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AOA SOCIETY of SOUTH AUSTRALIA
_ (INCORPORATED).
es TY OE ee Fs.
([Wirn Firry-rour PLates AND TWENTY-ONE FiguRES IN THE TEXT.]
~
EDITED BY WALTER HOWCHIN, EGS, 3 ——— BY ARTHUR M. LEA, F.E.S. mee
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TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
ROYAL SOCIETY of SOUTH AUSTRALIA
(INCORPORATED).
IN, Coa) ORS Sete
[Wits Firry-rour Puates AND TWENTY-ONE FIGURES IN THE TEXT. |
EDITED BY WALTER HOWCHIN, F.G.S., Assistep sy ARTHUR M. LEA, F.ES.
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PUBLISHED BY THE Society, Roya Socinrry Rooms, NortH TERRACE.
DECEMBER 23, 1916.
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vi.
Koprl Society of South Australia
(INCORPORATED).
Patron: HIS EXCELLENCY SIR HENRY LIONEL GALWAY, K.C.M.G., D.S.O.
— oip— — OFTICERS FOR (1916247,
President: JOSEPH C. VERCO, M.D., F.R.C.S.
Vice=Presidents: PROF. E. H. RENNIE, M.A., D.Sc., F.C.S. R. S. ROGERS, M.A., M.D.
tbon. Treasurer: be -— *. F “ POG E> W. B. POOLE.
fbon. Secretary: WALTER RUTT, C.E.
Members of Council: EK. ASHBY. R. H. PULLEINE, M.B. SAMUEL DIXON. PROF. T. G. B. OSBORN, M.Sc. PROF. R. W. CHAPMAN, M.A., B.C.E. W. HOWCHIN, F.G.S. (Editor and Representative Governor).
Auditors: W. L. WARE, J.P. A. WHITBREAD.
Vil.
CONTENTS.
—xapo—
Ossorn, Pror. T. G. B.: A Note on the Occurrence and Method of Formation of the Resin (Yacca Gum) in Aanthorrhoea quadrangulata. Plates i. to iii.
Dopp, AtAN P.: Australian Hymenoptera: ih toes No. 4 nen ody ee a, pe A tes
Wueeter, W. M.: Prodiscothyrea, a New Genus of Ponerine Ants from Queensland. Plate iy Map ty. aye
AsHwortH, J. H.: On the Occurrence. of Arenicola loveni, Kinberg, on the Coast of South Australia
LeigH-SHarre, W. Harorp: A New eae of Leech from South (Aueeralia .
Buack, J. M.: Additions to Me week of South pee eRe No. 9, Plates Vo bO.ViNt.
Carter, H. J.: Revision of the Genus Siiguindent ana / Descriptions of some New age of Mua has Plates Uk ane xX. e: he we: nis oe 4
Lea, A. M.: Notes on the Lord ene Island Piigeias and on an Associated Longicorn Beetle. Plates xi. to xvii.
ErueripeGr, R.: Hyalostelia australis, the Anchoring Spicules of an Hexactinellid Sponge from the Ordovician Rocks ~ of the MacDonnell Ranges. Plate xviii.
Mawson, Dr. D.: Auroral Observations at the Cape Roya Station, Antarctica. Plates xix. and xx. ...
Wuerter, W. M.: The Australian Ants of ae Genus Aphaenogaster, Mayr. Plates xxi. and xxii. ; ae:
Banks, N.: Acarians from Australian and Tasmanian Ants and Ant-nests. Plates xxili. to xxx.
LoweEr, Oswatp B.: The eae of Broken Hill, Nise South Wales.—Part IT.
Howcuin, Water: Notes on a High: level Oncurrsneds e a Fossiliferous Bed of Upper Cainozoic aoe e in the es bourhood of the Murray Plains Ms
Mawson, Dr. D.: Mineral Notes. Plate xxxi. Cooke, Dr. W. T.: Chemical Notes on Davidite Bet Sranutey, E. R.: A Noteworthy Oecurrence of Biotite Mica
Lea, A. M.: Notes on some Miscellaneous Coleoptera, with Descriptions of New Species. Plates xxxil. to xxxix.
McCunitocy, ALLAN R., and Enear R. Warre: Additions to the Fish-fauna of Lord Howe Island. Plates xl. to xliii.
Page.
Vill.
WaitkE, Epear R.: A List of the Fishes of Norfolk Island and Indication of their Range to Lord Howe Island,
KKermadec Island, Australia, and New Zealand. Plates xliv. to ee
Brack, J. Additiegte to the “BSE of South Australia, Nos 10; ce xlvil. and xlviii.
Barn, §. T.,: and H.'G) Jaana oA Roe on the Eucalypts ‘of South Australia and their Essential Oils. Plates xlix. to li.
TurNER, A. JEFFERIS: New Ai ied ah Lepidoptera of the Family Tortricidae %
Lower, Oswatp B.: Descrinunne. of New yiercliiat Minnad Lepidoptera
Howcnin, Water: The ee of Rian: ‘Bena with Petrographical Notes on the Basic Igneous Rocks of the Foot Hills of Mount Remarkable, by E. O. Thiele. Plates liii. and liv. of
ApsTRACT OF PRocEEDINGS ANNUAL REPORT BALANCE-SHEETS Donations TO LIBRARY List or MEMBERS
APPENDICES— Field Naturalists’ Section: Annual Report, etc. Twenty-eighth Annual Report of the Native Fauna and Flora Protection Committee : Malacological Section: Annual Report, ete.
INDEX
THE Transactions
OF
The Royal Society of South Australia.
Vol. XL.
A NOTE ON THE OCCURRENCE AND METHOD OF FORMATION OF THE RESIN (YACCA GUM) IN XANTHORRHOEA QUADRANGULATA.
By Professor T. G. B. Osporn, M.Sc. [Read April 13, 1916.] Puates I. ro iif.
References to the utilization of the resin of Xanthorrhoea species (the Australian “Grass Tree’), commonly known as “Yacca Gum,’’ as a source of picric acid, in addition to its value as a varnish, are to be found in various encyclopaedic works.{) In September last the Faculty of Science of the University of Adelaide was asked by the Hon. the Minister of Agriculture to investigate the matter further, with, amongst other things, a view to the more profitable working of the natural supplies existing in parts of this State, especially on Kangaroo Island. The majority of the questions asked were upon chemical points, but some referred to the possibility of methods of harvesting the resin other than that at present in vogue, which involves a destruction of the grass trees.
