( cvi ) 



Systematic Section, by K. Gr. Blair 



(Published by permission of the Trustees of the British 

 Museum.) 



A small collection of beetles belonging to the genus Mylabris 

 (fam. Melo'idae) has been referred to the British Museum for 

 determination by Prof. Poulton, to whom they were sent by 

 Mr. C. 0. Farquharson and Mr. W. A. Lamborn from Ibadan, 

 Southern Nigeria ; they were taken in some numbers feeding 

 upon the flowers of an experimental crop of ground-nuts 

 (Arachis). 



An examination of the series reveals the interesting fact 

 that it is an association of four distinct species, all, with 

 the exception of a very striking variety of one of them, 

 having a marked superficial resemblance (see Plate B). Two 

 of these species, Mylabris (Decapotojna)* affinis, Oliv., and 

 M. (Coryna) hermanniae, F., are well-known West African 

 insects, but the remaining two appear to be undescribed. 



The genus Mylabris contains a large number of species, 

 many of which are extremely variable in colour and in size. 

 Unfortunately they do not lend themselves at all well to 

 classification upon structural characters, so that for deter- 

 mination we have to rely almost entirely upon their scheme 

 of coloration, a state of things which makes the group notorious 

 for the difficulty of delimiting its species. 



The colour group to which Mr. Farquharson's collection 

 belongs is one of rather small species (10 mm. to 20 mm. in 

 length, with a medium of about 14 mm.), black, sometimes 

 with slight metallic reflections, the elytra being black with 

 fulvous markings disposed as follows : a basal dorsal longi- 

 tudinal band extending to J or ^ the length of the elytron, 

 and a marginal basal patch invisible from above; these are 

 followed by two transverse bands, more or less sinuous or 

 irregular, the first median or submedian, the second half-way 

 between it and the apex ; the black apical area may be intact 

 or may contain a fulvous spot. 



The following key will serve to distinguish the West African 

 species. 



* Proposed by Voight because Decatoma is preoccupied (Hymeno- 

 ptera). 



