

DESCKIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF THE COLEOPTEEA 

 OF SOUTH AFBICA.— Part III. 



By L. Peringuey. 



Family PATJSSIDJE. 



FIEST SUPPLEMENT. 



This First Supplement contains descriptions of 4 new species, 

 which brings the number known to occur in South Africa to 52. 

 A careful search for these myrmecophilous insects will probably 

 result in the discovery of a few new species. 



I have mentioned in the Catalogue of the Family, p. 6, that in two 

 species there was a difference in the size of the club between 

 male and female, but in one of the species (P. vexator) here described, 

 this difference is so extremely marked, that were it not vouched for 

 by Mr. G. A. K. Marshall, I would have considered the two sexes 

 as distinct species. It may thus be possible that the close allies of 

 this species, i.e., P. latreillei, Westw., and P. comptus, Per., may 

 also show sexual differences. P. klugi, however, the antennal club of 

 which is not unlike that of P. vexator, does not. 



I have not been able to obtain any further information about the 

 habitat of Cerapterus, Arthropterus, and Pleuropterus beyond the fact 

 that P. altemans has been once found under bark. It may, however, 

 have been met there accidentally, or perhaps the tree was tenanted 

 by ants. It would be of interest to ascertain the object of all the 

 tarsi being papillose beneath in both sexes. But for their bulky 

 size one might feel inclined to consider it useful for holding to the 

 bodies of ants for purposes of transport. 



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