It was necessary, therefore, to enquire into the way in which the resin is formed by the plant, but upon consulting the literature available @ no definite information could be obtained. An examination of specimens of one of the species, Xanthorrhoea quadrangulata, was made, and the method of
Q) Watts: “Dictionary of Chemistry’; Maiden, J. H.: ‘‘The Useful Native Plants of Australia,’ p. 231, 1889. (2)1 have not been able to consult—Tschirch: ‘‘Angewandte Pflanzenanatomie’’; Wiesner: ‘‘Die Rohstoffe des Pflanzenreiches.’’ B
2
formation of the resin was observed to be peculiar, nor could references to a similar method be found in such literature as it was possible to consult.
Since the points raised are of some interest, the pre- liminary results are presented here. It is hoped at a later date to publish more fully upon these and other points of morphological interest concerning the genus.
EXTERNAL APPEARANCE OF THE PLANT.
The plant of X. quadrangulata examined was a compara- tively small specimen with a stem some 24 cm. high. As will be seen from pl. 1., fig. 1, numerous adventitious roots arose from the base of the stem; above them, in the portion of the stem buried in the ground, the external covering for a height of some 4-6 cm. © was / an apparently homogeneous layer of resin, about 1 cm. thick, the external diameter of the stem in this region being 14°5 cm. Proceeding upwards the stem was covered by closely-set leaf bases, the apices of which were charred by fire; these increased the external diameter to some 22 cm. Still higher up the leaf bases bore the full length of lamina of the wirelike form well known in this species; the laminas, however, were all dead and strongly reflexed (they are cut off in pl. 1., fig. 1). The crown of functioning foliage was composed of a very large number of leaves arranged in a dense spiral. In the centre of the crown the leaves stood erect, shielding the younger ones at the growing apex. Below they made an angle of 15° to 30° with the perpendicular, falling outwards towards their apices in a graceful curve.
MaAcROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF THE STEM.
The stem was cut with a saw into three transverse sec- tions—one immediately above the roots, a second 4 cm. above this (pl. u., fig. 1); the third was some 5 cm. thick and passed through the lower part of the region covered with leaf bases (pl. u1., fig. 2). The remainder of the trunk was split vertically as nearly as possible along a diameter (pl. 1., fig. 2).
The stem is seen (pl. i., fig. 2) to consist of a column of ground tissue through which the vascular bundles to the leaves run. The growing apex is slightly depressed. The youngest leaves can be seen at the centre of the depression ; passing outwards from this point they rapidly elongate till at the shoulder of the depression they stand erect. Progress- ing from this point downwards they gradually become hori- zontal, and finally strongly reflexed. Ultimately the distal ends of the leaf bases take on a strong hyponastic curvature,
4
so that the trunk is invested in an armour of leaf bases each bearing its downwardly-directed leaf blade, more or less of which is ultimately broken off by accident or burnt away by fire. The downwardly-directed leaf bases are well shown in pl. u., fig. 2, where they are viewed from above, cut obliquely in the transverse section of the stem. The course of the leaf bundles within the stem offers points of morphological interest, but they are not germane to the questions at issue.
The individual leaf is seen to have a long terete blade some 75 cm. in length and only 125 mm. in cross section, which is almost square. At the proximal end it passes into an enlarged leaf base, expanded laterally into wings. The base is some 5 cm. long and about 1°4 cm. in its greatest width, while the thickness is at most about 4 mm. (text fig. 1). In sec- tion it has a horizontally elongated diamond shape, but at the proxi- mal end the wings become much thinner, almost membranous. The leaf is at first attached by the whole base, but as it gets older the wings become free from the stem cortex, as will be seen below. When young the leaf base is whitish-yellow and has a highly- polished appearance, being slightly
Front and side view of viscid to the touch. -As it becomes leaf base of Xanthorrhoea older the colour is more yellowish quadrangulata showing and small flakes of resin appear wings and marked hypo- pon it. When old the leaf base nastic curvature of the oldilesf, base: x1. becomes very hard and tough, loses
: its sheen, and takes on a brown colour, often being coated with resin. The leaf bases remain living for a much longer period than the laminas, probably for several years, but by “the time they have attained a horizontal position with regard to the trunk they are dry and dead.
The longitudinal section of the stem (pie i. figs 2) 1s instructive, for it shows that the quantity of resin accompany- ing the leaf bases increases as one passes basipetally down the stem. This appearance, coupled with certain other observa- tions, leads at first to the conclusion that the resin was secreted by the leaf bases themselves. If the figure be carefully examined there is seen to be a denser layer of tissue immediately below the periphery of the stem. This is shown
B2
4)
Pie. 1:
+
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ee detail in pl. i1., fig. 1. A similar tissue was observed in all sections of the stem, even those near to the base (see pl. iii., fig. 2, which is a portion of pl. ii., fig. 1, enlarged).
Microscopic STRUCTURE.
A microscopical examination of the leaf base shows that it is bounded by. layers of cellulose fibres. The epidermis is strongly sclerized except for occa-
ISS :
ae sy) b= sional thin-walled cells, which show Prothts large granular nuclei. Except for these oe rrr cells there is no tissue of a glandular
e =
KE eee as: nature in the leaf base, and even if i to these cells be unicellular epidermal nee glands it is very doubtful if they SEY Es rt could secrete the quantity of resin als ree found about the stems, especially
Lf ele ve ai hal a eaten ‘~* when it is remembered that at the
Ip SS, TESTES PLT lower end of the stem the leaf bases are CIRO TMI > dead and even decayed away, whil s ris tpy 6dead and even decayed away, while it SPOTS one is there the resin sheath is thickest. ART ARN A careful examination of the peri- gee 2 Seon pheral region of the stem was therefore S=se-s=ea= made, this region having shown, as =ss55S==== mentioned above, a point of special in- eS terest. Text fig. 2 represents a trans- =2=s2SSs== verse section of the outer layers of the =sanss==== stem taken near the base. Below the Sofas] 2s investing layer of resin are several ges2es=222 layers of parenchyma cells showing Zeesee===s large granular nuclei. Still deeper is S25 ie) | a wide parenchymatous region contain- 2oss52== ; ing numerous cells with raphides. This Eee region passes into a broad zone of Sesscess2= cambium cells, which is succeeded i==s SSeS internally by the ground parenchyma sors <r of the stem through which the vascular a es bundles run. ESE Rt The development of secondary meri- Soe ae \ stemsis rarein monocotyledonous plants,
Bs Sy) but it is found in a few genera of the )- Liliaceae, to which family Xanthor-
a rhoea belongs. In these cases the Tere: SUES) uae Mies wa a Diagrammatic transverse section of stem extending from region of meristem outwards to the resin layer. For further description see accompanying text.
