100 



INSECTS OF SAMOA. 



49. Melaneros quadraticollis Fairmaire, loc. cit. 

 M. angustiformis Fairm., loc. cit. 



Upolu : Malololelei, iv., vi.1924, 26.iv. (Bryan), 24.vi. (Armstrong) ; Vaea, 

 1100 ft., 25.vi. (Bryan). 



Savaii : Safune, lowlands to 1000 ft., 1. v. 1924, and rain forest, 2000-4000 

 ft., 2.v. ; Salailua, 22.V.1924 (Bryan). 



Tutuila : Pago Pago, 30.ix.1923 (Swezey and Wilder), 18.vi.1924 (Bryan). 



Manua : Tau, 20.ii.1926 (Judd). 



M. quadraticollis, as stated above, is represented in the series at Hamburg 

 by three specimens, but only one of these, No. 11399 with the locality " Tonga," 

 agrees with the description in the form of the thorax " angulis posticis nullo 

 modo productis." The second specimen, No. 4239 also with locality " Tonga," 

 is undoubtedly conspecific with the individual, bearing the same number and 

 data, purporting to be the type of M. angustiformis, which, in my opinion, in 

 spite of the posterior angles of the thorax being somewhat produced, is 

 specifically inseparable from No. 11399. 



The third example, No. 4512, without " type " label or indication of 

 locality, is entirely different, being what I consider a small example of M. 

 acuticollis Fairm. It is, however, this example, though now ranged with M. 

 quadraticollis, that accords best with Fairmaire's description of M. angustiformis. 



M. angustiformis Fairm. The unique type at Hamburg bears the number 

 4239, with locality (in my opinion erroneous) " Tonga," but this specimen is 

 undoubtedly conspecific with the similarly labelled specimen of M. quadraticollis, 

 and furthermore does not accord with the description of M. angustiformis, 

 which is stated to have the posterior angles of the thorax " sat acute divaricatis " 

 and the elytra " sutura et utrinque costulis 4 leviter elevatis, intervallis bi seri- 

 atim grosse punctatis," data which would appear to have been taken from the 

 third specimen, No. 4512, now placed with M. quadraticollis. This individual, 

 however, is entirely distinct, coming into the proposed new genus Samoaneros, 

 and being in my opinion but a very small example of S. acuticollis Fairm. In 

 view, therefore, of this ambiguity concerning the identity of M. angustiformis, 

 and its apparently composite character, together with the fact of its putative 

 type being indistinguishable from M. quadraticollis, it seems best to consider 

 it as synonymous with this species. 



