184 ALLOCHEOMA. 



2. Allochroma coccineum. 



A. oblongo-ovatwn, latum, robustum^mpubescenSjpunctato-striatum, 

 pallide rufum, glabrum ; capite brevi, Tiaud producto, inter oculos 

 oblique foveolato, impunctato ; thoraee transverse, ante submar- 

 ginato, apud angulos posticos obsolete depresso ; elytris latis, 

 striato-punctatis, ante medium transverse depressis ; antennis ro- 

 bustis, JiUformibus, ad apicem subtiliter incrassatis, rufo-fuscis, 

 art. 6-11 fuscis ; pedibus anterioribus nigro-fuscis, postids rufis. 



Long. corp. 2^ lin., lat. 1^- lin. 



Oblong-ovate, broad, robust, impubescent ; punctate-striate, of a 

 pale rufous colour throughout, glabrous. Head short, transverse, not 

 produced in front ; above the labrum is a transverse plane ; above 

 the base of the antennae and between the eyes is a distinct and sub- 

 circular groove, which extends obliquely upwards towards the upper 

 margin of the eyes ; the surface impunctate : eyes large and prominent, 

 situated at the base of the head, but not extending laterally as far as 

 the anterior angles of the thorax. Thorax transverse, broader than 

 the head ; the anterior margin slightly emarginate ; the anterior 

 angles depressed and subacute ; the sides marginate ; the posterior 

 angles subacute ; the surface is equate, without any transverse basal 

 depression ; two very obsolete impressions are situated submedially 

 in the direction of the posterior angles. Scutellum triangular, large, 

 rounded at the apex, impunctate. Elytra broader than the thorax, 

 robust, slightly attenuated towards the apex, with punctures arranged 

 in the form of striae ; a broad and shallow depression extends trans- 

 versely a little above the middle, which gives an appearance of pro- 

 minence to the base; at the sixth stria from the suture a short 

 longitudinal depression (close to the shoulder) gives distinctness to 

 the humeral angle. Antennae, robust, filiform, with a slight tendency 

 to dilatation at the apex ; rufo -fuscous, the sixth to the tenth joints 

 being fuscous. Legs: the anterior darkly fuscous; the posterior 

 rufous throughout. 



Brazil. Taken by Mr. Fry, and also by my friend Mr. Gray and 

 myself, in the neighbourhood of Rio Janeiro. 



This species is subject to slight variation in colour, some examples 

 being of a brighter crimson hue than others : in one example in 

 Mr. Fry's collection the posterior legs are black, and the antennae 

 more distinctly incrassated and of a deep black colour throughout. 



In figure and general appearance, as well as in size, this species 

 approaches closely to Altica chlorotica, Oliv. (vol. vi. p. 690, spe- 

 cies 57, plate 2. fig. 37) ; it wants, however, the transverse postical 

 line on the thorax, and appears to be deeper in colour than Olivier's 

 species. 