5
cambium is concerned with the formation of new vascular bundles. It has clearly no such function here. Certain monocotyledons also develop a peripheral cork cambium, but the meristem tissue in Yanthorrhoea cannot have that function since there is a zone of living tissue outside it, nor does any part of the stem yield the characteristic reactions of suberin. The purpose of the meristem seems, therefore, to be to add to the cortical cells lying outside it. But*the cortical zone does not increase appreciably in thickness as the stem gets older. If, then, the cambium adds to it on the inside, it is clear that cells must be sloughed on the outside.
A careful examination of the outermost region of the cortex, at the point at which it abuts on the resin zone, shows that the layer of delimitation is irregular. The cortex cells here have large granular nuclei and have every appearance of secretory cells. In many cases they show large amounts of plastic contents, the nature of which could not be determined. There is no recognisable epidermis to be seen.
Text fig. 3 1s a camera lucida drawing of a portion of this region, and shows that the cells are not only in contiguity with the resin along an irregular line, but that similar cellular structure to the outer cortex cells can be discerned embedded in the resin. The inference, therefore, is that the resin is formed chiefly as an intra-cellular secretion of the peripheral cells of the stem which are thus cut off. The cortex, however, is replenished by the activity of the cambium mentioned above, so that it does not diminish in thickness. Physiologically, the resin may serve to cement the persistent leaf bases together so protecting the stem from injury, the persistent armour of leaf bases taking the place of the bark of most plants. Even if the leaf bases decay away there is left a layer of resin, as at the base of the trunk investigated, protecting the living parenchyma of the outer cortex.
EXAMINATION OF THE RESIN RESIDUES.
It is well known that the resin is completely soluble in alcohol, also in KOH solution. If, however, it is formed as an intracellular secretion the walls of the cells themselves should be found in the resin and left as a residue when the latter passes into solution. A large number of fragments of apparently pure resin from different parts of the plant were examined as follows. The resin was removed as completely as possible with absolute alcohol and the residue examined in cedar-wood oil. In the majority of cases the resin gave a residue that showed fragments of cellular tissue similar in
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Transverse section of stem showing peripheral cells of cortex with their enlarged nuclei. The irregular abutment of cortex on the resin layer is shown, also several cells similar to those of cortex embedded in the resin.
Camera lucid outlines from a section through fresh material.
7
appearance to that of the outermost layers of the cortex. In one experiment a fragment some 1 x 1 x ‘5 cm. from the investing layer of resin near the base of the trunk was treated with alcohol and all the resin removed. The residue was a solid mass of cellular structure the size and shape of the original fragment. Many of the thin flakes of resin to be found between the leaf bases in the upper region of the stem also showed fragments of cellular structure.
A small feature of additional interest has been found in examining these residues. In many cases, in addition to the cortical cells of the stem, there was present a greater or less amount of a thin septate fungus mycilium. No sign of spores or fructification has been noted, but it appears as if the _ fungus was saprophytic upon the dead leaf bases or even upon the cells occluded in the resin.
In further confirmation of the hypothesis that the resin is, In the main, an intracellular secretion of the cortical cells of the stem, a number of fragments of Kangaroo Island grass tree (X. Tater) ‘‘gum,’’ from a commercial source, was selected for examination. It was quickly recognized that amongst the fragments were two kinds, differing in appearance. The resin in some cases was clear and translucent, in the other it appeared much denser, almost opaque, when held up to the light. The residues of samples of each kind were examined as above. The transiucent resin showed many cells similar to those found in the resin of -Y. quadrangulata. The denser resin also showed a few such cells, but in this case the bulk of the residue was a mass of almost pure fungus hyphae.
CONCLUSIONS.
The resin of Xanthorrhoca quadrangulata is an intra- cellular secretion, principally of the peripheral cortical cells of the stem. The resin so formed is moulded by pressure between the persistent leaf bases clothing the stem, and, at sun heat becoming viscous, flows to a certain extent, destroying the original cellular matrix, but still retaining fragments, as can be seen by an examination of the residues of alcoholic solutions of the “gum.” It follows, therefore, that there is little likelihood of any method of collecting the resin other than by destroying the tree. Any method of stripping the trunk, assuming one could be devised that should be commercially possible, must kill the plant, since it would expose unprotected parenchyma tissues to the atmosphere and open the way for fungal and animal attacks.
8
DESCRIPTION OF PLATES.
Prate I.
Fig. 1. Photograph of a plant of X. quadrangulata. Numerous adventitious roots are noticeable. Above them a region of stem protected. only by a resin sheath. Then follows a zone protected by the persistent leaf bases, the ends of which were charred by fire. Above this again the laminas of the leaves were persistent, though dry and dead; since they were pendent owing to the strong reflexion of their bases they were cut away to expose the trunk. The leaves remaining were all green and functional. Diameter of trunk immediately above roots, 14 cm. .
Fig. 2. Longitudinal section of trunk at apex. The increasing accumulation of resin at the leaf bases is noticeable as one descends. the trunk, particularly on the right hand side. At A the cambium zone in the cortex is clearly seen.
Puate IT.
Fig. 1. Transverse section of trunk about 4 cm. above the point of emergence of the uppermost roots, in the region of the stem protected by the resin layer only. The majority of the leaf traces are cut transversely ; a few can be seen passing out through the stem, simulating the appearance of medullary rays. The cambium zone and cortex is best seen on the left of the figure at the bottom. Diameter of the stem, about 15 cm.
Fig. 2. Transverse section of stem at a point some 5 em. above that shown in the previous figure, passing through the region pro- tected by the downward-projecting leaf bases at the top of the figure. These are seen cut in oblique section and cemented together by resin. Diameter of section (stem and leaf bases), about 20 cm.
N.B.—Figs. 1 and 2 of this plate are photographed on different scales. The diameter of the stem in each case is approximately the same—about 12 cm.
Prats ITT.
Fig. 1. Portion of longitudinal section shown at A, pl. i., fig. 2, photographed on a larger scale. The leaf traces in the ground tissue of the stem, the cambium, and cortex are clearly shown. The ruddy brown of the resin shows almost black in con-
trast to the white of the cortex at the proximal ends of the leaf bases. xi.
Fig. 2. Portion of section shown in pl. i1., fig. 1, photographed on a larger scale. The resin sheath with its irregular abutment on the cortex is clearly seen. The ends of several leaf traces will be noticed, though the leaves themselves and leaf bases have long rotted away. The cambium is best seen at C.
AUSTRALIAN HYMENOPTERA: PROCTOTRYPOIDEA. No. 4.
By Awan P. Dopp. [Read May 11, 1916.]
