76 Mr. S. Maulik on Epistictia reicheana, GuSrin. 



remarked that, after examining ten examples in the collection 

 of the British Museum, I find that (1) the colour of the 

 insect varies from dark red to light brown, (2) twelve green 

 spots or patches are always present on each elytron. Reicheana 

 is very dark red and has twelve green spots on each elytron 

 at identical positions ; the dark background almost obscures 

 the green spots. As there is no structural difference, one 

 cannot help the conclusion that they are the same species. 

 Boheman's species selecta must therefore be a synonym of 

 Guenn's reicheana, the latter having the priority. 



Epistictia reicheana, from a co-type in the British Museum. 

 Antenna — E. selecta. 



There are four examples in the British Museum from 

 Ceylon which Boheman has called matronula. They are 

 exactly the same as selecta, but only lighter in colour ; the 

 number and position of the green spots on the elytra are the 

 same, but they stand out in bold outlines because of the 

 lighter background. This circumstance may lead one to 

 think, at first sight, that it is a different species. I am 

 inclined to the view that it is only a Ceylonese variety, the 

 dark variety generally occurring in Northern India. I 

 therefore regard matronula as a lighter variety of reicheana. 

 An illustration of reicheana is added. 



I thank Dr. Gahan for reading this note. 



