MELINOBITTS. 



269 



spots and a central line paler than rest of disc. Scutelluin small, 

 triangular, edged with piceous. Elytra strongly punctate-striate, 

 the punctures piceous, interstices closely and very finely punctured. 

 Pygidium closely punctured ; legs robust ; prosternuni elongate, 

 narrowed in front, longitudinally sulcate. In the female the head 

 is entirely flavous. 



Length 1 mm. 



Hub. Malabar. 



Probably allied to Cr. atricillus, Suffr., but scarcely typical 

 Cryptoceplialus, and better placed in Melixanthus. 



Genus MELINOBIUS, nov. 



Type, M. longipes, Jac., from Tenasserim. 



Range. Tenasserim. 



Elongate, parallel-sided and subcylindrical. Antennae very long 

 and slender. Thorax subconical, narrowed anteriorly, sides 

 straight, surface with oblique depression on each side near base. 

 Scutelluin narrowly elongate. Elytra elongate, punctate-striate. 

 Legs elongate and slender ; first joint of posterior tarsi longer than 



Fig. 106. Melinobius longipes. 



the following joints united, claws simple. Prosternum longer 

 than broad, its posterior margin nearly truncale; mesosterrium 

 concave. 



This genus has an entirely different aspect from the rest of the 

 Indian Cryptocephalince. It is more elongate and slender in shape, 

 the legs are also longer than in any other genus, and the claws 

 simple ; the whole appearance of the insect recalls some Australian 

 forms and cannot be mistaken for any other Indian form. The 

 length of the metatarsus of the posterior legs is greater than in 

 any genera of the present subfamily. 