Family PLATYGASTERIDAE.
Do.icnotRyPeEs, Crawford and Bradley. A peculiar genus, formerly containing only the type species, D. hopkinsi, Craw. and Brad., from North America.
DOLICHOTRYPES IDARNIFORMIS, HN. Sp.
Q. Coal-black; coxae concolorous, the legs reddish- yellow, the femora and apical half of posterior tibiae dusky ; antennal scape red, suffused dusky at apex, the pedicel and funicle joints a little suffused with red. Head transverse ; with fine, dense, raised, polygonal reticulation; eyes large, bare; ocelli rather wide apart, the lateral ones somewhat nearer to the eye margins than to the median ocellus. ‘Thorax convex dorsad; the pronotum and mesonotum with sculpture similar to that of the head; scutum long, distinctly longer than greatest width, the parapsidal furrows delicate, approaching each other caudad, not quite attaining anterior margin; scutellum convex, with a short blunt tubercle or projection caudad, with silvery pubescence. Abdomen composed of five visible segments ; segments 4-6 forming a long linear stylus, longer than rest of “body, the sixth some- what longer than fifth, which is longer than the fourth; second (first body) segment and third convex above and below, stout; second smooth and shining, about one-third longer than wide, the third transverse, 3-6 with fine surface sculpture. Legs slender; tarsi 5-jointed; proximal joint of posterior tarsi almost as long.as other four united. Forewings long, broad, the apical margin broadly rounded; hyaline: marginal cilia absent, the discal cilia practically so ; wholly without venation. Antennae 10-jointed ; scape long and slender; pedicel longer and a little wider than funicle joints, over twice as long as wide; first funidle joint small, one-half longer than wide; second distinctly longer: third shorter than second, as long or slightly longer than first ; fourth slightly longer than wide; club abrupt, 4-jointed, the joints fully as long as wide, the first very slightly the longest. Length, to apex of stylus, 2°75 mm.; to base of stylus, 1:20 mm.
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H/ab.—Queensland: Cairns district. One female on foliage of sugarcane, June, 1915 (A. P. Dodd).
Type.—l. 5403, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewing on a slide.
POLYGNOTUS AUSTRALIS, Nn. sp.
Q. Shining-black ; coxae concolorous, the legs otherwise bright golden-yellow, also the antennal scape, the pedicel and funicle joints a little suffused dusky, the club brown; femora and tibiae slightly dusky in centre. Head transverse, as wide or slightly wider than the thorax; occiput finely circularly striate ; viewed from in front the head is distinctly wider than long; frons with exceedingly fine, dull surface sculpture ; eyes. large, bare. Thorax convex dorsad; scutum a little longer than greatest width, with fine, dense, polygonal, scaly sculpture ; parapsidal furrows delicate but complete ; scutellum circular, well separated from the scutum, smooth except for sparse whitish pubescence; metanotum very short at meson ; thorax stout. Abdomen oval; widest near posterior margin of second segment; from lateral aspect somewhat convex above, less so beneath; first segment about twice as wide as long, strongly striate; second occupying about one-half of surface, finely striate for basal half, the apical half alutaceous. Forewings attaining apex of abdomen; hyaline; broad ; discal cilia fine and sparse. Antennae 10-jointed; scape long and moderately stout; pedicel one-half longer than wide; first funicle joint very small, distinctly narrower than preceding or succeeding joint, cupuliform, as long as wide; second and third a little longer than wide; club 5-jointed, somewhat wider than funicle, joints 1-4 somewhat longer than wide, the fifth longer, the first cupuliform. Length, 1 mm.
d. Like the female, but flagellar joints all darker, club not distinct, the second and third funicle joints not distinctly narrower, and the first club joint not cupuliform.
Hab.—Northern Territory: Darwin. Many specimens of either sex, labelled “Bred from galls on buds of Careya australis, 17/10/14, G. F. Hill.”
Type.—I. 5404, South Australian Museum. Two females: on a tag, a male and female on a slide.
SACTOGASTER SACCHARALIS, n. sp.
@. Shining-black: coxae and hind femora and tibiae dusky-black, other femora and tibiaeslightly dusky, the rest of the legs bright golden-yellow, also antennal scape, the funicle dusky, the pedicel and club black. Head very transverse ; ocelli rather far apart, the lateral pair separated from the eye margins by more than their own width: with fine, very
RL
dense polygonal, scaly sculpture. Pronotum and scutum with similar sculpture to the head; scutum distinctly longer than its greatest width ; parapsidal furrows feeb%e, hardly discern- ible, approaching rather close together posteriorly ; scutellum rather short, produced into a thorn at apex, this not as long as body of scutellum, covered with short, dense, silvery pubescence, without sculpture. Abdomen, viewed from above, as long or slightly longer than the thorax, the second segment smooth and occupying over one-half of surface, the remainder with fine sculpture and narrowed, the third shortest ; viewed from the side, the second segment is deeply inflated ventrad, the rest very thin and curved somewhat downwards. Tarsi 5-jointed ; basal joint of posterior tarsi over twice length of second. Forewings reaching somewhat beyond apex of abdomen ; moderately broad; hyaline; discal cilia very fine, not very dense; without venation. Antennae 10-jointed ; scape as long as pedicel and funicle joints united; pedicel one-half longer than wide; funicle joints narrower, the first and third almost subequal, no longer than wide, the second twice as long, the fourth wider than long; club distinct, 4-jointed, first joint rather small, 1-3 distinctly wider than long. Length, 1 mm.
Hab.—Queensland: Cairns district. Frequently taken on leaves of sugarcane.
Type.—l. 5405, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, a female on a slide.
Family BELYTIDAE.
ACLISTOIDES, n. g.
Q. Head transverse; the eyes large, bare. Pronotum ‘distinctly visible, its latero-anterior angles acute; parapsidal furrows deep and distinct anteriorly, vanishing posteriorly ; scutellum with a very large, deep, circular fovea at base; metanotum pilose, without teeth or spines. Petiole long and slender, several times as long as wide, its dorsum faintly carinate ; convex above from lateral aspect ; body of abdomen ‘in three portions, caused by segment 3 (second body segment) being retracted at base and apex and 4 retracted at base, the three portions consisting of segments 2 (first body seg- ment), 3, and 4-7 respectively ; 4-7 appearing as one through ‘their delimiting sutures being very faint; 2 one-half longer than petiole; 3 about one-third length of petiole, somewhat wider than long; 4 one-third longer than 3; 5 and 6 very short; 7 conical, a little shorter than 4. Legs normal, slender, the femora clavate. Forewings normal, ample; marginal vein long, less than one-third length of submarginal,
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the stigmal short, perpendicular; no radial cell; basal vein a distinct brown line, the median and recurrent very faint ones. Hindwings*without a closed cell. Antennae 15-jointed , scape slender; flagellum without a distinct club, the apical joints feebly thickened.
