347 



the upper-surface, mostly sooty-brown interspersed with 

 white, the under-surface with uniformly white ones. 



Rostrum fully half as wide as head and about the length 

 of the prothorax, tapering slightly towards apex, with dense 

 punctures more or less concealed behind the antennae but 

 distinct in front, a conspicuous flange on each side about the 

 middle, each flange rendered more conspicuous by a fascicle of 

 long pale clothing; scape thin, slightly thickened towards 

 apex, about as long as funicle, inserted about one-third from 

 apex of rostrum, first joint of funicle nearly as long as second 

 and third combined. Prothorax moderately transverse with 

 dense more or less concealed punctures. Elytra subcordate, 

 distinctly wider than prothorax, base trisinuate, with regular 

 series of large partially concealed punctures, interstices wide 

 and even. Metasternum with a large deep excavation from 

 its base, and continuing to near the apex of the first segment 

 of the abdomen ; between the middle and hind coxae, on each 

 side an obtuse elevation crowned with a conspicuous fascicle. 

 Abdomen with apex of last segment furnished with a small 

 fascicle of pale clothing. Femora robust, dentate, the tooth 

 on each of the middle pair considerably dilated ; middle tibiae 

 distorted. Length (J, 9)» 4-5 mm. 



9 • Differs in being lighter in colour ; rostrum longer, 

 thinner, paler, with punctures concealed only near base, and 

 antennae inserted somewhat nearer middle ; metasternum and 

 abdomen 'without tihe excavation and fascicles, abdomen more 

 convex, metasternum with a slight depression ; the middle 

 femora are less robust with the tooth smaller ; middle tibiae 

 are less distorted and at the top of the apex a spur is present 

 that slightly diverges from the length of the apex. 



Hab. — South Australia: Quorn (A. H. Elston). Type, 

 in author's collection, cotype, I. 10835, in South Australian 

 Museum. 



This species is the most distinct in the genus and is easily 

 distingushed by the fasciculate processes on the rostrum and 

 metasternum of the male. The only other species in the allied 

 genera that has fascicles on the metasternum is Melanterius 

 pectoralis, Lea, whose male has only a slight depression, 

 whereas in the present species the depression is deep and the 

 fascicles are bent over at their apices, which are nearly touch- 

 ing, and so forming an arch. The strongly dilated femora 

 and distorted tibiae of the middle legs are also characteristic. 

 The female in general appearance closely resembles the female 

 of D. mollis, Lea, but with the front and middle tibiae 

 different at apices ; in the former species the spur is inserted 

 about the middle of the apex and not diverging from it to any 

 great extent, (fig. 5), its clothing on the upper-surface is 



