SOME NEW INJURIOUS WEEVILS. 273 



Subfamily Otiorrhynchinae, 

 Isaniris ater, sp. nov. (PI. vii, fig. 1). 



Colour uniform dull black, the elytra with a small spot formed of small elongate 

 white scales near the base of the 5th row of punctures, and sometimes smaller ones 

 on the 7th and 9th, also a lateral row of similar spots near the margin, and 

 occasionally traces of another a little above it. 



cJ $. Head with coarse shallow punctation and a deep median furrow, and sparsely 

 set with short spatulate white setae ; the eyes moderately convex, deepest in the 

 middle. Rostrum broad, gradually dilated at the apex, which is deeply sinuate in the 

 middle, the epistome not carinate on its posterior edge ; the dorsal area broad, 

 regularly widening to the apex, broadly impressed in front, almost flat in the basal 

 half, and there coarsely punctate and with a broad smooth median carina, which 

 is highest at the base ; the basal incision gently curved ; a longitudinal lateral 

 ridge running from the scrobe to the eye. Antennae black, with recumbent pale 

 setae ; the scape not much curved, moderately slender and rather abruptly clavate ; 

 the funicle with joints 1 to 6 progressively diminishing, 7 as long as 4. Prothorax 

 broader than long, strongly rounded at the sides, broadest at the middle, truncate 

 at base and apex, the base being narrowly carinate and a little broader than the 

 apex ; the dorsum covered with large flattened contiguous granules mostly forming 

 irregular pentagons, each with a setiferous puncture ; laterally the granules become 

 elongate and less defined. Elytra narrowly ovate in the (J, much broader in the $, 

 broadest not far from the base, each with about 18 rows of punctures running in 

 pairs, but becoming rather irregular towards the sides and apex ; the intervals 

 between the pairs more regular than the intervening ones, no broader than the 

 septa in the rows and becoming granulate on the apical third, each bearing a spaced 

 row of short subrecumbent setae, which are longer and more erect on the apical 

 area. Legs rather stout, clothed with coarse pale setae and sparse setiform white 

 scales, the setae being much longer, denser and softer on the lower edge of all the 

 tibiae in the (J ; the hind tibiae of the (J deeply excised on the inner edge for more 

 than half their length from the apex, the excision flattened and smooth. 



Length, 8-8*75 mm. ; breadth, 3 "2-4 '2 mm. 



S. Rhodesia : SaUsbury, ix. 1893, etc. (G.A.K.M. — type). Nyasaland : 

 Blantyre, iv-v. 1910 {Dr. J. E. S. Old). 



The sculpturing of the pronotum will distinguish this insect from all the described 

 species of Isaniris, except L acuticollis, Est., which differs in having the prothorax 

 sharply angulate behind on each side and in lacking the granules on the elytra. 

 In general form and structure it much more resembles such species of Systates as 

 S. brevicollis, Fst., and S. crenatijpennis, Frm., but these differ in having only 10 

 rows of punctures on the elytra, which Faust considered to be the only character 

 separating Systates from Isaniris. 



This weevil occurs very commonly on trees of the genus BracJiystegia, which 

 form the principal component of the woodland on the Mashonaland plateau ; 

 but Mr. K. W. Jack informs me that it is a very general feeder, attacking various 

 cultivated plants, including citrus trees. 



Systates exaptus, sp. nov. (PL vii, fig. 2). 



Colour black, with brownish grey scaHng, which is sufficiently thin on the pro- 

 notum and disk of the elytra for the shiny integument to show through, but is 

 denser at the sides and especially on the declivity of the elytra ; above the declivity 

 an ill-defined common transverse dark che\Ton-shaped patch, the posterior edge 

 of which is deeply sinuated. 



