Amazonian Prionides, 
4 ^ 
Cohort 3. Poecilosomi. 
Genus Mallaspis. 
Serville^ Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1832^ p. 188. 
The characters of this genus,, in Lacordaire^s Genera/^ 
derived from the antennae,, especially those of the 9 , 
are no longer applicable,, since species have lately been 
discovered * which differ from the types in this respect. 
In factj there is now no character to distinguish the genus 
from PyrodeSj except the pilose scutellum. 
* These are as follows. 
Mallaspis Beltii, n. sp. 
Species distinctissima, antennis in utroque sexu articulis linearibus, 
colore ? a valde diverse ; mesosterno et metasterno sutura dis- 
tincte divisis. 
<? Long. 18-20 lin. 
Oblonga, convexa, postice attenuata, £eneo-castanea, capite thoraceque 
seneo-fuscis, antennis tibiis et tarsis rufo-castaneis. Caput magnum, 
elongatissimum, subremote modice punctatum, lateribus parallelis, 
fronte, late sulcata. Thorax pone medium valde dentatus, antice in 
linea subrectus, angustatus, minute irregulariter denticulatus, pone 
dentem sinuatus, angulis posticis nullis, supra Eequalis, modice crebre 
punctatus, subnitidus, lateribus rugulosis. Elytra parte basali con- 
vexa, postice declivia, apice oblique truncata, angulo suturali pro- 
minenti acute, humeris antice protmsis, supra prope basin vermicu- 
lato-punctata, postice subtiliter punctato-coriacea. Corpus subtus 
£eneum, griseo-tomentosum ; pedes rufo-castanei, femoribus obscu- 
rioribus. Antennae corpore paulo longiores, rufae, articulis a 3® 
omnibus linearibus, 3° paullo latiori sed lineari, ultimis duobus basi 
intus spinosis. Scutellum aureo-tomentosum. 
? 15 lin. Forma similis ; postice minus angustatus, capite breviori ; 
thorace et elytris basi fortiter rugoso-punctatis, colore omnino satu- 
rate-aeneo vel obscure-cyaneo, antennis pedibusque cyaneis ; corpore 
subtus glabro. Antennae corporis dimidio longitudine aequales, arti- 
culis linearibus, cyaneis. Processus prosterni canaliculatus. 
Hah. — Chontales, Nicaragua. Dom. Belt invenit. 
Mallaspis Salvini, n. sp. 
M. Beltii proximo affinis ; eadem differentia seximm formaque protho- 
racis et antennarum. 
S Long. 15-16 lin. Oblonga, depressa, postice attenuata, supra tota 
laete aenea, subtus aureo-refulgens. Caput thorax et elytra ut in M. 
Beltii, sed illud grossius punctatum nitidum, haec prope apices minus 
attenuata, obtusius rotundata. Antenn® corpore longiores, articulis 
duobus ultimis basi tuberculatis, rufae. Pedes ruff, femoribus aeneo- 
tinctis. 
$ 15 lin. M. Beltii ? forma et colore simillima ; caput multo grossius 
rugoso-punctatum ; antennae omnino violaceae; processus prosterni 
hand canaliculatus. 
Hah. — Costa Pdca. A Dom. Salvin receptus. 
TRANS. ENT. SOC. 1869. PART I. (aPRIL) . E 
