1899.] tHTTOPHAGOtrS COLEOPTERA OF AEBICA. 36l 



entirely black, the basal joint elongate and slender, the second and 

 third joints short, equal, the following ones rather robust ; thorax 

 more than one-half broader than long, the lateral margins evenly 

 rounded, posterior margin nearly straight, the angles not produced, 

 the surface extremely finely and rather closely punctured, fulvous, 

 shining ; scutellum black ; elytra slightly wider at the base than 

 the thorax, parallel, fulvous, much more strongly and distinctly 

 punctured than the thorax, tl:e interstices slightly wrinkled or 

 rugose ; underside and the basal portion of all the femora piceous ; 

 tibiae and tarsi ilavous, the first tarsal joint of the posterior legs 

 as long as the following two joints iogether. 



Hah. Malvern, Natal (©. Marshall). 



Rather larger than M. cajjitatum Jac, and differing from that 

 species in the finely granulate head and the totally different shape 

 of the frontal elevations as well as in the sculptme of the elytra ; 

 the male has the last abdominal segment incised at each side, the 

 median lobe is smooth and slightly concave. 



Malacosoma geestaeckeki, sp. n. 



Below black or flavous, antennae (the basal joints excepted) 

 black ; thorax subquadrate, nearly impunctate ; elytra extremely 

 minutely and rather closely punctured. 



Length 3-4 millim. 



Xarrowly elongate ; the head impunctate, rather darker than the 

 other parts, the frontal elevations strongly transverse, the carina 

 linear, very distinct, the palpi piceous ; the antennae extending 

 beyond the middle of the elytra, slender, black, the lower three 

 or four joints flavous, the second and third joints of equal length, 

 one-half shorter than the following joint, the others of nearly the 

 same length ; thorax one-half broader than long, the lateral margins 

 rather distinctly rounded and produced at the middle, straight at the 

 base ; the disc with some extremely minute punctures, only visible 

 under a strong lens ; elytra broader at the base than the thorax, 

 parallel, extremely finely punctured in closely approached irregular 

 rows, the apex of each rounded ; underside and legs flavous, or 

 black with the last abdominal segment flavous only, the posterior 

 femora rather thickened ; all the tibiae mucrouate, the first joint of 

 the posterior tarsi as long as the following two joints together, 

 claws appendiculate, the presternum extremely narrow and convex 

 the anterior coxal cavities open. 



Bab. Frere, Estcourt, Malvern, Natal {G. Marshall). 



Smaller than M. capitatum ; the head fulvous not black, the 

 antennae with more slender joints and the thorax less transverse, 

 more elongate, the metatarsus of the posterior legs also distinctly 

 more elongate ; the underside varies from fulvous to black, the 

 last two segments of the abdomen being only of the former colour 

 in some specimens ; the male organ is very narrow and slender 

 and its apex only sUghtly pointed. The female is of more robust 

 and slightly larger shape, and the last abdominal segment has a 

 short and broad fovea at the apex. 



