OP NEW ZEALAND. 1111 



Ceratognathus. 



1969. C. disparts. (Sharp; Trans. Ent. Soc., 1882, Part i., 

 p. 82.) Parvus, subdepressus, opacus, niger, supra fortiter parum 

 profunde punctatus, squamulis sordidis parce vestitus, antennarum 

 basi rufo-obscuro. 



Long., 6^--8mm. 



Mas. Mandibulis parum elongatis, spatio aperto magno in- 

 claudentibus, versus apicem triacuminatis ; antennarum clava sat 

 elongata. 



Fern. Capita angustissime exserto ; antennarum clava perbrevi. 



This is a curious species, and the sexes are very unlike, even as 

 regards colour, sculpture, and clothing. 



In the male the head is about half the width of the thorax, its 

 anterior angles very prominent, the mandibles not quite so long as 

 the head, and curved so as only to come into contact with one 

 another at the tips, and so appearing from above to enclose a com- 

 paratively large vacant space ; the upper surface of the head bears 

 coarse round punctures, and some erect hairs or scales ; these are 

 most conspicuous behind the eyes. The maxillary palpi are elongate. 

 The thorax possesses numerous distinct punctures nearly evenly 

 distributed on its surface, except that they are wanting on a line 

 along the middle ; and it has also some pale depressed clay-coloured 

 scales. The elytra are sculptured like the thorax with distinct dis- 

 tant punctures, and bear a few clay-coloured scales, distributed in 

 an irregular manner, and also some dark scales, easily overlooked in 

 consequence of their similarity to the ground-colour. The club of 

 the antenna is in this sex nearly as long as the rest of the antenna. 

 The female has the head very narrow, narrower in front than at the 

 neck, the eyes very small, the mandibles short but porrect, the 

 maxillary palpi yellow, shorter and thicker than in the male. The 

 surface of the head is coarsely and closely punctate, and bears rather 

 numerous ashy-coloured setae or scales. The thorax is also rather 

 coarsely and closely punctate, and bears numerous elongate, narrow, 

 ashy- coloured scales ; the sculpture and clothing of the elytra are 

 similar to those of the thorax. In this set (to judge from a single 

 individual) the colour of the legs and antennae is paler than in the 

 male. 



This curious little Lucanid cannot properly be placed in Mito- 

 phyllus, of which it has the legs, or in Ceratognathus, with which it 

 agrees in some other points ; but, as there are, no doubt, other species 

 to be discovered in New Zealand, and as the limits of the genera of 

 ^Esalides are difficult to determine, it had better remain at present 

 in Ceratognathus. Ceratognathus albo-guttatus, Bates, still, I believe, 

 unique in collections, is probably an allied species. 



Mitophyllus. . 



1970. M. tuberculatllSj n.s. Oblong, opaque, smoky-black, 

 legs rufo-piceous ; covered witn black, grey, and greyish-yellow de- 

 pressed scales, those on elytra minute, about one-half the size of 

 those on the sides of the thorax. 



