ELATERIDAE. 



123 



ELATERINAE. 

 13. Melanoxanthus melanocephalus (Fabricius). 

 Spec. Ins., i, p. 272, pi. 7, figs. 12, 12a, 1781 {Elater). 



Six specimens from Apia, Upolu, as follows : iv.1924, viii.1924, ii.1925, 

 iv.1925, vi.1925, x.1925. Five from Baker Is., north of the Phoenix Group, 

 23.ix.1924 (E. L. Caum). 



This species occurs throughout Southern Asia from Arabia to China, and in 

 the adjoining islands, as well as in Oahu of the Hawaiian Group, Mauritius and 

 Bourbon. 



14. Melanoxanthus comptus, sp. n. (Text-fig. 10). 



5 mm. long ; slender. Head and prothorax piceous (frons castaneous, 

 except medianly). Posterior angles, frontal margin of prothorax castaneous ; 

 scutellum and elytra castaneous. Legs castaneous ; 

 first four antennal joints castaneous, the remainder 

 piceous. Pubescence sparse, short, semi-erect, fine 

 and white. Evenly and thickly umbilicate-punctate. 



Head gently convex ; frontal margin rounded. 

 Prothorax, including posterior angles, slightly longer 

 than wide, nearly straight on each side, evenly 

 narrowed from about the middle to the anterior 

 margin ; from about middle backward to tips of 

 posterior angles sides straight and parallel. Pos- 

 terior angles wide, strongly unicarinate. Prothorax 

 very convex ; faintly canaliculate on basal declivity. 

 Scutellum declivous, triangular. Elytra subequal to 

 prothorax in width ; sides parallel to about middle, 

 thence narrowed to apex. Striae strongly punctate ; 

 their intervals flat and granulate. Apex subtrun- 

 cate, with sutural angles finely mucronate. 



Two specimens : Holotype, Apia, Upolu, hi. 1924. The paratype in the 

 Bishop Museum collection was taken by Swezey and Wilder, Amauli, Tutuila, 

 6.ix.l923. 



The paratype differs in coloration from the holotype, having the prothorax 



Text-fig. 10. — Melanoxanthus 

 comptus, sp. n. 