The structure of the abdominal segments, in conjunction with the wing venation, readily separates the genus. Allied with Stylaclhista, Dodd, but differs in the form ofthe abdomen.
Type.—The following species.
ACLISTOIDES RETRACTUS, N. sp.
@. Black, the apical abdominal segment ferruginous ; coxae fuscous, the legs brownish-yellow, the femora and posterior tibiae more or less dusky; antennae black, the apical joint pale lemon-yellow. Head, scutum, and scutellum smooth, shining, also the abdomen, the segments after 2 with scattered, long, fine setae. Forewings long and broad; sub- hyaline; discal cilia coarse and dense; venation fuscous ; stigmal vein boot-shaped, with the apex pointing distad. Scape slender, barely as long as the three following joints: united; pedicel nearly twice as long as wide; first funicle joint one-half longer than pedicel, second about as long as pedicel, the others shortening, the penultimate as wide as long, the last joint almost twice as long as preceding. Length, 2°50 mm.
Hab.—Queensland: Cairns district. One female, low- land jungle, October, 1915 (A. P. Dodd).
Type.—I. 5406, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide.
@o?
PANTOLYTOIDEA PSEUDOCLAVATA, Nl. sp.
Q. Black, the thorax and petiole very deep-red; legs golden-yellow ; first seven antennal joints red, the next five black, the last three contrasting intense lemon-yellow. With the general structure of the other species of the genus. Head much more transverse than in the other species : perpendicular from ocelli to antennal prominence, the latter thus much less distinct from dorsal aspect. .Abdomen rather more than twice as long as greatest width. Forewings uniformly lightly infuscate ; stigmal vein fully one-half as long as the marginal. Antennae without a distinct club, the last eight joints only slightly thickened ; pedicel twice as long as wide; first funicle joint much longer, four times as long as wide, 2-5 shortening, the fifth not twice as long as wide; 6-12 very gradually shortening, the twelfth quadrate. Length, 2°40 mm.
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Hab.—-Queensland: Cairns district. Two females, jungle, August, 1915 (A. P. Dodd).
Type.—l. 5407, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide.
PANTOLYTOIDEA BIFOVEATA, N. Sp.
@. Dull-black; legs wholly bright reddish-yellow ; antennal scape black, pedicel and funicle red, club black. Head rather transverse, as in pseudoclavata. Scutellum at base with two circular foveae. Petiole one-half longer than wide, carinate, its sides straight or nearly so; body of abdomen wider than thorax; about as long as head and thorax united ; faintly depressed at extreme base, with a short median carina and shorter lateral ones; twice as long as its greatest width; apical segment shorter than two preceding united. Marginal vein quadrate or nearly so, somewhat shorter than the stigmal. Pedicel one-half longer than wide, the funicle joints narrower, first one-half longer than wide, the others shortening, 5-7 ‘distinctly wider than long; club 6-jointed, first joimt narrower than others, 1-5 much wider than long, the last joint as long as two preceding united. Length, 2 mm.
Hab.—Queensland. Cairns district, 1,200 feet. One female, jungle, July, 1915 (A. P. Dodd).
Type.—I. 5408, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide.
The two foveae at base of scutellum readily distinguish the species.
Family DIAPRITDAE.
TRICHOPRIA GIRAULTI, Nn. sp.
Q. Brownish-black, the petiole, legs, and antennae (except the club) reddish- -yellow ; antennal club black. Head normal, subglobose; with a few scattered setae. Thorax normal ; scutellum at base with one shallow fovea, without a median carina; metanotum with a subacute triangular raised scale medially at base. Petiole one-half longer than wide, carinate, and with distinct pubescence; body of abdomen raised from petiole, stout, pointed conic-ovate, the second segment fully twice as long as following united. Forewings attaining apex of abdomen: moderately broad; subhyaline ; marginal cilia long, the longest equal to one-fourth greatest wing width: venation terminating in a triangular marginal vein at one-third wing length. Antennae 12-jointed; scape slender; pedicel twice as long as wide, the funicle joints somewhat narrower, the first thrice as long as wide, 2-5 almost subequal, about twice as long as wide; club 5-jointed,
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first joint narrower than others, a little longer than wide, 2-4 a little wider than long, the fifth one-half longer than wide. Length, 1°75 mm.
fiab.—New South Wales: Brooklyn. One female, labelled “Sweeping grass, etc., November 18, 1914, A. A. Girault.’’
Type.—I. 5409, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide.
TRICHOPRIA QUADRATA, 0. sp.
Q. Dull-black; the tegulae, petiole, all of legs, and -antennae (except the club) reddish-yellow. Head, dorsal aspect, quadrate, as long as wide; ocelli situated at half its length; eyes rather small, situated far forward and almost against antennal prominence. Thorax normal; scutellum without a median carina, at base with a large shallow fovea. Petiole not much longer than wide; body of abdomen well raised from petiole, rounded posteriorly, the second segment over thrice as long as following united. Forewings attaining apex of abdomen; moderately broad; subhyaline; marginal cilia rather long; venation yellow. Antennae 12-jointed ; pedicel barely twice as long as wide; first funicle joint hardly narrower, fully twice as long as wide; second a little longer than wide, the sixth slightly wider than long; club abrupt, 4-jointed, joints 1-3 about subequal, a little wider than long, the fourth one-half longer than wide. Length, 1°75 mm.
Hab.—New South Wales: Muswellbrook. One female, labelled “Sweeping native flora in park, October 26, 1914, A. A» Givaultny
Type.—-I. 5410, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide.
PHAENOPRIA GLOBICEPS, n. sp.
Q. Black, the antennae concolorous; legs dusky-black, the trochanters, base and apex of the tibiae, and the tarsi golden-yellow. Head, dorsal aspect, globular, as long as wide ; eyes situated far forward and almost against antennal prominence. Thorax slender, twice as long as greatest width ; smooth and shining; scutellum very gently convex, without a median carina, somewhat depressed at base but without a basal fovea; metanotum without a raised scale at base. Petiole no longer than wide, pubescent; body of abdomen slender, a little longer than thorax, pointed conic-ovate, the second segment twice as long as the following united. Fore- wings attaining apex of abdomen ; moderately broad ; hyaline ; venation dark, terminating in a triangular marginal vein at basal third of wing. Antennae 12-jointed; scape slender;
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pedicel twice as long as wide, the funicle joints narrower, the first twice as long as wide, the others gradually shortening, the seventh as long as wide; club abrupt, 3-jointed, first joint as long as wide, the second a little wider than long, the third twice as long as preceding. Length, 1°50 mm.
