EPISPHENUS 257 



154. Episphenus neelgheriensis. 



Pas-salus neelgheriensis Perch., Mag. Zool. xi, 1841, p. 4, pi. II, 



fig. 1. 

 Episphenus neelgheriensis Gravely, Mem. Ind. Mus. iii, 1914, p. 222, 



pi. 11, fig. 21. 



This is the smallest of our five species of Episphenus. The 

 three terminal joints of the antenna are long and the three 

 preceding ones not very short. The middle tibia has a rather 

 thick fringe of reddish hairs above. The marginal processes 

 of the head are asymmetrical, the outer ones very short and 

 obtuse, the inner ones not far apart, that on the left long and 

 bent inwards, that on the right, short, the frontal area not very 

 transverse. The jironotum is without punctures except in and 

 near the lateral scars, which, as well as the median groove, are 

 not strong. The marginal groove is scarcely at all dilated at 

 the sides of the front margin. The dorsal striae of the elytra 

 are scarcely visibly punctured, the lateral striae minutely. 

 The mentum is very coarsely and densely punctured at the sides 

 and smooth in the middle. The lateral scars of the meso- 

 sternum are large, deep and finely rugose, the lateral depressions 

 of the metasternum are narrow, finely rugose and hairy, and the 

 sides of the median area bear not very numerous, irregular, 

 sometimes confluent punctures, with smooth interspersed 

 areas. 



Length, 28 to 30 mm. ; breadth, II mm. 



S. India : Nilgiri Hills, Ootacamund, Gudalur {J. C. Fernan- 

 dez, Oct.) ; Anaimalai Hills ; Palni Hills, Kodaikanal, 5500 ft. 

 {S. Kemp, Sept.) ; Trichmopoly (R. P. Castets). 



Type unknown. 



155. Episphenus comptoni. (Plate XXIII, fig. 13.) 



Aceraius comptoni Kaup, Col. Hefte iii, 1868, p. 28 ; op. cit. iv, 



1868, p. 3. 

 Laches comptoni Kaup, Berl. Ent. Zeits. xv, 1871, suppl. p. 49, 



pi. 4, fig. 5. 

 Episphenus comptoni Gravely, Mem. Ind. Mus. iii, 1914, pp. 218, 



262, pi. 11, fig. 18. 



This is the largest of the five species from Ceylon and 

 Southern India comprised in the genus. The club of the 

 antenna consists of four very long and equal lamellae ])receded 

 by two short ones. The middle tibia bears a rather thick but 

 not long fringe of red hairs upon its upper face. The head is 

 well punctured, the marginal processes very slightly as^Tiimetri- 

 cal, the outer ones short, the inner ones rather far apart, shaq), 

 that on the left a little longer than that on the right. The 

 frontal area is very short and broad, the supraorbital ridges 

 are rather sharp, the parietal ridge feeble. The pronotuw is 

 extremely smooth, the median groove incomplete and rather 



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