CRYPTOC EP1 [ ALUS. 
255 
thorax and elytra more or less spotted with black or without spots, 
or elytra black with red band near middle. 
Head finely and remotely punctured ; a small spot at base of 
antennae black ; antennae slender and short, third and following 
joints nearly equal, not much longer 
than the second, outer joints slightly 
widened, basal joints flavous, terminal 
joints slightly darker. Thorax about 
twice as broad as long, very minutely 
and remotely punctured, fulvous, with 
or without two black spots which some- 
times assume an elongate shape and 
extend to the base. Scutellum pale, 
margined with black. Elytra rather 
broad, slightly narrowed posteriorly, 
moderately strongly punctured, the 
puncturation much finer posteriorly 
and nearly obsolete at apex, interstices 
finely punctured and slightly wrinkled 
here and there. Body beneath flavous, 
with more or less dark tarsi. Pro- 
sternum produced anteriorly, posterior 
margin with acutely produced angles. 
One of the most variable of Cryptocephcdi, of which scarcely two 
specimens are the same in coloration. The following are the 
principal forms to be met with (the lighter coloured specimens are 
the females, the darker or more spotted ones the males, the latter 
have the apex of tibiae and the tarsi black) : — 
Fig. 99. — Crypt ocephalus 
vahli, var. 
Yar. a. Above entirely fulvous ; antennae and tarsi of similar 
coloration. 
Yar. b. Elytra with three black spots (2.1), one on the humeral 
callus, the others behind the middle, the outer one double 
as large as inner spot : thorax unspotted. 
Yar. c. The elytral posterior spots in shape of a transverse 
band, and surrounding the apex, or the latter sometimes 
entirely covered by the band. 
Yar. d. The humeral spot similarly enlarged, but not extending 
to scutellum. 
Yar. e. Elytra black, with a narrow sinuate red transverse band 
before the middle, thorax with two large spots. 
Yar. /. The red transverse band only indicated near suture and 
margins. 
Yar. g. Elytra entirely black, with or without paler margins. 
In all these varieties the scutellum remains red and the epi- 
pieurae at base flavous. 
Yar. mephistopheles, Duviv. Fulvous ; thorax with two black 
spots ; elytra black, the sutural and lateral margins narrowly 
fulvous. This seems to be nothing but one of the numerous 
