CANARIAN COLEOPTERA. 325 



from which it differs, mainly, in its antennae and (regularly sulcated) 

 rostrum being longer ; in its prothorax being smaller, narrower, 

 squarish cylindric, simple at the base (or unsinuated), and deeply 

 grooved above with numerous longitudinal more or less flexuose sulci 

 (which are consequently separated inter se by more or less curved 

 and elevated plicce) ; by its scutellum being more conspicuous ; by 

 its elytra being almost parallel at the sides, with their shoulders sub- 

 porrect (though obtuse), and with their alternate interstices obscurely 

 raised ; and by its claws being distant at their base, and free, instead 

 of apiiroximated and soldered. M. Duval has redescribed it under 

 the name of Dlastoclielus. 



512. Ehytidoderes siculus, 



Cleonis plicata, Bridle [nee Oliv.'], in Webb et Berth. (Col.) 72 (1838). 

 Cleonus sicidus (Dupont), Schon., Oen. et Spec. Cure. vi. 61 (1842). 



plicatus, Woll, Ins. Mad. 401 (1854). 



, Id., Cat. Mad. Col. 119 (1857). 



Cleonis plicata, Hartuny, Genloc/. Verhaltn. Lanz. und Fuert. 141. 



Habitat in Lanzarota, Fuerteventura, Canaria et Hierro, rarissimus. 



The present insect is very nearly allied to the R. plicatus of southern 

 Europe, of which I had formerly regarded it as a mere geographical 

 state ; but, upon a closer inspection, it ajipears to me now to be truly 

 distinct ; and the more so since both the Canarian and Madeiran 

 individuals agree in every respect with those from Sicily, — which at 

 any rate indicates that it cannot be a local phasis peculiar to the last 

 of those countries. It differs from the plicatus in being altogether a 

 trifle narrower ; in its prothorax having the outer sulci not quite so 

 elevated and the two inner ones more strongly biflexuose (being bent 

 inwards not merely posteriorly but also in front, somewhat after the 

 fashion of a figure of 8) and wider apart, particularly behind (where 

 the included space is obsoletely keeled) ; and by its elytra having the 

 punctures of their strite more numerous and considerably smaller (a 

 fact which is very evident when the scales are removed), and their 

 alternate interstices less conspicuously raised. Its rostrum, also, is 

 just perceptibly slenderer. 



The R. siculus is rare at the Canaries, though widely spread over 

 the archipelago — where it will almost certainly be found to be uni- 

 versal. I have taken it in Grand Canary and Hierro, and it was 

 found by the Rev. E. T. Lowe in Fuerteventura (from whence also it 

 was obtained by the Barao do Castello de Paiva) and by M. Hartung 

 in Lanzarote. In the Madeiran Group (though wrongly recorded by 

 me as the plicatus) it is universal— occurring, sparingly, in Madeii'^, 

 proper, Porto Santo, and on the Desertas. 