Hab.—New South Wales: Brooklyn. One female, labelled “Sweeping grass, etc., November 18, 1914, A. A. Girault.”’
Type.—I1. 5411, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide.
BotTuriopria, Kieffer.
Synonym, Polypria, Dodd: Ante, 1915, p. 410.
The finding of the species connectens reduces the genus Polypria to synonymy with Bothriopria, and the type species, nigriventris, Dodd, must be considered as merely a diverse form of the latter genus.
BOTHRIOPRIA CONNECTENS, Nn. sp.
Q. Like mgriventris, but the legs wholly golden- yellow; thorax brighter reddish, the metathorax and venter black; penultimate antennal joint not yellowish; vertex of head smooth except for a very few rather large punctures far laterad; medium lobe of scutum without depressions, the lateral lobes plainly depressed ; foveae of scutellum less large; pedicel a little longer and wider than first funicle joint; blotch beneath marginal vein very indistinct. Length, 2 mm.
Hab.—Queensland: Cairns district. One female, jungle, muoust, 1915 (ALP. Dodd). .
Type.—I1. 5412, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antenna and forewings on a slide.
BOTHRIOPRIA NIGERRIMA, N. sp.
¢. Black; antennae wholly concolorous; legs concolor- ous, the base and apex of trochanters, apex of tibiae, most of anterior tibiae, and anterior tarsi, ferruginous, the other tarsi suffused reddish. Head normal; smooth, with a very few scattered setae. Scutum without depressions, the parap- sidal furrows distinct and complete, with several small setigerous punctures on either side; scutellum with two large oval foveae at base, situated rather obliquely to each other, the lateral foveae narrow and obscure, the posterior margin foveate ; metanotum rugose, with a plain median carina, the posterior margin concave. Petiole one-third longer than wide, with several strong carinae dorsad; body of abdomen no longer than thorax, rounded posteriorly, the second segment
/
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nearly thrice as long as the following united. Forewings long and broad ; subhyaline ; venation fuscous ; marginal vein stout, barely twice as long as wide, the stigmal shorter, the basal well-marked, the median hardly indicated. Scape normal ; pedicel twice as long as wide; first funicle joints somewhat narrower, somewhat over twice as long as wide, the second and third subequal, a third longer than wide, the fifth a little wider than long; club not differentiated, hardly wider than funicle, the joints (except the last) a little wider than long. Length, 3 mm.
Hab.--New South Wales: Brooklyn. One female, labelled “Sweeping grass, etc., November 18, 1914, A. A. Girault.”
Type.—I1. 5413, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antenna and forewings on a slide. |
Nearest to victoriae, Dodd, but the legs are darker, the metanotum does not bear a raised scale at base, and the foveae at base of scutellum are situated obliquely to each other.
SPILOMICRUS GRACILIS, Dodd.
One female, jungle, 1,200 feet, Cairns district, July, 1915 (A..F. Doda):
Family CERAPHRONIDAE.
CERAPHRON ERYTHROTHORAX, Nn. Sp.
©. Of stout form. Head and abdomen black; thorax rich ochreous, the sides and venter more or less blackish, also centre of scutellum posteriorly ; legs golden-yellow, the intermediate coxae darker; antennae black, the scape yellow at base. Vertex of head rather broad; eyes large, pubescent ; face well depressed for its entire length, with a few transverse obscure rugae; head otherwise smooth, except for scattered setae. Thorax stout, its dorsum somewhat convex; without sculpture, but with whitish pubescence, this very sparse in centre of scutellum; median groove of scutellum distinct ; scutellum plainly longer than wide; post-scutellum with a distinct blunt central spine or tooth; latero-posterior angles of metanotum with blunt prominences. Abdomen stout, broad; no longer than head and thorax united; acute and upturned at apex; with a few striae at base, smooth for the rest ; second segment occupying most of surface. Forewings long; broad, rather broadly rounded at apex; a little infus- cate; discal cilia very dense, fine; venation yellowish; marginal vein barely one-fourth as long as the long stigmal, the latter curved, its apex distant from the costa by nearly
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one-fourth its own length. Antennal scape rather stout, nearly as long as next three joints combined; pedicel fully twice as long as wide; the first funicle joint one-half longer than pedicel, the second a little shorter than pedicel, the fourth as wide as long, the fifth rather abruptly larger than fourth, 5-7 as long or a little longer than wide, the last joint nearly twice as long as wide. Length, 1°70 mm.
Hab.—Queensland: Cairns district. One female, jungle, August, 1915 (A. P. Dodd).
Type.—l. 5414, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antenna and forewings on a slide.
A striking and distinct species.
® CERAPHRON PULCHER, Dodd.
A female, which could not be distinguished from this species, was captured by sweeping on edge of jungle, 1,200 feet, Cairns district, February, 1915 (A. P. Dodd).
MEGASPILUS SCABRICEPS, n. sp.
2. Of stout form. Golden-brown, the abdomen a little dusky; eyes and ocelli black; antennal scape yellow, the pedicel suffused with yellow, the rest dark fuscous. Head transverse, as wide or slightly wider than the thorax; finely rugulose or scabrous; eyes not large, pubescent; ocelli very close together; mandibles large, bidentate, the outer tooth long. Thorax stout; median and parapsidal furrows of scutum complete and distinct ; scutum with scattered setiger- ous pin-punctures, the median lobe appearing faintly alutaceous, the parapsides shining; scutellum longer than wide, smooth, impunctate : post-scutellum with a stout spine. Abdomen no longer or wider than the thorax; not twice as long as greatest width; the apex upturned; second segment occupying slightly over half of surface, striate at base, smooth for the rest; remaining segments with fine scattered pubescence. Forewings attaining apex of abdomen; very broad; rather deeply infuscate; stigma semicircular, the stigmal vein nearly twice its length. Scape moderately stout ; pedicel one-third longer than greatest. width; first funicle joint rather longer and wider, cupuliform, one-third longer than greatest width; 2-8 almost subequal, nearly twice as wide as long, the last joint nearly twice as long as wide. Length, 1°75 mm.
Hab.—Queensland: Cairns district, 1,700 feet. One female, jungle, July, 1915 (A. P. Dodd).
Type.—l. 5415, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide. .
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CoNOSTIGMUS UNILINEATUS, Dodd.
Lygocerus unilineatus, Dodd: Ante, 1915, p. 452.
