THE ENTOMOLOGIST 



Vol. XXXIX.] FEBRUARY, 1906. [No. 513. 



DESCRIPTION OF ANOTHER NEW SPECIES OF 

 .ESERNIA (COLEOPT. CHRYSOMELIN.E) FROM 

 NEW GUINEA. 



By Martin Jacoby. 



Since the publication of the descriptions of several new 

 species of .-Esernia {ante, p. 1), I have received several speci- 

 mens of another handsome species, of which I here give the 

 description. 



jEsernia gestroi, sp. n. 



Obscure blackish-green ; the sides of the thorax strongly rugose, 

 with a single fovea near the base ; elytra foveolate punctate-striate 

 anteriorly, the interstices longitudinally costate, with a broad fulvous 

 transverse baud below the middle, the apex closely and finely punc- 

 tured. Length, 17-20 mm. 



Head impunctate, deeply depressed between eyes, antennje bluish- 

 black, slender; thorax twice as broad as long, the sides nearly straight, 

 very slightly narrowed at the base, the anterior margin concave, the 

 angles pointed, the disc with a narrow central longitudinal groove, the 

 sides irregularly and deeply foveolate-rugose, with a single larger fovea 

 in front of the other rugosities ; elytra with the greatest elevation near 

 the base, each with about ten highly raised costae, these are followed 

 by a broad dark fulvous transverse band ; the interstices between the 

 costfe impressed with deep irregular punctures, often confluent and 

 forming elongate fovefe, the fulvous band is narrowed to a slight 

 degree near the suture and impressed with a few punctures, but the 

 apical portion is closely and more strongly punctured. Body beneath 

 and legs bluish-black. 



Hah. Babooni, British New Guinea. 



More nearly allied to ^E. formosa, Gestro, than any other 

 species, but of a more dull greenish colour, the elytral inter- 

 stices much more deeply and confluently foveolate-punctate. 

 Dr. Gestro says nothing of any elytral costge, so prominently 

 marked in the present species, and describes his insect as having 

 simply, strongly, striate-punctate elytra. I cannot therefore 



ENTOM. — FEBRUARY, 1906. D 



