243 



narrower and in the medio- basal lobe of the pronotum of 

 not quite the same shape, etc. 



MORDELLA CORVINA, n. Sp. 



Black ; base of antennae and spurs to hind tibiae very 

 obscurely diluted with red. 



Short and compact. Scutellum transverse, but apex 

 widely rounded and sides not angularly cutting into the 

 elytra. Pygidium moderately long, apex rather acutely 

 pointed. Antennae with fifth to tenth joints moderately 

 wide. Spurs to hind tibiae very unequal, the longer about 

 twice the length of the other. Length, 3^-4 mm. 



Hab. — Queensland: Mount Tambourine (A. M. Lea). 

 Type, I. 5927. 



A compact species, in general appearance strikingly close 

 to small specimens of Tomoxia aterrima, but scutellum with 

 the hind angles rounded off and the pygidium longer and 

 acutely pointed. From M. tristis it differs in being wider, 

 medio-basal lobe of pronotum truncate instead of rounded, 

 and in the pubescence. In some lights the entire clothing 

 appears to be of a dead-black, but in others it appears to be 

 a rusty-brown, and in still others to have a distinct and 

 beautiful purplish gloss ; the abdomen is without sharply- 

 defined markings, but in some lights the sides and bases of 

 the segments are seen to have pubescence somewhat paler 

 than on the other parts. 



Tomoxia aterrima, Macl. 



The average length of this species is about 6 mm., but 

 it varies from 3 to 8 mm. Although both the derm and 

 pubescence of the upper-surface are of the deepest black, 

 specimens in perfect condition have a satiny lustre. On some 

 specimens the pubescence of the upper-surface has an evanes- 

 cent greenish gloss, either over the whole of the surface, or 

 confined to the lateral and sutural portions of the elytra. 



Tomoxia apicata, Lea (formerly Mordella). 



This species is a Tomoxia, as the scutellum has the hind 

 angles almost rectangular and conspicuously cutting into the 

 base of the elytra; the pygidium, although long, is truncate 

 at the tip. It appears to be allied to flavicans, but differs 

 from the description of that species in having the elytral 

 pubescence uniform to near the tip, instead of with "a 

 transverse band across the middle" as well as the apical dark 

 part. It occurs on the northern coastal rivers of New South 

 Wales as well as in Southern Queensland. 



