126 



Stigmodera ab.gill.acea, n. sp. 

 PI. x., fig. 21. 



Moderately convex, oblong, sharply attenuated behind- 

 Head dark-blue, pronotum dark-bronze with coloured reflec- 

 tions, the former with large yellow spot on centre, the latter 

 evenly bordered yellow, scutellum, antennae, and tarsi blue, 

 elytra brick-red with the following markings peacock-blue,, 

 wide basal and apical margins, suture, two fasciae, the first 

 (not quite reaching the sides) in front of, the second (extend- 

 ing to sides) behind the middle, and a nearly straight 

 longitudinal vitta from the humeral angle to the first fascia 

 (leaving an elongate red patch at the sides) ; between the 

 second fascia and the apex the suture widened into a diamond- 

 shaped spot; underside yellow, abdominal segments margined 

 red, femora and (in part) tibiae red, rest of tibiae peacock- 

 blue. 



Head with shallow channel between eyes but not exca- 

 vated ; metallic parts coarsely, the yellow spot more finely 

 punctate. Prothorax arcuate at apex, bisinuate at base, 

 sides widest behind middle, arcuately narrowed to apex, all 

 angles slightly obtuse; disc densely punctate, except near 

 base, the punctures here larger and more distinct. Scutellum 

 cordate, concave, nearly smooth. Elytra with narrow collar 

 at base, forming a bead-like projection at shoulder, sides 

 widened behind shoulder and slightly so behind middle, then 

 converging sharply to apex; each apex trispinose, the middle 

 spine longest, posterior margins entire ; striate-punctate, the 

 punctures in striae small, intervals flat on middle, convex at 

 sides and apex, and themselves strongly punctate, the punc- 

 tures thereon as large as those in the striae. Underside 

 glabrous, with coarse shallow punctures, coarse on prosternum, 

 fine on abdomen. Dim., 13-15 x 5-5*5 mm. 



Hab. — North-western Victoria: Hattah (J. E. Dixon). 



Four examples sent by Mr. Dixon, who captured many 

 others in this district. While belonging to the 8-spilota, 

 C. and G., group, and a near ally to that species, it is clearly 

 distinct not only by ground colour, and that of the legs 

 and pattern, but especially in the quite different and coarser 

 punctures of the elytral intervals, besides being of a slighter 

 and different shape. I have compared it closely with the 

 type of rufipes, Macl., and find a similar difference of sculp- 

 ture, besides differing in pattern and colour, though alike in 

 its leg coloration. In one of my examples the premedial 

 fascia is interrupted. Types in the author's collection. 



N.B. — S. rufi]jes, Macl., though possibly a variety of 

 8-spilota, C. and G., differs from the typical form in the 

 following. Frothorax with red line near and parallel to apex 



