Moiclelliila3 of the Fiji Jslands. oO? 



legs rufo-fulvous. Head sliglitly emarjijiiiiite l)eliiu(l, covered 

 with iishy-grey pubescence ; protliorax as long as wide, 

 with variegated black and ashy-grey pui)escence, the black 

 forming a large patch in each of the aiigl(;s and two median 

 j)airs ot" dart-like marks, witd point directed backwards, the 

 anterior pair ijclore the mi(Ulle smaller llian the posterior 

 pair; elytra fulvous with suture narrowly and ape\ broadly 

 l)lack, a large black patch behind the scutellum and two 

 lateral patches on each nearly meeting the sutural streak 

 also black ; the [)ubescence on the blac^k parts is black, that 

 on the f idvous p.ii'ts mostly silvery grey, but in parts, e. g. a 

 streak from the anterior lateral dark patch to the base, and 

 also between the posterior latiM-al dark p:itch and the suture, 

 is also black. Style slender, fuscous, about three times as 

 long as hypopyginra. Posterior tibiae fulvous at base, with 

 two short comb-ridges near apex, and a third long strongly 

 detined ridge running from the middle of the posterior eiV^e 

 across the outer face almost to the base ; the tarsal ridges 

 3.2.1, are very short and indistinct. 



Length 2 mm. without f2^mm. with) style. 



1 ex., Loliti, 18. ix. 21 {IV. Greenwood). 



A very distinct little species, the pattern of the thorax is 

 very characteristic, and the incomplete coincidence between 

 the colour-pattern of the derm of the elytra and that of the 

 pubescence is very striking. 



Murdellislena dudunea, Montrouzier. 



Montrouzifr, Aim. Soc. Eiit. Fiance, (8) viii. 1860, p. 306 {Mordella) ; 

 rairmaire, op. cit. (0) i. 1681, p. 280 {Mordella). 



Described originally from New Caledouia, this species Avas 

 subsequently recorded by Fairniaire from the Fiji Islands. 

 A series of eleven rufo-testaccous specimens from the Fijis 

 now before me appears to be divisible into three very 

 similar species, the largest of which appears to be identical 

 with a series from New Caledonia, with wliich I identify 

 Mordella dodonece. The posterior tibiui, however, and tarsal 

 joints, bear very distinct comb-ridges, so that if this 

 identification is correct the species must be referred to 

 Murdcllisttna. 



On the tibiie are four short ridges, sometimes with traces 

 of a fifth, uppermost, ridge, all roughly parallel with the 

 apex, none of them reaching halfway across the outer face 

 of the tibuc ; the tarsal ridges are -1.2.2; the tibial spurs 

 arc unequal, the inner one about twice as long as the outer 



