SPH^EOUEEMA. 



323 



234. Sphseroderma nigrita, Jacoby. 



Sphceroderma nigrita, Jac, Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, xxxii, 1892, 

 p. 926. 



Body subhemispherical. Colour shining black ; the six basal 

 segments of the antennae brown, the remaining segments fuscous ; 

 tarsi brown. 



Head coarsely punctate, frontal tubercles small, clypeus rugose. 

 Antennae extending to the base of the pronotum, the five apical 

 segments dilated, the third elongate and slender. ProtJiorax three 

 times as broad as long, narrowed in front, sides rounded, anterior 

 angles strongly thickened and rounded, posterior margin sinuate 

 at each side ; surface finely, evenly, and not closely punctate. 

 Elytra with rather prominent shoulders, the apex somewhat 

 pointed ; each elytron with nine rows of regular punctures, the 

 latter being close together, and the intervals very minutely 

 punctate. Underside deeply punctate ; presternum deeply and 

 rugosely punctate. 



Length, 5 mm. 



Burma : Palon {Fed). 



Type in the Genoa Museum. A single specimen, which I have 

 not seen. 



235. Sphaeroderma brevicornis, Jacoby. 



Sphceroderma brevicornis, Jac, Mem. Soc. Ent. Belg. vii, 1900, 

 p. 124. 



Colour lighter brown to pitch-brown ; the terminal segments of 

 the antennae black, the three basal segments brown. In one 

 variety the prothorax is reddish-brown and the elytra are pitch- 

 black. 



Head im punctate ; eyes large ; there is a curved and strongly 

 impressed transverse line in the interocular space, frontal 

 tubercles distinct but not much raised. Antennae extending to 

 the base of the elytra ; second segment thicker than third, fourth 

 about equal to third ; from the fifth the segments are gradually 

 thickened. ProtJiorax strongly transverse, sides nearly straight, 

 obliquely narrowed in front, extremely narrowly marginate, 

 anterior angles obliquely thickened; surface very finely punctate, 

 the parts near the front and side margins nearly impunctate. 

 Elytra more or less strongly punctate, the punctures tending to 

 form longitudinal rows. 



Length, 2|-3 mm. 



Bengal : Barway ; Mandar. 



Type in the British Museum. 



Many small species of Sphaeroderma are similarly coloured and as 

 variable as this, but the present one has the antennae shorter than 

 any ; while the prothorax, which in most other species has a 

 distinct margin at the sides, is here almost entirely without it. 



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