1- n.io 



318. 

 MACROPLEA EQUISETI. 



Order Coleoptera. Fam. Crioceridse, JLat.^ Leach. 



Type of the Genus, Donacia Zosterse Fab. 



Macroplea Hoff., Sam. — Hsemonia Meg., Lat. — Rhagium ^ Donacia 

 Fab., Panz. 



AntenncE inserted in front of the face, approximating, as long as 

 the body, subfiliform, 1 1 -jointed, basal joint robust ovate, 2nd 

 and 3rd small, subglobose, 4th elongate-obovate, 5th and 6th 

 rather longer, the remainder sensibly longer and attenuated (6). 

 Labrum thin, somewhat semiorbicular and ciliated (1). 

 Mandibles small, semilunulate, being very convex externally and 

 acute at the apex, with a membranous margin below the middle, 

 above which there is a notch in one of them only (2). 

 MaxillcB small, terminated by a broad curved lobe, pubescent at 

 the extremity, a smaller and shorter lobe on the inside, pubes- 

 cent also. Palpi rather short and very robust, 4-jointed, basal 

 joint very short, 2nd and 3rd trapeziform, 4th much longer, sub- 

 ovate, slightly pilose on the inside (3). 



Mentum transverse, short, the sides rounded. Labium membra- 

 nous and semiovate. Palpi inserted upon 2 large fixed scapes, 

 short, very robust, and biarticulate, basal joint subtrigonate, 2nd 

 subovate, ciliated on the inside, the apex a little produced (4). 

 Head 7iarrower than the thorax, a little produced beneath. Eyes lateral, 

 small, orbicular and rather prominent. Thorax subquudrate, the 

 sides indented, the angles a little produced. Scutellum triangular., 

 Elytra elongate-ovate, mucronated at the apex. Wings ample. Legs 

 alike in both sexes, long, hinder thighs long, but not incrassaled. 

 Tibiae simple, the hinder pair the longest and crooked. Tarsi long, 

 4-jointed, \st and 2nd joints oblong, '3rd very small, somewhat cup- 

 shaped, 4th very long and clavate. Claws strong bent and acute (5). 



Equiseti Fab. Supp. p. 128. — Curtis's Guide, Genus 4\8. 2. 



Male shorter than the female. Smooth ochreous. Antennae 

 fuscous, the tips of each joint whitish, silvery-glaucous beneath. 

 Head black but hoary, the face concave, with a deep channel 

 between the eyes. Thorax with a ferruginous tint in the middle, 

 longer than broad, the posterior angles acuminated, a shallow 

 and uneven channel down the centre, and an oblong black ma- 

 cula on each side. Scutellum black. Elytra acutely mucronated 

 at the apex ; the suture and both sides of it (below the 1st punc- 

 tured stria which is abbreviated) black ; 5 double black rows of 

 large punctures on each, some of them uniting before the apex, 

 and not black at the extremity. Legs with a slight ferruginous 

 tinge, 1st and 2nd joints piceous on the back and apex, 3rd en- 

 tirely piceous, 4th piceous near the apex. Claws castaneous. 

 Underside silvery glaucous. 



In the Cabinets of the British Museum and Mr. Jenyns. 



