CRIOCEKIDiE. MACROPLEA. 277 



Genus CCCLXXXVII. — Macroplea, Hofmann. 



Antennce elongate, basal joint robust, ovate; two following short, subglobose; 

 fourth elongate obconic ; two following rather longer ; the remainder gradu- 

 ally longer and more slender, especially the apical one, which is slightly acute. 

 Palpi short, stout, terminal joint subovate: head rather small: ei/es pro- 

 minent, globose : thorax elongate-subquadrate, the lateral margins sinuated, 

 the angles acute : elytra elongate-ovate, with a spine or mucro at the apex : 

 legs slender, posterior the longest : tibiw simple, the hinder pair more or less 

 flexuous : tarsi long, basal joints short, terminal very long. 



This singular genus is not only distinguished from Donaeia by- 

 being destitute of metallic colours, but by having the second and 

 third joints of the antennse very short, the elytra mucronated, or 

 spinose, at the apex, the legs long and slender, with, the hinder 

 tibise more or less flexuous, and the tarsi with the basal joints short 

 and the terminal one Very long, the penultimate minute : — they 

 frequent aquatic plants : and it is probable that one species alone 

 hos hitherto been detected in Britain, 



Sp. 1. Zosterae. Nigra, ore, thorace elytrisque Jlavo-testaceis, elytris convexis, 

 angulo apicis externa spinuloso, interna rotundata, pedibus Jlavis , tarsis fusco- 

 annulatis. (Long. corp. 2| — 4 lin.) 



Do. Zosterae. /^a^Hcm*.— Ma. Zosterae. Steph. Cate/. 209. iVo. 2117.— Ma. 

 Equiseti. Curtis, vii. pi. 3 1 8. 



Black : mouth, thorax, and elytra testaceous-yellow : thorax slightly rufescent, 

 generally with two elongate black spots, one on each side of an irregular dorsal 

 channel : elytra convex, punctate-striate, the striae disposed in pairs, and the 

 punctures of the anterior ones generally black, — though in some cases all are 

 of that hue, — the apex is produced externally into an acute spine, and the 

 inner margin is rounded : legs yellow : femora and tibice immaculate : tarsi 

 annulated with fuscous : posterior tibiae distinctly flexuous. 



Taken near Hull by Mr. Spence, on the Zostera marina, and 

 subsequently rather plentifully in Norfolk, by the Rev. T. Skrim- 

 shire and others ; it has also occurred near Windsor and Cambridge. 



f Sp. 2. Equiseti. Nigra, ore, thorace, elytrisque Jlava-testaceis, elytris depres- 

 siusculis, angulo apicis externa spinoso, interna abtusato, pedibus Jlavis, femorum, 

 tibiarum, ungularumque apicibus tarsisque nigrescentibus. (Long. corp. 4 — 4^ 

 lin.) 



Do. Equiseti. Fabricius.—Ma,. Equiseti. Steph. Catal. 209. No. 2118. 



Black ; mouth, thorax, and elytra testaceaus-y ellovf : thorax of a brighter hue? 



