244 



TOMOXIA MELASOMA, n. Sp. 



Black, in some lights with a vague bluish iridescence. 

 Upper-surface with white hairs scattered singly ; base of 

 pygidium, sides of mesosternum, and sides and middle of basal 

 segment of abdomen with white pubescence. 



Short and compact. Scutellum transverse, sides some- 

 what oblique but angularly cutting into elytra. Pygidium 

 moderately long, but tip obtuse, although not truncated. 

 Spurs to hind tibiae unequal. Length, 5J-6 mm. 



Hab. — Queensland: Cairns (E. Allen). 



As the scutellum quite conspicuously cuts into the bases 

 of the elytra the species has been referred to Tomoxia, 

 although the pygidium is not abruptly truncated, a character 

 which readily distinguishes it from aterrima, of which at 

 first it appears to be a variety ; the two specimens regarded 

 as typical have numerous white hairs scattered singly on the 

 upper-surface, but denser on the head than elsewhere, and 

 their speckled appearance is somewhat suggestive of Mordella 

 ignota, but the white hairs are snowy-white, and the scutel- 

 lum is larger and conspicuously cuts into the elytra. The pale 

 spot on each side of the base of the abdomen is very distinct, 

 but there is also a feeble spot on each side of the other 

 segments. 



A specimen of this species, but without the speckled 

 appearance of the types, was mounted on the same card as 

 the type of Mordella nigrum, but it differs from it in being 

 without elytral markings, scutellum larger and cutting into 

 the elytra, and spurs to hind tibiae longer. A specimen from 

 the Coen River (H. Hacker's No. 381) agrees with the 

 Macleay Museum specimen in its pubescence, and they both 

 have the elytra somewhat more narrowed posteriorly than on 

 the types, and the iridescence of the upper-surface more 

 conspicuous. 



Tomoxia howensis, n. sp. 



Black, with a vague bluish iridescence. Sides of sterna 

 and of basal segment of abdomen with conspicuous white 

 pubescence ; the other abdominal segments feebly spotted at 

 the sides. 



Rather narrow for the genus. Scutellum transverse, 

 angularly cutting into elytra. Pygidium long but tip trun- 

 cated. Antennae with fifth to tenth joints wide. Spurs to 

 hind tibiae unequal. Length, 7| mm. 



Hab. — Lord Howe Island. Type in Australian Museum. 



This species is referred to Tomoxia rather than Mor- 

 della, as the pygidium, although long, is truncated at its tip, 

 a character which will readily distinguish it from Mordella 



