228 INSECTA MADERENSIA. 



179. Oxyomus Heineckeni, WoU. 



O. latiusculus subnitidus niger vel piceo-niger, prothorace transverse (ad latere subrecto et ciliato) sat 

 profunde et parum crcbre punctate, elytris profunde crenato-striatis, interstitiis latiusculis postice 

 convexis, pedibus piceis pilosis. 



Long. Corp. lin. 2?-25. 



Habitat prope urbcm Funchalensem, rarissime; mihi non obvius, sed insulis JIaderensibus certe 

 indigenus : duo specimina, a Rev''° Dom. Lowe munificc donata, sola \idi, quae pridem invenit 

 Dom. Heinccken, M.D., cujus in memoriam nomen triviale dedi. 



O. broad and much depressed, black or piceous black, and slightly shining : with the clypeus (which has 

 no indication of tubercles, but is convex in the centre, a little recurved at the edges, and slightly 

 emarginated in front) somewhat picescent, and almost unpunctured, anteriorly ; but rather deeply 

 and closely punctured behind. Prothorax short and broad, of nearly the same width before and 

 behind, — the anterior and posterior angles being subequal, and the lateral edges (which are 

 distinctly ciliated) consequently comparatively straight ; rather closely and deeply punctured, — 

 especially towards the sides, where the punctures are larger and the surface wrinkled, or uneven. 

 Elytra very slightly narrowed at their base (where they are not quite so broad as the prothorax) ; 

 just perceptibly notched (or each obliquely subtruncated) at the extreme apex of their suture ; 

 deeply crenate- (or almost punctate-) striated ; with the interstices impunctate, broad in front, 

 but gradually narrowed and slightly more elevated behind, — where however they are scarcely 

 costate. Legs piceous, or rufo-piceous, and pilose (especially the femora, which have a row of very 

 long hairs down the centre of their inner sui-face) : fore tibia with three minute serrations 

 towards the base of their outer edge (beyond the larger teeth), — which are exceedingly distinct 

 under a moderate magnifying power : tarsi with the second, third and fourth joints subequal, but 

 longer than those of the following species. 



The present Oxyomus approaches very closely, at first sight, to the O. breci- 

 collis ; from wliich nevertheless it will be perceived, on examination, to be abtin- 

 (lantly distinct, — receding from it not only in its greater bulk, in the different form 

 of its laterally setose prothorax (wliich has the hinder angles much less rounded-olf, 

 and the sides therefore comparatively straight), and in the ^"ider, more depressed, 

 and less posterior ly-costate interstices of its elytra ; but, slightly, even in the 

 structure of its legs, which are, apparently, more pUose (particularly the femora), 

 have the minute serrations towards the outer base of their fore-tibia? much more 

 e\-ident, and their three intermediate tarsal joints perceptibly longer than is the 

 case in that species. It is one of the insects which I have not myself succeeded in 

 detecting, during my researches in these islands ; nor indeed have any recent spe- 

 cunens hitherto come beneath my notice, — the only two examples which I have 

 seen having been presented to me by the Rev. R. T. Lowe from the collection of 

 the late Dr. Heinccken, by whom they Avere captured, many years ago, near 

 Fimchal. Possessing as it does, however, so much in common with the O. brevi- 

 colli-s, I have but little doubt that it avlU be found to inhabit similar spots, — 

 towards the southern coast. 



