571 



Cheiroplatys excavatus, n. sp. 

 PL xxxiv., figs. 37-39. 



. Black and highly polished, under-surface obscurely 

 diluted with red. Upper-surface and pygidium glabrous, 

 under-surface with long, reddish-brown bristles. 



Head with close reticulate sculpture, becoming transverse 

 on clypeus; clypeus with sides strongly, obliquely narrowed, 

 from base to apex, which is narrow and truncate, with a 

 narrow gutter along apex and sides. Antennae ten-, club 

 three-jointed, seventh joint very thin; rami of club about the 

 length of clypeus. Prothorax scarcely one-fourth wider than 

 long, sides strongly rounded, apex not half the width of base, 

 front angles produced, hind ones rounded off, disc very largely 

 excavated, middle of apex tuberculate; excavation with narrow 

 sinuous markings, sides at apex densely punctate, elsewhere 

 with sparse and small punctures. Elytra the width of pro- 

 thorax: smooth and impunctate or almost so, sutural and 

 lateral striae narrow and well-defined, the others absent or 

 very feeble. Pygidium very finely shagreened, with dense 

 punctures on upper sides, and a transverse connecting row. 

 Abdomen with apical segment depressed and punctate towards 

 base, near apex with a transverse row of bristles (and a similar 

 row on pygidium), a narrow deep impression behind each row. 

 Front tibiae strongly and very obtusely tridentate ; four hind 

 tarsi with basal joint strongly dilated externally. Length 

 (d\ 9), 23-26 mm. 



9 . Differs in having the prothorax but feebly depressed 

 in front, the tubercle scarcely defined, and the punctures 

 simple and more crowded in front. 



Hah. — Queensland: South Johnstone River (H. W. 

 Brown), Cairns district (A. M. Lea). Type, I. 2329. 



The non-tuberculate head and largely excavated prothorax 

 of the male with a small tubercle in front, are as in Cheiro- 

 platys and Isodon; but the smooth elytra and general 

 appearance are suggestive of Pseudopimelopus, but as the 

 characters of the head and abdomen, with the teeth of the 

 front tibiae strongly rounded, are as in Cheiroplatys, I have 

 referred the species to that genus. The clypeus is traversed 

 by numerous short costae, many of which are conjoined to 

 become longer sinuous ones, but behind . the suture the 

 transverse arrangement is less evident. The middle joint of 

 the club appears to be double at its apex (causing the club to 

 appear to be four-jointed there), but its middle and base are 

 3imple. The prothoracic excavation occupies about half its 

 disc, in front it is flattened out, at its sides and base (which 

 are somewhat sinuous) its walls are almost vertical, its base 

 is slightly more distant from the base of the segment than the 



