34 



both sexes of M. crassus and find that they present no notable 

 difference except in the last ventral segment, which is feebly 

 emar^inate in the male and pointed (very obtusely) in the female. 

 The present species also differs from crassus (apart from color) 

 by its larger size and the evidently stronger puncturation of its 

 prothorax. 

 Tasmania. 



MALACODERMI. 



LUCIOLA. 



L. Cowleyi, sp. nov. Oblonga ; supra nigra vel nigro-picea, pro- 



thorace (late) et elytris (magis anguste) ad latera testaceo- 



limbatis, scutello testaceo ; corpore subtus (capite excepto) 



pedibus antennis (his paullo infuscatis) palpisque testaceis ; 



segmento ventrali penultimo albo ; capite concavo crebre 



punctulato ; prothorace transversim quadrato, crebre punctu- 



lato, in medio longitudinaliter sulcato, antice in medio 



prominulo, lateribus sat late deplanatis, angulis anticis ob- 



tusis posticis rectis ; elytris crebre aspere punctulatis, sutura 



et costis nonnullis elevatis. Long., 2i — 2| 1.; lat., 1 1. 



Differs from L. flavicollis, Macl., by its smaller size, prothorax 



less narrowed behind and having the explanate sides wider, &c, 



from L. coarcticollis, Oliv., by smaller size, prothorax with sides 



much more explanate, lateral margins nearly straight, &c, from 



australis, Fab., by the blackish color of its prothorax (except the 



margins) and from L. Geslroi, Oliv., by the nearly straight sides 



of its prothorax, &c. 



N. Queensland ; sent by Mr. E. Cowley. 



TENEBRIONID^]. 

 axynaon (gen. nov. Meracanthidarum). 

 Caput planum verticale, in coxas anticas reclive; clypeus utrinque 

 supra antennarum basin sat gibbus ; palporum articulus 

 ultimus securiformis ; labrum modicum ; antennae corporis 

 dimidio longitudine sat sequales ; prothorax sat parvus, 

 fortiter convexus, sat gibbus, ad latera haud marginatus ; 

 scutellum transversum; elytra foveolato-striata ; pedes sat 

 graciles sat elongati, femoribus iuermibus, tibiis ad apicem 

 mucronibus binis armatis ; metasternum brevissimum. 

 *No Australian species of Meracanthides has been described 



*I have submitted an example of this insect to Mr. G. C. Champion, the 

 eminent specialist on the Heteromera, and he, with his accustomed 

 courtesy, has favored me with his opinion. He says " the insect is either 

 an aberrant Meracanthid or should form the type of a new group. Your 

 supposition regarding its affinities is quite correct. It differs from the 

 Meracanthides in precisely the same way that the Megacanthides differ 

 from the Amarygmides, viz., in the unarmed anterior femora. In some 

 respects, as regards the scutellum, &c, it is more like Psorodes than 

 Meracantha. " 



