﻿377 
  

  

  SOME 
  INJURIOUS 
  INDIAN 
  WEEVILS 
  (CURCULIONIDAE). 
  

  

  By 
  Guy 
  A. 
  K. 
  Marshall. 
  

  

  Phytoscaphus 
  dissimilis, 
  sp. 
  nov. 
  

  

  Colour 
  black, 
  with 
  greyish, 
  brown 
  scaling 
  ; 
  the 
  prothorax 
  with 
  a 
  broad 
  ill-defined 
  

   darker 
  stripe 
  on 
  each 
  side 
  ; 
  the 
  elytra 
  with 
  a 
  conspicuous 
  white 
  spot 
  at 
  the 
  base 
  

   of 
  the 
  suture, 
  and 
  an 
  oblique 
  whitish 
  stripe 
  about 
  the 
  middle, 
  with 
  vague 
  and 
  

   variable 
  dark 
  brown 
  patches 
  on 
  each 
  side 
  of 
  it. 
  

  

  Fig. 
  1. 
  Phytoscaphus 
  dissimilis, 
  sp. 
  n. 
  

  

  Head 
  more 
  deeply 
  immersed 
  in 
  the 
  prothorax 
  than 
  usual, 
  the 
  forehead 
  with 
  a 
  

   central 
  stria 
  and 
  hardly 
  narrower 
  than 
  the 
  eyes, 
  which 
  are 
  almost 
  plane. 
  Rostrum 
  

   stout, 
  the 
  apex 
  moderately 
  dilated, 
  the 
  upper 
  surface 
  plane 
  in 
  the 
  basal 
  half, 
  but 
  

   anteriorly 
  with 
  a 
  sharp 
  central 
  carina 
  and 
  a 
  deep 
  impression 
  on 
  each 
  side 
  of 
  it, 
  

   the 
  scrobes 
  deep 
  and 
  extending 
  more 
  than 
  half-way 
  to 
  the 
  eye, 
  the 
  upper 
  lateral 
  

   furrow 
  deep, 
  the 
  lower 
  absent, 
  the 
  under 
  surface 
  without 
  a 
  basal 
  impression. 
  

   Antennae 
  with 
  the 
  scape 
  gradually 
  clavate 
  and 
  with 
  a 
  row 
  of 
  stiff 
  bristles 
  on 
  the 
  

   convex 
  edge 
  ; 
  the 
  funicle 
  with 
  the 
  two 
  basal 
  joints 
  subequal, 
  3 
  to 
  7 
  not 
  longer 
  than 
  

   broad, 
  and 
  7 
  shorter 
  than 
  the 
  first 
  joint 
  of 
  the 
  club. 
  Prothorax 
  as 
  long 
  as 
  broad, 
  

   the 
  sides 
  rounded, 
  broadest 
  before 
  the 
  middle, 
  the 
  base 
  perfectly 
  straight 
  and 
  not 
  

   broader 
  than 
  the 
  apex, 
  the 
  ocular 
  lobes 
  strongly 
  developed, 
  broadly 
  rounded 
  and 
  

   without 
  vibrissae, 
  the 
  upper 
  surface 
  with 
  coarse 
  punctation 
  visible 
  through 
  the 
  

   scaling. 
  Elytra 
  truncate 
  at 
  the 
  base, 
  the 
  sides 
  slightly 
  dilated 
  from 
  the 
  shoulder 
  

   to 
  behind 
  the 
  middle, 
  the 
  apices 
  jointly 
  rounded, 
  the 
  dorsal 
  outline 
  regularly 
  

   convex, 
  the 
  setae 
  stout, 
  erect 
  and 
  spatulate. 
  Legs 
  with 
  the 
  anterior 
  tibiae 
  

   bisinuate 
  internally, 
  but 
  without 
  a 
  distinct 
  angulation, 
  the 
  corbels 
  of 
  the 
  posterior 
  

   tibiae 
  open. 
  

  

  Length, 
  3J-4 
  mm. 
  ; 
  width, 
  1J-1§ 
  mm. 
  

  

  Assam: 
  Patkai 
  Hills 
  and 
  Sadiya 
  (W. 
  Doherty); 
  Silonibari, 
  N. 
  Lakhimpur 
  

   (H. 
  Stevens). 
  

  

  Mr. 
  Stevens 
  notes 
  that 
  he 
  has 
  found 
  this 
  weevil 
  nibbling 
  the 
  young 
  shoots 
  on 
  tea 
  

   bushes. 
  

  

  