RECLASSIFICATION OF SUBFAMILY AGRYPNINAE 227 
synonymy in the Schenkling catalogue is due to a printers error, the name variabilis 
being indented and initalics. Fleutiaux (1926 : 98) published a correction indicating 
that variabilis is a good species but this appears to have been overlooked by Neboiss. 
Agrypnus variabilis (Candéze) comb. n. 
Lacon variabilis Candéze, 1857 : 148. 
Lacon variabilis Candéze; Neboiss, 1956 : 13. 
LECTOTYPE (present designation). AUSTRALIA: 9, Janson coll. ex Candéze, 
1903 : 130; Lacon variabilis Cdz. Austr. [Cand.]; Lacon variabilis Cand. Australia 
[Gahan] (BMNH). 
I have not been able to trace any specimens determined as variabilis var. a or 
var. b. by Candéze. 
This species, which occurs in Queensland and South Australia, is the only represen- 
tative of the subfamily recorded from New Zealand. Sharp (1877: 479), who 
first reported the species from Auckland, suspected that it was imported by marine 
traffic. The following records suggest that the species is now fairly well established. 
New ZEALAND: N. Island. Auckland, 8 ex.; Papakura, 1I5.vili.24 and 30.v.39 
(Richardson), 2 ex; Matakana, I1.iv.36 (Clarke), 1 ex; Wayby Gorge, 29.xii.1926 
(Clarke), 1 ex; Ohakuna, 20.xi.1919 (Harris), 1 g, 1 2; Wellington, 2 ex; S. Island, 
Waiwhero (Motueka), Nr. Neslon, 2.ix.1949, 1 J; Picton (Walker), 2 ex; Greymouth 
(Helms). I 3; Blackball, x1i.1916 (Harris), 1 2 (BMNH). 
Candéze (1891 : 24) places alternans MacLeay, 1872 in synonymy with variabilis 
Candéze. The species is unknown to me so that the synonymy has not been con- 
firmed. Neboiss (1956: 13), following Schenkling (1925: 30), lists maculosus 
MacLeay, 1888 as a synonym of variabilis. This synonymy does not appear to 
have been published previously and comparison of the descriptions suggests that it 
is not justified. L. maculosus is smaller in size (about 7-4 mm) than variabilis 
(10-12 mm) and possesses patches of reddish yellow scales and propleural tarsal 
grooves, characteristics which do not occur in variabilis. I believe the catalogue 
synonymy is due to a printer’s error, the line ‘maculosus M’Leay (nec Cand.)’, etc., 
being placed above the line ‘variatus nom. nov.’ instead of in its correct place below 
it. Schenkling (1925 : 30) proposed L. variatus as a new name for L. variegatus 
Schwarz, 1906, which is a junior secondary homonym of L. variegatus (Motschulsky, 
1854). L. variegatus Schwarz was proposed as a new name for L. maculosus Mac- 
Leay, 1888, a junior primary homonym of L. maculosus Candéze, 1874. Lacon 
variatus Schenkling, 1925 is a junior primary homonym of L. variatus Candéze, 1890. 
If maculosus MacLeay (type-material in MacLeay Museum, University of Sidney 
according to Neboiss) is found to be a good species, it will require another new name. 
Agrypnus variatus (Candéze) comb. n. 
} Lacon variatus Candéze, 1890 : CXLVIII. 
Adelocera variatus (Candéze) Fleutiaux, 1926 : 98. 
