32 RrxELiiN-.T;, 



Genus PEPERONOTA. 



reppronota, Westw., Trans. Eiit. Soc. Loncl. iv, 1847, j). 296. 



Type, Peperonota han-iiujtoni, Westw. 



Rdrnje. Himalayas. 



Broiidly oval and convex in shape. Clypeus tapering, in the 

 male terminating in a single reiiexed tooth, in the female in two 

 sharper reflexed teeth placed close together. The eyes are wide 

 apart, with laterally produced cariiise in front. Antennae short, wit h 

 the second joint glohular, the third conical, and the fourth to the 

 seventh strongly transverse. Lahrum bilobed, distinctly exposed. 

 Mandibles exposed, acuminate and reflexed at the extremity and 

 toothed externally. Maxillae strong, armed with six sharp teeth. 

 Mentum elongate, constricted at the point of insertion of the 

 palpi and slightly bilobed in front. Pronotum very convex, 

 lobed behind, the lobe slight in the female, the sides rounded in 

 front and parallel behind, exactly equal in width at the base to 

 the elytra at the shoulders, to which it fits closely. 8cutelhim 

 very short, twice as broad as long, with ciu-vilinear sides. Elytra 

 very short and convex, semicircularly rounded behind, entirely 

 covering the abdomen as seen from above. Front tibia arn.ed 

 ■with tliree acute teeth, the two lower ones close together. INIiddle 

 and hind tibiae armed with several sharp spines along the ouler 

 edge. Tarsi rather short, with the longer claw upon all the feet 

 deeply and widely cleft. 



(5. The abdomen is extremely contracted and arched beneath, 

 the 5th segment bears a transverse carina fringed with liairs and 

 ending abruptly on each side, the 6th is asymmetrically eniar- 

 giiuited, and the pygidium slopes inwards. The clypeus tapers to 

 a point. The pronotum is shorter and more strongly rounded in 

 front, and its posterior lobe is produced backwards as a long 

 curved tapering process, which reaches to about a third of 

 the length of the elytra. The scutellum and the part of the 

 elytra adjoining are abruptly depressed. The front tarsi are 

 short and thick, and the inner claws very blunt and strongly 

 dilated. 



The asymmetrically emarginate last ventral segment is, so far 

 as I am aware, unique and is correlated with an asymmetrical 

 sedeagus. 



Although the male is extremely peculiar, the female differs little 

 from Parastasia, except in the very short and broad scutellum, 

 partly covered by the slight posterior lobe of the pronotum, and 

 the very spiny outer edges of the four posterior tibiae. 



Only one species has been described, but a second is added 

 here. 



