BUPRESTI© GENUS ASTEAEUS. 109 



Long. 8 — 9 mm. , lat. 3 — 3| mm. 

 Habitat: Rockhampton. 



Shining, head and thorax brilliant golden-coppery, the latter 

 with the sides broadly golden-green and with a purple-black heart- 

 shaped patch on the disc before the median lobe; elytra black 

 with cyaneous or violaceous reflections, each with a large flavous 

 spot at the base, a broad fascia before the middle originating at 

 the shoulder and not quite reaching the suture, an other smaller 

 fascia below the middle also reaching the outer margin only , and 

 a spot midway between the band and the apex. Underside and 

 legs bright bluish-green, in the middle golden-green; tips of the 

 tibiae and two first joints of the tarsi testaceous. 



Head densely punctured, with an elevated median line in front; 

 hairy. Antennae very long, chiefly in the male sex. Prothorax 

 convex, sides rounded and rather strongly narrowed towards the 

 top, narrowly margined along the sides and the front, which is 

 slightly prominent in the middle; deeply and closely punctured, 

 with a faintly impressed line in the centre; hairy. Elytra gradually 

 narrowed towards the top, apices rather strongly divergent , suturai 

 and lateral spines long and acute , the humeral fold very long and 

 strongly acutely produced ; costate , interstices plain , slightly trans- 

 vei'sely wrinkled , each with a row of large shallow punctures. 

 Underneath coarsely punctured, somewhat more finely on the 

 abdomen; clothed with a delicate silvery pile. 



This species is nearly allied to the var. Masiersi Mc. L. of A. 

 Sammielli Saund., but differs by its smaller size, more brilliant 

 color of head and thorax , proportionately broader yellow markings 

 and much larger humeral fold. 



Variability. The spots before the apex disappear. 



Number of specimens examined: five, in coll. Oberthür and 

 van de Poll. 



