PSBLAFHINI 93 



Group PSKLAPHINI. 



3402. Pselaphus pilifrons sp. nov. Pselaphus Herbst, Gen. Ins. (Wytsm.), 

 Pselaphidae, p. 304. 



Subdepiessed, interruptedly attenuate anteriorly, shining; castaneo- 

 rufous, the tarsi, palpi, and terminal joint of the antennae f ulvescent ; 

 pubescence yellow, somewhat curled, rather scanty, closer on the elevated 

 parts of the head than elsewhere, triseriate on each elytron, moderately 

 thick on the legs. 



Head narrowed behind, the neck large and smooth; widest in 

 line with the large prominent eyes, its frontal portion parallel-sided; 

 antennal elevations horizontal, and extending backwards as far as the 

 front of the eyes; the frontal channel smooth, deep, narrow, expanded 

 and terminating between the eyes; the occiput distinctly con- 

 vex. Thorax convex, obtusely dilated at the middle, hardly longer 

 than broad, its base depressed, with duplicate, linear, transverse 

 impressions; the lateral foveae single at one side, double at the other, 

 the former no doubt being the natural condition. Elytra as wide as 

 thorax at the base, gradually expanded posteriorly, their length scarcely 

 exceeding the breadth, with straight but not densely fringed apices; 

 sutural striae well marked, deep and foveifoini at the base, as is the 

 dorsal stria on each, which though fine is definite and not abbreviated; 

 between the striae there are some fine punctures. Hind-body quite as 

 broad as the elytra, its basal segment horizontal and quite as long as 

 all the others, with very few fine hairs. 



Femora medially clavate; posterior tibiae somewhat curvedly dilated 

 externally near the extremity; penultimate tarsal joint moderately 

 thick. 



Maxillary palpi elongate, but not very slender ; 2nd and 4th joints 

 flexuous, the terminal clavate portion of the latter nearly half of its 

 whole length; 3rd strongly transverse. 



Antennae as long as the head and thorax, finely pubescent; basal 

 joint .stout and cylindric, not twice the length of the oblong 2nd; 

 joints 3-8 nearly equal, evidently longer than broad, 8th only slightly 

 smaller than 7th ; 9th fully as long, but hardly as broad as the obconical 

 10th; the terminal large, oviform, but obliquely narrowed at one side. 



Underside sparingly clothed with slender yellow hairs, but the basal 

 ventral segment and the spaces near the front and middle coxae are 

 densely covered witli coarser grey pubescence. Head obliquely grooved 

 from the front of each eye towards the back, the intervening space 

 smooth and convex; 2nd ventral segment larger than all the following 

 ones; 5th strongly incurved behind, so as to be scarcely visible in the 

 middle; .6th moderately developed. 



In P. m.eliusculus, 1868, the head is bifoveate between the eyes, and 

 there is a slender median groove behind. The dorsal striae of the 

 elytra are abbreviated. The 3rd joint of the maxillary palpi is not at 

 all transverse, being as long as it is broad and subobconical. 



In Dr. Sharp's description of P. 'pauper, 226, there is no allusion 

 to the legs or palpi, but the hind-body is described as being " rather 

 densely set with very fine depressed hairs," and " the base of the thorax 

 behind the deep curved impression is shining." It must, therefore, be 

 different from P. jyilifron.^. 



Length, quite 2|^ mm. ; breadth, f mm. 



Tisbury, Invorcargill. One, from Mr. A. Philpott. 



