THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



No. 26.] MARCH, MDCCCLXVI. [Price 6d. 



Observations on the Genus Anaspis, Geoff. 

 By G. R. Crotch, Esq. 



Few persons can have long commenced the study of Co- 

 leoptera without being struck by the singular abundance, in 

 flowers, of the little insects forming this homogeneous group, 

 and at the same time the great variation to which some of 

 them are subject. This has led to the description of innu- 

 merable varieties. Stephens, in his ' Manual,' enumerates 

 eighteen species, which Mr. Waterhouse has reduced to six, 

 adding at the same time another. I have now to add one 

 more to the list, making eight in all, and to call attention to 

 ^the characters which distinguish the species, at the same 

 time pointing out one or two others not unlikely to occur in 

 this country. For all minute details it will be necessary to 

 consult Mulsant's ' Coleopteres de France, Longipedes,' 1856. 

 The species may be roughly divided by their colouring as 

 follows ; — 



A 1. Elytra and thorax black. Frontalis, rufilabris, mo- 



nl.licornis, pulicaria. 

 A 2. Elytra black ; thorax red. Thoracica, ruficollis. 

 A 3. Elytra black, spotted with yellow. Fasciata. 

 A 4. Elytra ochreous, sometimes with dark spots. Flava^ 



arctica, subtestacea, melanopa. 



1. A. frontalis, L., Muls. 1^ — 2 lines. Black ; front of 

 the head, base of antenna?, femora and anterior tibiaj yellow. 

 Appendices of the male elongate, curved at their apex ; fifth 

 ventral segment foveolate. Very common in all flowers from 

 May to July. 



2. A. pulicaria, Costa, 1853 (forcipata, MwZs. 1856). l|- 

 — If line. Black ; mouth and anterior legs yellow. Antennae 

 with the joints elongate. Appendices of the male elongate- 

 linear, reaching beyond the fifth segment, which is bilobed. 



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