148 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OP 

 THE SUBFAMILY CLYTRINI (PHYTOPHAGOUS 

 COLEOPTERA) FEOM AUSTRALIA. 



By Martin Jacoby, F.E.S. 



Leasia, gen. n. 

 Elongate, parallel ; head very broad, without distinct epistome ; 

 eyes oblong, rather small, entire ; mandibles broad and robust, strongly 

 pointed ; antennae with second and following joints submoniliform, 

 gradually widened, terminal joints slightly broader than long. Thorax 

 transverse, more than twice as broad as long, sides nearly straight. 

 Scutellum ovate. Elytra punctate-striate, with rows of fine hairs. 

 Legs short and robust, tarsi short, the first joint slightly longer than 

 the second, claws simple. Prosternum very narrow and elongate. 



This is the second genus and third species of the subfamily 

 Clytrini known from Australia. It forms part of the group Megalo- 

 stomae of Lacordaire, and bears a close resemblance to the South 

 American genus Megalostomis, from which it differs in the shape 

 of the head, which forms a single frontal surface without the 

 slightest depression ; the antennae, instead of being serrate as in 

 Megalostomis, are simply thickened. An enormous contrast is 

 presented hy the extraordinary small size of the insect, being 

 one of the smallest, if not the smallest, of all the Clytrini ; while, 

 on the other hand, Megalostomis is represented by insects of the 

 largest size of that group. 



The species has been sent to me by Mr. A. Lea, the curator 

 of the Entomological Department of Hobart Town, who has 

 lately contributed a valuable monograph of the Australian 

 Cryptocephalini, and after whom I have named this genus. 



Leasia australis, sp. n. 



Black ; antennae, tibiae, and tarsi more or less fulvous. Thorax 

 impunctate, opaque ; elytra more shining, minutely punctate-striate, 

 with rows of fine pubescence. Length, 2 mm. 



Hob. Karridale, North Australia. 



Head impunctate, opaque, anterior edge of clypeus trisinuate, 

 labrum fulvous, mandibles robust ; antennae extending to base of 

 thorax, fulvous, sixth and following joints widened but not serrate. 

 Thorax more than twice as broad as long, sides nearly straight, very 

 narrowly margined, median lobe of basal margin scarcely produced, 

 surface black and opaque like head, with some minute widely dispersed 

 punctures. Elytra with very fine and closely arranged rows of punc- 

 tures, and extremely fine and short hairs likewise arranged in rows 

 (only visible in well-preserved specimens) ; legs and tarsi sometimes 

 more or less fulvous. 



Male. — Head and thorax very broad, mandibles robust. 



Female. — Head much narrower, mandibles very small. 



