124 NEW SPECIES OF INDIAN PHYTOPHAGA 



elytra can only be jast perceived; there are nearly a dozend speci- 

 mens contained in this collection. 



SPH.ERODERMA BREVICORNIS n. sp. 



Fulvous or piceous, the antennae very short, the terminal joints 

 black, thorax very minutely punctured at the disc, the margins 

 impunctate, elytra more distinctly punctured, the punctures arran- 

 ged in closely approached rows. 



Var. Thorax fulvous, elytra piceous. 



Length 2 1/2-3 mill. 



Head impunctate, the eyes large and rather closely approached, 

 strongly obliquely grooved above, antennae extending to the base of 

 the elytra only, black, the lower three or four joints flavous, the 

 second to the fifth joints short and nearly equal, the terminal ones 

 thickened, thorax strongly transverse, the sides nearly straight, 

 obliquely narrowed anteriorly, extremely narrowly marginate, the 

 anterior margins obliquely thickened, the surface very finely punc- 

 tured towards the base, the margins nearly impunctate to a rather 

 large extend, elytra more strongly punctured in closely approached, 

 not very regular rows; underside and legs piceous or fulvous. 



Hab. Barway, Mandar, Bengal. 



There are now many small species of Sphceroderma known of 

 similar coloration and as variable, but the present one has the 

 antennae shorter than any with which I am acquainted, the thorax 

 which in most other species has a distinct margin at the sides is 

 here almost entirely without it; in other respect the species scar- 

 cely diflers from S. hirmanica Jac. and several others from the 

 Eastern regions, including S. pcdlidicornis Jac. which has entirely 

 flavous antennae, the anterior angles of the thorax not thickened 

 and the elytra more irregularly punctured. 



Sph^roderma flavoplagiata Jac. (Belgian Annals 1896). 



I find that I have already described another closely allied species 

 from Sumatra under a similar name (Genoa Annals 1896) and alter 

 it therefore to S. ornatipennis ; the last named species differs in its 

 very convex and posteriorly rather suddenly pointed shape, the 

 very large eyes, the very minute and at the base closely punctured 

 thorax, in the elytra having deeply and slightly geminate punctu- 

 red rows and finely punctured interstices and in the different shape 

 of the flavous patch which does not extend to either margins and is 

 narrowed at the sides. 



