PROTERHINID AE 



By R. C. L. Perkins, D.Sc, F.R.S. 



So far as at present known, the species of this family are almost confined to the 

 Hawaiian group. In that group there has been a very rich development of 

 species, more than a hundred having been found, even supposing that a con- 

 siderable number of those described by myself prove to be only varieties of 

 others. 



1. Proterhinus samoae, Perkins. 



Proc. Hawaiian Ent. Soc, Vol. i, p. 87, 1907. 



In 1902 a species was obtained in Honolulu from some coconuts, imported 

 from Samoa for planting, and was subsequently described as P. samoae Perkins. 

 Since the coconuts were taken straight from the steamer to a closed room in 

 order that they might be examined and treated with insecticides, there was no 

 question as to whether the insect had really come from Samoa. At first it 

 seemed possible, however, that this isolated species might itself have been 

 imported by man from Hawaii to Samoa, but this appeared unlikely when the 

 insect was examined, since, though it possesses no very striking characters, it 

 is not closely allied to any known Hawaiian form. So far as I am aware, no 

 Proterhinus has been found on coconuts in the Hawaiian islands, though even 

 had one formerly existed, it would probably have been exterminated by intro- 

 duced predators before Blackburn began his collecting there some fifty years 

 ago. 



In November 1924, Messrs. Buxton and Hopkins collected P. samoae at 

 Apia, but only one entire and one fragmentary example have been sent to me. 

 The former is a and agrees perfectly with the type specimen, with which I 

 have compared it. The damaged (headless) specimen is larger, and is probably 

 a female. Since the rostral characters are frequently of great importance in 



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