A PRELIMINARY REVISION OF THE GENUS DOCIOSTAURUS. 403 



the species described ten years later by Eversmann as Oedipoda brevicollis. After- 

 wards, however, Fieber and Fischer, who evidently did not know Rambur's species, 

 confused it, as well as brevicollis, Ev., with cruciatus, Charp. {maroccanus, Thunb.). 



This miscomprehension of crucigerus has been accepted by all following writers ; 

 even Eversmann himself in 1859 regarded his brevicollis as synonymous with 

 cruciatus, Charp. Later on brevicollis, Ev., was raised to specific rank by Frivaldsky 

 (1867), but the identity of brevicollis and crucigerus, Ramb., has never been 

 recognised. Rambur's name, however, has ten years priority over brevicollis and 

 must therefore be adopted. The same species has been again described in 1860 

 by Tiirk imder Stauronotus genei {nee Ocsk.), and two years later the author changed 

 this name, as preoccupied by Ocskay, into annulipes. 



This species in its typical form is easily recognisable from its nearest relative — 

 maroccanus — ^by the characters given above, which are very constant. 



Geographical distribution. The area of distribution of this species occupies the 

 southern (Mediterranean) parts of Europe, South Russia, Southern Siberia, Turkes- 

 tan, Transcaspia, the Caucasus, Asia Minor, Persia and North Africa. It is to be 

 mentioned, however, that the species is to be sub-divided into three different 

 geographical races (subspecies), as follows : — 



2a. Dociostaurus crucigerus hispanicus, Bol. 



1898. Stauronotus brevicollis var. hispanicus, I. Bolivar, Ann. Sci. Nat. Porto, 

 V, p. 14. 

 This subspecies, peculiar to Spain, is distinguished from the typical form by its 

 more heavy habitus and especially its thick head (thanks to the kindness of Messrs. 

 Bolivar I have had the opportunity of studying this form). It would be of interest 

 to examine a large series of specimens from Southern France, whence Rambur's 

 type came. If specimens from this locality are identical with hispanicus, then 

 the Eastern European form, which I take now for the typical, must have another 

 name, and brevicollis, Ev., might be applied to it as a subspecific name. 



2b. Dociostaurus crucigerus crucigerus, Ramb. 



The typical form occurs over the whole of Southern Europe, South Russia^ 

 Caucasus (except the Eastern plains of Ciscaucasia and Transcaucasia) and Southern 

 Siberia. 



2c. Dociostaurus crucigerus tartarus, Stschelkan. 



1909. Stauronotus tartarus (Sauss. in litt.), Stschelkanovzev, Izvestia Imper. 

 Varshav. Univers., Warsaw, 1909, p. 34, no. 22. 



. Stauronotus genei, auctorum {nee Ocsk.), partim. 



This south-eastern desert subspecies is easily recognised by the colour of its hind 

 tibiae, as well as the rather indistinct and extremely variable general coloration. 

 On account of its pale tibiae it is very often confused with D. genei, Ocsk., which 

 has good morphological differences from it. The area of distribution of this race 

 lies in desert plains of the Aralo-Caspian basin, Persia, Mesopotamia and Northern 

 Africa ; in fact it populates the whole Eremian subregion of the Palaearctic Region, 