Two females, three males, jungle, 1,300 feet, Cairns district, July, 1915 (A. P. Dodd). Foveae near base of abdomen subobsolete in all these specimens.
¢. Antennae black, the scape and pedicel golden- yellow; scape rather stout; pedicel short and stout; funicle joints long and slender, the first longest, a little shorter than the scape, the others very slightly shortening toward apex.
LyGocerwus, Foerster.
It would seem that this genus can be separated from Conostiymus, Dahlbom, only by the male antennal characters, and that the females cannot be distinguished. The discovery of the male of wnilineatus proved that species to belong to Conostigmus, and it is probable that the other Australian species of Lygocerus founded on female specimens—namely, splendidus, Dodd, aterrumus, Dodd, and albovarius, Dodd— should be referred to the former genus. Whether the two genera should be regarded as separate is questionable.
Family BETHYLIDAE.
KUPSENELLA DIEMENENSIS, N. sp.
©. Shining-black; the coxae and femora concolorous, the tibiae and tarsi deep ferruginous ; antennae wholly yellow, somewhat suffused dusky. Head a little wider than long, dorsal aspect; eyes large, bare. Pronotum a little longer than the scutum; scutum with complete parapsidal furrows, the lateral lobes with a fine longitudinal groove that fails anteriorly; scutellum as long as the scutum, without an impression at base; head, pronotum, scutum, and scutellum with fine, impressed, polygonal, scaly sculpture, the scutellum with also a very few scattered pin-punctures ; metanotum not twice as long as the scutellum, finely transversely rugose and with a median carina. Abdomen as long as the thorax, smooth, or nearly so. Anterior femora distinctly swollen. Forewings long and broad; faintly infuscate ; venation deep- brown ; two closed basal veins ; areole rather small, but plainly longer than wide; cubital cell one-half longer than the closed radial, which is nearly twice as long as the stigma; radial vein somewhat recurved. Antennae 13-jointed; scape stout, about twice as long and as wide as the pedicel; pedicel as long as first funicle joint, which is two-thirds longer than its greatest width, the others very gradually shortening, the penultimate a little longer than wide, the ultimate as long as the first. Length, 3°40 mm.
1g
Hab.—Tasmania: Mount Wellington (A. M. Lea, unique).
Type.—l. 5416, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, head and forewings on a slide.
GONIOZUS GIRAULTI, n. sp.
Q. Black; coxae and femora deep-brown, the tibiae and tarsi testaceous; antennae wholly testaceous. Head, dorsal aspect, a little wider than long; eyes bare. Head, pronotum, scutum, and scutellum with fine polygonal scaly reticulation ; pronotum distinctly longer than the scutum, the latter without parapsidal furrows, but rather far laterally with a fine carina that runs from posterior margin for two- thirds its length; scutellum with an impressed line at base, at either latero-anterior angle with a small fovea; metanotum rather long, finely obliquely reticulate in raised lines, the median line of the sclerite smooth and shining. Abdomen no longer than the thorax, smooth or nearly so. Anterior femora much swollen. Forewings ample; faintly infuscate ; venation yellow, the stigma and prostigma brown; stigmal vein long, twice as long as the stigma, hardly curved; basal vein not straight, angled at one-third its length, the posterior portion directed obliquely backwards, and thus the anterior margin of the median cell is distinctly longer than its posterior margin; basal vein at angle with a distal branch which is about half as long as itself; basal vein joining the pro- stigma. Antennae 13-jointed: scape stout, twice as long as the pedicel, which is as long as the second funicle joint, one- half longer than wide, a little longer than the first, the third subequal to the second, the others gradually shortening, the penultimate a little longer than wide, the ultimate about as long as the sixth. Length, 3°40 mm.
Hab.—Queensland: Yungaburra, 2,500 feet. One female, jungle, December 30, 1911 (A. A. Girault).
Type.—l. 5417, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae, head, and forewings on a slide.
GONIOZUS GLABRISCUTELLUM, MN. Sp.
2. Black; the coxae concolorous, the femora a dark- brown, the tibiae and tarsi testaceous; antennal scape and apical seven joints fuscous, the rest clear testaceous. Head, dorsal aspect, as long as greatest width ; head, pronotum, and scutum with very obscure, polygonal, scaly sculpture, almost obsolete, and with scattered punctures; scutellum glabrous, and laterad with a very few scattered punctures ; scutum from posterior margin with a short abbreviated: groove rather far
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laterad; scutellum at either latero-anterior angle .with a narrow oblique fovea; metanotum finely obliquely reticulate in raised lines, with a triangular smooth mesal path at basal half, the point of the triangle posteriorly, the triangle twice as long as width at base. Abdomen normal. Anterior femora much swollen. Forewings ample; hyaline; venation yellow, the prostigma and stigma dusky ; venation much as in girauiltz. Pedicel hardly one-half longer than wide, rather less than half as long as the scape; first funicle joint distinctly longer than the pedicel, twice as long as the greatest width, the second distinctly shorter than the first, the remainder becoming smaller towards apex, the apical joint as long as the second but not as wide. Length, 3°30 mm.
Hab.—Queensland: Longreach (A. M. Lea, unique).
Type.—I1. 5418, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antenna and forewing on a Slide.
RHABDEPYRIS ERYTHROGASTER, Nn. Sp.
Q. Black; the abdomen, except at base dorsad, bright orange-red ; coxae and femora dark-brown, the tibiae paler, the tarsi testaceous; antennae wholly deep-brown. Pronotum distinctly longer than the scutum, with numerous scattered punctures and very faint, almost obsolete, surface reticula- tion; scutum finely subtransversely lineolated, and with scattered small punctures, the parapsidal furrows complete, the lateral lobes with a half-complete groove from posterior margin; scutellum with fine surface lineolation, with a few punctures laterad, and a deep-impressed transverse curved groove at base; metanotum with five longitudinal carinae, of which the median one attains the carinated posterior margin, the next pair nearly so, the outer pair distinctly not so, between these carinae strongly transversely lined, outside the carinae finely transversely lineolate. Abdomen a little longer than the thorax. Forewings ample; moderately deeply infuscate ; venation yellow-brown ; stigma. rather small ; stigmal vein very long, as long as the costal ; median and sub- median cells about subequal, the basal and transverse veins oblique, forming at their juncture an angle of about 90°; submedian and submarginal veins of equal length. Antennae 13-jointed ; scape fully twice as_long as the pedicel ; pedicel and basal funicle joints cupuliform; pedicel one-half longer than wide, shghtly longer than second funicle joint, the first shorter and somewhat wider than long, the second longest, the remainder shortening, but all a little longer than wide. Tarsal claws simple, or practically so. Length, 3°90 mm.
f/ab.—South Australia: Adelaide. One female on a card with an ant, Hetatomma, sp., collected by A. M. Lea.
