srjsipiEzoMiAS. 159 



Genus SYMPIEZOMIAS. 



Sympiezomias, Faust, liorae Soc. Ent. lioss. 1887, p. o. 

 Fiazumius (part.), Lacordaire, Gen. Coleopt. vi, 1863, p. HO. 



Type, Brachyasjnstes velatus, Chev. (China). 



Head with the eyes lateral, broadly oval and moderately pro- 

 niineut, the forehead not or but slightly narrower than the base 

 •of the rostrum. Rostrum longer than the head, about as long as 

 broad (except in the type and a few other species, in which it is 

 longer), not or very shallowly emarginate at the apex, always with 

 a central furrow and also a lateral furrow bordered on eacli side 

 by a carina ; the scrobes sublinear and nearly always curving 

 downwards at some distance from the eye. Antennce with the 

 scape hardly exceeding the middle of the eye, cylindrical, slender 

 at the base, rather abruptly clavate and cuiwing slightly forwards 

 when erect ; the funicle with the two basal joints more elongate 

 and subequal (except in ^. l-raatzi and 8. cuprescens), joints 3-6 

 subequal and generaly bead-like, 7 rather longer, broader and sub- 

 conical, the club ovate and distinctly 4-jointed. Prothorax trun- 

 cate at base and apex, the basal margin narrowly raised, tlie sides 

 rounded, the apex narrower than the base, the gular margin 

 narrowly sinuate, the coxiie either separated or contiguous and 

 much nearer the front edge of the prosternun:!. Scutelhim pre- 

 sent, but small. Elytra ovate, narrowly marginate at the base, 

 without true shoulders, but often with a humeral fold or ridge, 

 the lateral margin shallowly sinuate above the hind coxa3, but 

 without a distinct excision to receive the head of the metasterual 

 episternum, though traces of this may be seen in S. acutipenyds 

 and S. 2)rasinus. /S'^ernt<?H with the mesosternal epimera narrow, 

 much smaller than the episterna and not separating them from 

 the base of the elytra ; the metasternum as long as or slightly 

 shorter than the median coxje, the episterna narrow, the epi- 

 sternal suture distinct throughout; the hind coxse not reaching 

 the elytra. Venter with the intercoxal process rounded or sub- 

 truncate, segment 2 equal to or longer than 3-|-4. Legs of 

 variable length, the femora clavate, the front pair slightly thicker 

 than the others ; the front tibiae longer than the rest, strongly 

 curved, denticulate internally and with a sharp apical spine 

 directed inwards at right angles ; the median pair straight, pro- 

 duced internally at the apex and having there a short slender 

 spine ; the hind pair straight and not ])roduced internally at the 

 apex, the corbels enclosed and slightly ascending the dorsal edo-e. 



Range. India, Burma, Malay States, Siam, China and Japan. 



This genus forms one of the links which unite the flying 

 Tantmecides with the group in which functional wings are 

 absent. Jb'or many of the species possess a humeral fold or false 

 shoulder, giving them a close resemblance to the smaller species 



