eee en ee ee ot. ae r* - 1 
a SHAS ye i, 4 td rs , 
ey es ; 
Pa. seo } . f \ 
6 cree E 
& 
IX. A Last of the Erotylid Coleoptera of Indo-China, with 
descriptions of new species. By Grupert J. ARRow, 
FLEAS, ZS. 
[Read June Ist, 1921.] 
Amonast the large collections of insects, chiefly from the 
banks of the Upper Mekong River, made in the course 
of the last few years by Mr. R. Vitalis de Salvaza, the 
Krotylidae are very numerous. The conspicuous colour- 
ing and habit of exposing themselves characteristic of the 
members of this family make them an especially easy 
prey to the collector, who is not, like other enemies, repelled 
by their unpalatable quality. Many species were taken in 
large numbers by Mr. Vitalis and, as a result of his exertions, 
the number of those recorded from Indo-China is now 
considerably more than doubled. Of the total number of 
49 species now known from the region, only four or five 
of which were not found by him, no less than 23 are in my 
opinion new to science. The total number of species 
enumerated by Gorham in 1896 from the adjacent region of 
Burma was 33. 
The bright black and red or yellow patterns so general 
in this group are liable to mislead if relied upon for the 
discrimination of the species, for series of specimens 
apparently identical in pattern, as well as in size and shape, 
may prove upon a microscopic examination to belong to 
many species and even genera. Standardisation in out- 
ward appearance has evidently been acquired, by reason 
of the advantage afforded by the readier recognition of 
their unpalatability by potential enemies. Deceived in this 
way, Mr. Gorham, in the paper just referred to, actually 
associated, under the name LHpiscaphula elongata, six 
different species, none of them really belonging to EH pi- 
scaphula elongata. Two of the six are here described, as 
Megalodacne major and affinis. 
PHONODACNE, new genus. 
Moderately elongate, smooth and shining. Head with a pair 
of stridulatory files placed far back upon the vertex and normally 
concealed entirely within the cavity of the pronotum. Eyes 
moderately large. Antennae with the third joint markedly longer 
than the fourth and the club elongate and closely articulated. 
TRANS. ENT. SOC. LOND. 1921.—PARTS II, Iv. (JAN. ’22) U 
