dentate laterally, the lateral anterior 

 excavations being somewhat shallow, and the basal tubercles on 

 the elytra are very small. 



Female : Clypeus more acuminate than in the male, and more 

 obtuse in front ; past the median part there is a transverse 

 moderately highly raised carina, more or less distinctly dentate 

 laterally ; prothorax carinate transversely for three-fourths of the 

 width, and slightly sinuate laterally ; no basal tubercles on the 

 elytra. 



Length 32-44 mm. ; width 20-27 mm. 



Hah. Ovarapoland (Omrramba), Northern Damaraland, Nyassa- 

 land, teste Harold. 



21 



