On South-African Species oj Meljris, Fahr. 353 



XXXII. — Further Notes on various South-African Species of 

 Melyiis, Fahr. [Coleoptera]. By Gr. C. CHAMPION. 



Since the publication of my " Notes on the African and 

 Asiatic Species oi Melyris, Fabr." [Ann. & M ig. Nat. Hist. 

 (9) iv. (Oet. and Nov. 1919)], I have been able, through the 

 kindness of Dr. L. Peringuey and Dr. Y. Sjostedt respectively, 

 to see the type of AI. limbata, Pering., and types or co-types 

 of the four species named or described by Boheman. The 

 result of this examination shows that my interpretation of 

 these authors' descriptions was incorrect in several cases, and 

 the following emendations to the synonymy are required : — 



M. rufomarginata (Dej. Cat.), Champ. (No. 4, p. 164) = 

 M. limbata^ Peringuey, whose name will have to be 

 adopted, that of Dejean being a nomen nudum. 



M. jmbescens, Oliv. (No. 5, p. 164). — This is the species 

 named and described by Boheman as M. lineata, F. 

 Whether Boheman had correctly ideiititiod the Fabrician 

 insect it is impossible to say without comparing his 

 Caffrariau specimens with the type. In any case, 

 Olivier's name (1790) has tw© years' priority. 



J/, linea'a, F. (No. 6, p. 165) = i/. sulcicollis, Boh. Several 

 ? ? were doubtfully referred by me to M. lineata, F. 

 I have since seen a ? from Reenen, Natal {Mus. Dur- 

 ban), and a (J from Grahamstown {coll. Pic) of the same 

 species ; this latter has ventral segment 5 deeply 

 arcuate-emarginate at the apex and arcuately excavate 

 above, and 6 lobed on each side at the tip. 



M. natalensis, Boh. (No. 12, p. 170). — This species was 

 wrongly identified from the description. The type, ($ , 

 except in colour, is very like M. violacea, Champ. 

 (No. 10), differing from it in having the prothorax more 

 lounded at the side and its surface strongly tuberculate 

 between the reticulations. The <$ terminal ventral 

 segments are similarly formed in these two insects. 



M. sulcicollis. Boh. (No. 13, p. 170) = M. lineata (F.), 

 Champ. Fortunately the Dejean Catalogue name 

 J/, interstitialis is available for the Common Transvaal 

 and Natal insect incorrectly referred by me, with a 

 var. varipes, to AI. sidcicollis. It is recognizable by the 

 closely, finely punctured elytral interstices. My so- 

 called M. natalensis, Boh., is connected with it by inter- 

 mediate forms, and it is perhaps best treated as an 

 Ann. <& Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 9. Vol viii. 23 



