1897.] of the Colcoptera of South Africa. 103 



Gen. CTENISTES, Eeichenb., 

 Monogr. Pselaph., 1816, p. 75. 



Head elongate, provided with an antennal tubercle, cheeks 

 obtusely tuberculate in front ; antennae of the male with the 

 third to seventh joints minute, moniliform, eighth to eleventh 

 cylindrical and forming a large elongate club, those of the female 

 sensibly increased towards the apex and the club triarticulate ; 

 maxillary palpi large, the last three joints provided with an 

 apophyse, and the third and fourth very transverse ; prothorax 

 more or less obconical ; elytra moderately elongate ; abdomen mar- 

 ginate ; legs rather elongate. 



The genus is represented in every part of the world. 



Ctenistes australis, Eaflr., 

 Eev. Entom., 1887, p. 25. 



Fulvous, elytra, legs, and palpi paler, body covered with ochreous 

 squamae ; head olilong, trifoveate ; antennal fovea much smaller 

 than the others, oblong ; eyes very large ; palpi short, second joint 

 slightly arcuate and a little clavate at apex, third and fourth trans- 

 verse, ovate, appendages short ; prothorax a little longer than broad 

 and subconical, hardly rounded laterally, briefly foveate at base ; 

 elytra little elongate and little attenuate at base, sides slightly 

 rounded, shoulders oblique, dorsal stria entire, slightly arcuate ; 

 second dorsal segment of the abdomen twice as long as the first. 

 Length 1-90-2-20 mm. 



Male : More slender, smaller and paler than the female ; first and 

 second joints of the antennae larger than the others, third to seventh 

 very minute, moniliform, eighth equal in length to the seven pre- 

 ceding ones, ninth nearly shorter by one-half, tenth a little longer 

 than the ninth, eleventh equal to the preceding and acuminate. 



Female : Thicker, larger and darker than the male ; antennae 

 thick, nearly one-third shorter than in the male, the first two joints 

 larger than the following ones, third longer, oblong, fourth to sixth 

 almost of equal size and slightly shorter than the third, seventh 

 nearly twice as long as the preceding one, eighth much smaller than 

 the sixth, the three apical ones the largest of all, clavate, ninth sub- 

 globose, tenth subquadrate, eleventh nearly twice as long as the 

 tenth, oblong, acuminate at tip. 



In this species the palpi are smaller than usual and the last two 

 joints ovate and transverse ; it resembles C. zanziharicus, Eaffr., but 

 it is smaller and lighter in colour ; the female is very unlike the male 

 being larger and darker. 



Hab. Cape Colony (Stellenbosch, Paarl), Natal (Frere, Escourt). 



