A PRELIMINARY REVISION OF THE GENUS DOCIOSTAURUS. 399 



The genus Dociostaiirus is purely palaearctic in its distribution, and none of the 

 species is to be found beyond the borders of the Palaearctic Region. The centre 

 of development of the genus is to be looked for in the dry table-lands of Western 

 and Central Asia, where the largest number of species occurs and where they are 

 especially disposed to individual variability. From there different species spread 

 (and are spreading continually) in all directions, but more especially into the 

 plains of the vast palaearctic desert belt, extending through Northern Africa, and 

 South-western and Central Asia, in the fauna of which species of Dociostaurus 

 present one of the most characteristic features. The distribution of each species 

 will be discussed below in more detail. 



Key to the Species. 

 1(10). Hind femora attenuate, narrow, slightly incrassate at the base. Pronotum 

 constricted in the middle ; w^hite stripes not dilated in metazona, or 

 altogether absent. 



2 (3). El3rtra extending considerably beyond the apex of abdomen. Antennae 



in both sexes but slightly extending beyond the hind margin of pronotum. 

 Fore tibiae thickened. (Foveolae of the vertex narrowed anteriorly. Front 

 vertical ; its ridge above ocellum sulcate in male and plane in female. 

 Hind femora with three very distinct black spots outwardly and black 

 knees. Hind tibiae sanguineous, with base pale. — Length of body, (J 20-28, 

 ? 28-38 ; of elytra, cJ 20-27, ? 25-36 ; of hind femora, (J 15, ? 20 mm.) 



1. maroccanus, (Thunb.) 



3 (2). Elytra not or scarcely reaching the apex of hind femora. Antennae of mak 



one and half times or even twice as long as the head and pronotum taken 

 together ; antennae of female extending considerably beyond the hind 

 margin of pronotum. Fore femora not thickened. 



4: (5). Head not at all or but slightly prominent above pronotum. Foveolae of the 

 vertex longer than w^ide. Front in male slightly inclined, with flat ridge, 

 in female vertical with ridge convex above ocellum. Elytra reaching the 

 apex of hind femora. Hind femora with three sharp black spots 



2. crucigerus (Ramb.). 

 a(d). Hind tibiae red. Black marks very distinct. 



6(c). General habitus slender ; head not thick. (Length of body, (J 14-16, 

 $ 18-23 ; of elytra, c? 9-11, $ 15-17 ; of hind femora, ^ 10, ? 13 mm.) 



2a. crucigerus crucigerus (Ramb.). 



c(6). General habitus more clumsy ; head thick. (Length of body (J 12-16, 



9 20-24 ; of elytra cJ 8-10, ? 12-5-15 ; of hind femora ^ 10-2, $ 12-15 



mm.) . . . . . . . . . . 26. crucigerus hispanicus (Bol.). 



d(a). Hind tibiae pale. Coloration more or less pale, with the black and 

 white markings indistinct or totally absent. (Dimensions as in crucigerus) 



2c. crucigerus tartarus (Stchelk.). 



5 (4). Head very prominent above, especially in male. Foveolae of the vertex 

 as long as wide. Front in male strongly, in female markedly reclinate. 

 Elytra not or scarcely reaching the apex of hind femora. 



