566 FAUNA HAWAIIENSIS 



DiESTOTA, Muls. and Rey. 



Dicstota Muls. and Rey, Opusc. ent. xiv. 1870, p. 194. 



This genus was founded for an insect found but very rarely on cistus flowers in the 

 south of France. Fauvel has since identified the species with the previously described 

 Bolitochara testacea Kraatz from Ceylon, and he has also informed me that our Hawaiian 

 Bolitochara iinpacta is again the same species. A few other species have been added 

 to the genus by myself. They are from Central and S. America. 



Diestota is probably the most numerous in species of all the genera of Hawaiian 

 Staphylinidae, and it is likewise a very difficult one. I recommend the student to pay 

 particular attention to the sculpture of the head which in many cases is very greatly 

 developed, while in others it is quite obsolete. A few species are more or less inter- 

 mediate. For the purposes of a table the following three divisions may be of some use. 



1. Elongate species, without transverse joints to the antennae and about 5 mm. 



long species 1 — 3. 



2. Smaller insects, from i| to 4 mm. long. 



a. Head coarsely punctured species 4 — 17. 



b. Head obsoletely punctured species 18 — 29. 



Group 1. Elongate species very like large species of Athcta. 



( I ) Diestota athetifor7}iis, sp. nov. 



Nigricans, pedibus fusco-testaceis, supra deplanata, capite thoraceque opacis 

 omnium subtilissime granuloso-punctatis ; elytris densius minus subtiliter granuloso 

 punctatis ; abdomine nitido, parce punctato. Long. 5 mm. 



Very like Eudiestota grandis. Antennae with the penultimate joints distinctly 

 transverse. Head very dull, with a minute fovea on the middle. Thorax strongly 

 transverse, distinctly narrowed behind, very dull, broadly flattened along the middle and 

 very slightly depressed there. Elytra a good deal broader and longer than the thorax, 

 and much more distinctly sculptured. Male, last ventral plate obsoletely granulate, 

 slightly emarginate behind, with the margin serrate with seven very short serrations 

 and a slightly longer one on each side. One specimen. 



Hab. Lanai, 2000 ft. 1894 (no. 83, Perkins). 



(2) Diestota ciirrax, sp. nov. 



Fusco-nigra, antennarum basi palpisque fusco-testaceis, pedibus testaceis ; capite, 

 thorace elytrisque opacis, capite thoraceque parcissime subtilissimeque granuloso-punc- 

 tatis, elytris subtiliter dense ruguloso-punctatis ; abdomine nitido, parce punctato. 

 Long. 5^ mm. 



This is very like a large Atketa ; it is larger and broader than D. athetiformis, has 



