Chrysomelidae of Fiji — BRYANT and GRESSITT 
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Fig. 3 6. a, Malacotheria funerea, aedeagus; b, Mala- 
cotheria strigiscuta, aedeagus; c, Malacotheria lateritia , 
aedeagus. 
92. Malacotheria strigiscuta Fairmaire 
Fig. 3 6h 
Malacotheria strigiscuta Fairmaire, 1882, Soc. 
Ent. de France, Ann. Ser. 6, 1: 487 (Viti, 
Ovalau; type in Paris Mus.). 
Pale brown, darker on occiput and center 
of pronotum; tibiae, tarsi, and antenna largely 
dull. Head concave on occiput; third antennal 
segment short; pronotum concave, distinctly 
punctured, pubescent, entirely pale or dark- 
ened only on center; elytron closely punctured, 
somewhat distinctly carinate at side. Length 
6-7.2 mm.; breadth 2. 8-3. 4 mm. 
viti levu: Nandarivatu, Sept. 1938, Belt 
road, 70 km. west of Suva, July 1938, 
Zimmerman. 
ovalau: Thawathi, and Draiba trail, July 
1938, Zimmerman. 
Nine specimens. 
93. Malacotheria lateritia Fairmaire 
Fig. 36c 
Malacotheria lateritia Fairm., 1882, Soc. Ent. 
de France, Ann. Ser. 6, 1: 488 (Viti; type in 
Paris Mus.). 
67 
Brown, paler on prothorax and ventral sur- 
faces, nearly black on head; antenna and legs 
pale, annulated with darker. Head generally 
somewhat concave on occiput; pronotum con- 
cave, somewhat punctured, pubescent, less 
acute at anterior angle than in preceding two 
species; elytron finely punctured, distinctly 
carinate at side. Body narrower than in pre- 
ceding two species. Length 5.5-7 mm.; 
breadth 2-2.8 mm. 
VITI LEVU: Nandarivatu, Navai Mill, and 
Korovou, Tailevu, Sept. 1937, Valentine; 
Nandarivatu, ridge west of Vatuthere, Sept., 
Belt road 70 km. west of Suva, July 1938, 
Zimmerman; Lami Quarry, near Suva, May 
1951, Krauss. 
ovalau: Draiba trail, Thawathi, July 1938, 
Zimmerman. 
vanua levu: Nakawanga, on Pipturus , Oct. 
1955, Gressitt. 
Thirty-one specimens. 
host: Pipturus argenteus var. lanosus Skottsb. 
Genus plesistia Maulik 
Plesistia Maulik, 1929, Insects of Samoa 4(3): 
198 (type: P. hrunnea Maulik; Samoa, Fiji). 
Antenna reaching middle of elytron, first 
and fourth segments long; prothorax trans- 
verse, side rounded, each angle with a seta; 
elytron with ten ribs including a short scutellar 
one, the suture raised and alternate ribs more 
strongly raised; fore coxal cavity closed; tarsal 
claw with angular projection at base. 
94. Plesistia brunnea Maulik 
Plesistia brunnea Maulik, 1929, Insects of 
Samoa 4(3): 199, figs. 10, 11 (Samoa, Fiji; 
type in Brit. Mus.). 
Gray-brown; last eight antennal segments 
black above; legs pitchy distally. Head im- 
punctate, grooved medially; scape long, clav- 
ate; second antennal segment shorter than 
third; prothorax flattened, with shallow de- 
pressions; elytron ribbed. Length 8 mm. 
viti levu: Thuvu (Cuvu). Korovou, Tai- 
levu, Sept. 1937, Valentine; ten specimens. 
