﻿161 



DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW SPECIES OF PHYTOPHAGOUS 

 COLEOPTERA RECEIVED BY MR. J. H. LEECH, FROM 

 CHANG- YANG, CHINA. 



By Martin Jacoby, F.E.S. 

 (Continued from p. 118.) 



Aphthona varipes, n. sp. 



Below and the posterior femora piceous ; above metallic blue ; antennas 

 and the four anterior legs fulvous ; thorax scarcely visibly (or finely) 

 punctured ; elytra distinctly and closely semi-punctate-striate. Length, 

 f line. 



Head impunctate, the frontal elevations narrowly oblique, like the 

 carina, distinctly raised ; antennas scarcely extending to half the length of 

 the body, fulvous, or with the terminal joints slightly darker, the second 

 joint thickened, the third and fourth more elongate, nearly equal ; thorax 

 about one-half broader than long, the sides nearly straight, the anterior 

 angles slightly thickened, the surface sparingly impressed with minute 

 punctures ; scutellum black ; elytra rather strongly and closely punctured, 

 the punctures arranged in somewhat regular rows, the posterior portion 

 more obsoletely punctate. 



Very closely allied to A. Bonvouloiri, Allard, from Syria, but 

 narrower and rather smaller, the antennae and legs less robust, 

 and the elytral punctuation much closer and finer ; from 

 A. modesta, Weise, distinguished by the differently coloured 

 legs, and the scarcely perceptible punctuation of the thorax ; 

 from A. trivialis, Weise, by the colour of the under side and that 

 of the antennae. A. chinensis, Baly, differs by the colour of the 

 antennae, the nearly quadrate thorax, and its larger size. 



Many specimens. 



Luperocnemus, Fairm. 

 This genus was described by Fairmaire in the Belgian Annals 

 of 1888. The author has said nothing about the state of the 

 anterior coxal cavities, nor given the length of the posterior 

 tarsi, consequently it is impossible to come to a conclusion in 

 regard to the systematic position of the genus. There are, how- 

 ever, two specimens contained in this collection, which answer 

 entirely the description of Fairmaire's L. xanthoderus, and I 

 consequently refer these insects to this species ; the anterior coxal 

 cavities are open, and the posterior tibiae have a distinct spine 

 (Fairmaire describes them as unarmed) ; the first joint of the pos- 

 terior tarsi is as long as the two following joints together. In spite 

 of the distinctly incrassate posterior femora mentioned by the 

 author, Fairmaire places his genus amongst the Galerucince, which 

 would put an end to all classification as far as the Halticince are 

 concerned, since this development of the posterior femora is the 

 principal character by which this family may be separated from 

 the Galerucince ; whether the insects have saltntorial powers or 



ENTOM. — MAY, 1890. N 



