1900.] Catalogue of the Coleoptera of South Africa. 17 



of Coptorrhma are fairly numerous (ten) ; of this latter genus, one 

 representative only is found on the West, and one on the East Coast 

 of Africa. 



The large and widely distributed genus Copris has numerous 

 representatives, two of which — Copris glohulipennis and Catharsius 

 lieros — have a very peculiar facies ; the Onitis abound in South Africa, 

 and include the giants of the group (0. paradoxus, Bohemani, &c.) ; 

 while two genera, Tapeinopterus and Neoiiitis, seem to be restricted to 

 the South African region. Species of Ontliophagus are very numerous, 

 but it cannot be said that on the whole the South African species have 

 a special facies. This is also the case with Oiiiticellus, of which all 

 the species differ very much from one another ; Drepanocerus was 

 thought at one time to be restricted to South Africa, but it has been 

 met with in Zanzibar and Abyssinia. In the Aphodiin^, only the 

 genera Harnioclactijhis and Drepanocanthus are known, so far, to be 

 peculiar to South Africa ; there is none among the HYBOSORiDiE, 

 Geotkupid^, and Trogin.^:, and only one, Hystrichocanthus, in the 



ORPHNIN.E. 



In the Dynastin^ the adaptation of several species to a mode 

 of existence connected with white ants [Termes, spp.) accounts for 

 the comparatively large number, nineteen genera and forty-eight 

 species. But of these only nine genera are restricted, so far as I 

 know, to South Africa. They are : Pontodontoschema, Hyboschema, 

 Orsiloclms, Callistemonus, HomceomorpJms , PseudocyphonisteSy 

 Syrichthus, SyricJitJiodontns, Venedus. 



It is in the Melolonthin.e that the South African Scarabseid fauna 

 is especially rich, not only in genera, but also in species. The group 

 Pachycnemides , with eight genera, is peculiarly South African, being 

 restricted to the Cape Colony with the exception of a few Eriestlns, 

 three species of which are found in Natal and in the Transvaal, and 

 the true Hoplini are exceedingly numerous and have a facies espe- 

 cially their own. The purely South African genera are Dickelus, 

 Eiicyophanes, Diaplochelus, Platychelus, MitropJiorus, Monochelus,. 

 Gymnoloma, Goniaspidius, Dicranocnemus, Nanniscus, Cylichnus ,. 

 Anisochelus, Scelophysa, Lepisia, Harpina, Tiigela, Microdoris, &c. ;, 

 the genus Hoplia, which is spread on most of the regions of the 

 globe, has also a few representatives (three) in South Africa. A few 

 species, however (four), belonging to the genera Eriesthis, Diclielus,. 

 Monochelus, have been recorded — three from East Africa and 

 one from Loanda. Many of the species are evenly distributed from 

 Natal to Namaqualand, but I have not yet seen any from Damara- 

 and Ovampo-land. Their time of appearance is very short. They 

 are found buried in the corolla of flowers, especially in Composites,. 



2 



