CHRYSOMELIDAE. 



211 



Borneo, Java, the Philippine Is., and China. The distribution of the species 

 of this genus, so far as the food plants are known, depends on that of the coconut- 

 palm, upon which these insects feed, the larvae living in the folds of the unopened 

 tender leaf-buds. It is to be expected that species of Promecotheca will be found 

 to occur wherever the coconut-palm is cultivated. 



Description of the Larva of Promecotheca reichei Baly 

 (Text-figs. 17 and 18). 

 The following description is taken from a microscopical preparation of an 

 example from the Fiji Islands, sent by Mr. H. W. 

 Simmonds. 



The larva (Text-fig. 17) is elongate, flattish, 

 broadest across the mesothorax, and thence 

 regularly diminishing in breadth, towards the 

 posterior extremity, the last abdominal segment 

 being the narrowest. It measures slightly less 

 than 4 mm. when fully extended after treatment 

 in potash. The body is composed of thirteen 

 segments including the head ; in addition to 

 the three thoracic and nine abdominal segments, 

 a fourteenth segment is represented by the anal 

 sucker. The prothorax is narrowed in front, 

 and has rounded sides. The mesothorax is 

 much shorter than the prothorax ; its sides are 

 uniformly rounded without any lobes, and it is 

 much broader than long. The metathorax is 

 similar to the mesothorax. The abdominal seg- 

 ments are much broader than long ; the sides of 

 each of the first seven are somewhat produced 

 so as to form a lobe ; those of the eighth and 

 ninth are less produced. On or near the lobes 

 there are several fine bristles, which are most 

 numerous in the case of the eighth and ninth 

 segments. The upper and lower surfaces of the 



whole body are shagreened ; those portions of Text . fig . i 7 ._ Larva of Prome . 

 the prothorax that are produced to the bases of cotheca reichei, ventral view. 



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