592 



FAMILY SCOLYTIDAE 



Xyleborus schlichii, Stebbing. 

 Reference. — Assam Sal Ins. Pests {Acanthotomicus tnincatus), For. Bull. no. ii, p. 40 (1907). 



Habitat. — Assam . 



Tree Attacked. — Sal {Shorea robusta). Goalpara, Assam. 



Beetle. — Short, compact, with elytra abruptly truncate behind, the truncation being 

 circular in section. Head and thorax reddish yellow, elytra dark ferruginous brown. Head 

 smooth, shining, vertex covered with very fine reticulations, the front 

 Description. rugose with a few small prominences, a sparse fringe of longish 



hairs over base of mandibles. Thorax longer than broad, very convex 

 in anterior half, depressed in posterior, sides rounded apically, posterior outer angles bluntly 

 rounded, base truncate ; surface set with scaly asperalions, smallest apically, becoming larger 

 and denser centrally, tailing away behind and on sides, where the scales are replaced by fine 

 striations and reticulations ; the posterior depressed area with very fine reticulations and 

 scattered fine punctures. Scutellum small, rounded. Elytra as long as thorax, smooth, with 

 irregularly impresse:! striae carrying a few very shallow punctures, the intervals shining smooth 

 or dull, and set with very fine reticulations ; apex abruptly truncate, the declivity being 

 circular in section, impressed, with three vertical rows of rather large shallow punctures in 

 each half and sharp teeth on the sutures, the sutural ones at the top of the declivity being 

 most prominent ; a few spiny hairs on declivity. Under-surface reddish yellow, set with yellow 

 hairs on anterior portion. Abdominal segments punctate, legs and antennae yellow-brown, 

 latter pubescent. Length, 3 mm. to 3.2 mm. PI. Ix, fig. 6, depicts a dorsal and side view 

 of this beetle. 



This small Xyleborus was taken plentifully at Kachugaon in Goalpara in 



the latter part of May igo6. It tunnels down into the 



Life History. wood of fresh-felled or sickly standing trees, apparently 



laying its eggs deep down in the sapwood. The beetles 



were engaged in egg-laying during the latter half of May. 



Xyleborus sp. 



Reference.— Stebbing (Dolurgns). Assam Sal Ins. Pests, For. Bull. no. 11, p. 38 (1907). 



Habitat. — Assam . 



Tree Attacked. —Sal {Shorea robusta). Goalpara Sal Forests. 



Beetle.— Elongate, slender, reddish brown. Apical portions of elytra sharply constricted 



into Ijlunt points, antennal club with two transverse bands of light yellow hairs. Thorax con- 

 stricted behind and truncate anteriorly, trun- 

 Description. cation blackish and finely asperate ; the disk 



shining and very finely punctate. Elytra 



constricted sharply to a point behind ; basal portion red and finely 



punctate ; the remainder becomes blacker in colour as apex is 



reached, the surface scaly and punctate and clothed with scattered 



yellow hairs. The curious constricted apices of the elytra are a 



marked characteristic of this insect. Length one-sixth of an inch. 



The species remains undetermined, as only a single 

 individual has been taken. 



A specimen of this scolytid was found tunnelling 

 down through the bark of the sal-tree felled in the 

 Kachugaon Forest on 13 May. The beetle was taken on 

 the i6th. 



Fig. 369. 



Xyleborus sp. in 



sal wood in Assam. 



