244 



FAMILIES CISTELIDAE AND LAGRIIDAE 



Fig. 172. 



Cistclomorpha 



andrewi-si, Fairm. 



Siwaliks. 



Beetle.— Elongate, widest behind. Dark canary-yellow. Elytra 

 black, the basal sixth canary-yellow, produced on lateral edge with a 

 narrow edging of same colour along suture ; 

 Description. a longitudinal egg-shaped yellow spot in 



basal third near suture, a larger roughly- 

 circular one about middle near lateral margin, a third transversely 

 crescent-shaped with wavy edges three-fourths up, and a fourth at 

 apex. Under-surface dark canary-yellow. Head narrow, elongate ; 

 antennae and eyes black. Prothorax widest behind, very tinely and 

 closely punctate. Elytra widest three-fourths way up, thence con- 

 stricting to apex ; striate and rugose-punctate, the striae and 

 punctures obsolete in parts. Length, 12 mm. 



I took a specimen of this beetle from beneath the 

 bark of a dead sal- tree in the Dun forests of the Siwaliks. 

 I know nothing further about its life history. 



Cistelomorpha annuligera, Fairm. 



Habitat. — North- West Himalaya. 



Tree Attacked. — Deodar {Cedrus deodara). Konain, Jaunsar f A. J, Gibson). 



Beetle.— Dark canary-yellow, head and legs orange, apical half 



of elytra marked with narrow transverse black stripes. Head 



sloping, tinely punctate, a transverse chan- 



Description. nel between the antennae, which are 



inserted a short distance in front of eyes. 



Prothorax broader behind than in front, wider than head, sides rounded 



in front, straight behind, disk finely reticulated. Elytra shining, 



smooth, wider than prothorax at base, widest about one-third up, 



depressed laterally and apically, striate and very tinely punctate ; 



an elongate, narrow, elliptical area in basal half enclosed by a line 



black stripe, a second egg-shaped area above, nearer lateral margin, 



and a third larger transverse crescent-shaped area in apical third, 



both enclosed by hne black bands, these latter being finely rugulose- 



punctate. Under-surface greenish, abdomen canary-yellow, very 



finely punctate. Length, 19 mm. 



Mr. A. J. Gibson, Indian Forest Service, obtained specimens of this 



beetle feeding, in company with the tenebrionid Caiiia- 



Life History. rimcna ruf^osistriatus, Blair, already described, on the 



male flowers of young deodar-trees at Konain in Jaunsar. 



The beetle was taken on 8 May 1908. This is the only observation on its 



life history I can find. It is of considerable importance in view of this 



observation that the habits of the insect should be correctly ascertained. 



Family LAGRIIDAE. 

 The beetles resemble Tenebrionidae, but have the last joint but one of 

 the tarsus bilobed and pubescent, the claw being simple. Until compara- 

 tively recently nothing was known about the habits of the forest species in 

 India. A member of the family is likely to prove, however, of some 

 economic importance in Assam. 



Fi(^.. 173. 



CistcloniorpJi a aiiituli- 



i^cra^ Fairm. 



N'.W. Himalaya. 



