A PRELIMINARY REVISION OF THE GENUS DOCIOSTAURUS. 405 



An extremely variable species in its size, relative dimensions and coloration. The 

 form described and figured by Krauss and Adelung under the name v. castaneopicta 

 is remarkable for the coloration of the head and especially of the pronotum and 

 elytra, on which large velvet-castaneous spots are to be seen on a straw-yellow 

 ground. 



Geographical Distribution. D. anatolicus occurs in Asia Minor, Eastern and 

 Southern Transcaucasia, the whole Aralo-Caspian basin and Persia. 



In some localities of Turkestan it occurs in large quantities, though it does not 

 form swarms, and may cause some damage to grass ; no attacks on cultivated 

 crops, however, have been recorded. 



6. Dociostaurus dantini, I. Bol. 



1914. Dociostaurus dantini, I. Bolivar, Mem. R-. Soc. Espafi. Hist. Natur., viii 

 (5a), p. 186. 



A very distinct species, as I have been able to ascertain by a study of the unique 

 type specimen. 



Geographical Distribution. Described from Morocco. 



7. Dociostaurus plotnikovi, sp. nov. 



The short diagnosis of this new species given above may be completed by the 

 following description : — 



Form slender. General coloration clay-yellow, with obsolete grey markings. 

 Head elongate, prominent above (especially in male) ; eyes elongate ; front in male 

 strongly reclinate and wholly sulcate, in female markedly reclinate, flat, with a slight 

 impression near the ocellum. Antennae in male one and half times as long as head 

 and pronotum together, in female only a little longer. Foveolae of the vertex markedly 

 impressed, nearly as long as wide, narrowed in front. Typical sulcus of pronotum 

 placed behind the middle ; hind margin of pronotum rotundate ; disk obsolete 

 •castaneous (very often only in metazona) with pale lateral cross-shaped lines, which 

 are triangularly widened on the metazona ; lateral lobes with an obliterated grey 

 or castaneous spot in the middle. Elytra about as long as abdomen, unicolorous or 

 with scarcely distinct grey spots. Hind femora with typical spots greyish, 

 obsolescent. Hind tibiae bluish or pale. ^J : anal segment with two small rotundate 

 widely separated lobes ; supra-anal plate rotundato- triangular ; subgenital plate 

 short, with blunt apex, very hairy. 5 : anal segment wider than long ; supra-anal 

 plate rotundato -triangular. (Dimensions, see Key.) 



Geographical Distribution. This species has been sent to me from the Turkestan 

 Entomological Station by the Director, V. Plotnikov, from Turkestan (Golodnaya 

 Steppe) and Bokhara (Mirshade-Karatag), where it occurs sometimes in considerable 

 quantities, and its larvae even form migrating swarms, causing damage to different 

 cultivated crops. 



S. Dociostaurus crassiusculus (Pant). 



1886. Stauronotus crassiusculus, Pantel, Ann. Soc. Esp. Hist. Nat., xv, p. 237, pi. 2, 



fig. 1. 