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Type.—I. 5419, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae, forewings, and two tibiae and tarsi on a slide. Family DRYINIDAE.
PARADRYINUS SPECIOSUS, N. sp.
Q. Mesothorax and metathorax black; head and pro- thorax clear-ochreous, the former dusky in centre of frons; neck of pronotum with a dusky-black patch on either side of meson, also a large blackish oblique patch on either side of meson of pronotum at about half its length; abdomen dark-brown; becoming ochreous toward apex; forelegs testaceous, the femora, tibiae, and basal tarsal joint suffused somewhat dusky; intermediate and posterior legs mostly dusky-black, the posterior coxae less so, the tarsi brownish, their first joint and second more or less, also base of their tibiae white; edge of clypeus white; antennae dusky, joints 1, 2, 6, and 7 testaceous. Head with rather strong surface rugosity. Pronotum subconcentrically rugose; the scutum, scutellum, and postscutellum more strongly longitudinally rugose, and with scattered fine whitish pubescence ; parapsidal furrows evident; postscutellum more than half length of scutellum ; the long anterior portion of metanotum strongly’ rugose-carinate, the posterior portion irregularly rugose. Abdomen smooth, impunctate. Forewings trifasciate, the third band as long as the first and with its proximal margin straight. Length, 5 mm.
Hab.—Queensland: Cairns district. One female, jungle August, 1915 (A. P. Dodd).
Type.—I. 5420, South Australian Museum. A female
on a tag. Very similar to koebeler, Perkins, with which species it may be identical, but Perkins says for that species : —“Pro-
podeum reticulately rugose; third band of wing with its inner margin oblique.’’ The colour of the mesothorax and metathorax is very intense, and would hardly appear variable.
PARADRYINUS ATERRIMUS, 0. sp.
Q. Jet-black; tip of abdomen ferruginous; scape suffused reddish, also anterior tarsi, the chelar claw pallid- yellow; mandibles somewhat suffused reddish, also inter- mediate femora centrally, anterior trochanters apically, and anterior femora slightly. Head, viewed from above, trans- verse ; viewed from in front, triangular, barely wider than long; smooth, shining, with only scattered minute indefinite punctures; vertex straight from eye to eye; a carina runs from front ocellus to antennal depression; occipital cavity
22
distinctly margined on vertex and sides; maxillary palpi 6-jointed, extending back as far as hind margin of head beneath; labial palpi 3-jointed. Pronotum truncate at anterior margin, with irregular outline (lateral aspect), smooth and shining lke the head, except for a meso-posterior hump which is densely irregularly striate; scutum and scutellum smooth and shining; parapsidal furrows wanting ; postscutellum about one-fourth as long as scutellum; meta- notum long, coarsely reticulately rugose. Abdomen smooth, shining, impunctate or nearly so. Forewings normal; tri- fasciate ; base of wing and a long apical portion, hyaline; first band longest, the second, which is at the basal vein, narrower; all bands dark. Scape two-thirds longer than pedicel; first funicle joint twice as long as second. First joint of anterior tarsi distinctly longer than fourth, the apical joint and chelar claw rather densely spinulose, the ante- apical tooth of the latter well-marked. Length, 6°50 mm.
Hab.—Queensland: Cairns district. One female, jungle, August, 1915 (A. P. Dodd).
Type.—lI. 5421, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae, anterior tibiae and tarsi, and forewings on a slide.
The absence of parapsidal furrows, the short post- scutellum, and the smooth head, prothorax, and mesothorax are distinctive. The two former characters suggest Veodryinus, Perkins, but the pronotum is not divided and the vertex of the head is not concave.
PSEUDOGONATOPUS DICHROMUS, Perkins.
One female, on window, Cairns district, October, 1914 {A. P. Dodd). Family SCELIONIDAE.
CacELLuS, Ashmead.
This genus is very similar to Macrotelera, Westwood. The females are readily enough distinguished by the presence of the bidentate spine on the metanotum; this character, however, is not present in the male, and hence the males of the two genera can be distinguished with difficulty. Macroteleia nigriscapus, Dodd, and Macroteleia paucipune- tata, Dodd, probably both belong to Cace/lus. In the descriptions of some of the Australian species the bidentate spine is said to be on the post-scutellum, but this is incorrect.
CACELLUS DISTINCTUS, Dodd.
Macroteleia distincta, Dodd: Proc. Royal Soec., Qld., vol. xxvi., 1914, p. 100.
_ 23
CaCELLUS PROPINQUUS, Nn. sp.
2. Black; legs (including coxae) wholly golden-yellow ; scape dusky-yellow, the pedicel and funicle joints fuscous, the club black. Head no wider than the thorax, from dorsal aspect twice as wide as long; with large, dense, umbilicate punctures, confluent on the vertex; lower two-thirds of face (except laterally) smooth and depressed; vertex descending toward occiput, the latter gently concave; eyes large, bare; ocelli large, the lateral pair touching the eye margirs. Thorax one-half longer than greatest width ; pronotum slightly visible on the sides from dorsal aspect; scutum large, plainly wider than long, the median lobe with dense large punctures, not confluent, the lateral lobes narrow, with fine pin-punctures joined by fine impressed lines; parapsidal furrows deep, complete, foveate; scutellum semicircular, at posterior margin with a row of deep foveae, its surface with scattered punc- tures, these fine mesally; post-scutellum short, foveate, unarmed; metanotum at base with a rather long semi- horizontal bidentate spine. Abdomen one-half longer than the head and thorax united ; sessile, slightly narrowed at base, gradually tapering to apex; segments all longer or as long as wide, the second and third slightly the longest ; six segments visible, the first strongly striate, second and third longi- tudinally confluently rugose-punctate, the sculpture becoming finer on 4-6, the sixth at apex with a small emarginate plate ; basal segment without a horn or prominence. Legs long and slender. Forewings almost attaining apex of abdomen; broad; faintly infuscate; venation dark-yellowish; marginal vein a little but distinctly longer than the stigmal, which is moderately long, straight, almost perpendicular, the post- marginal twice as long as the marginal ; basal vein very faint, very oblique, the median represented by a thick fuscous line. Scape slender ; pedicel a little over twice as long as greatest width ; first funicle joint much longer, almost twice as long as the second, which is hardly twice as long as wide, the third a little longer than wide, the fourth plainly wider than long; club compact, 6-jointed, joints 1-5 plainly wider than long, the first distinctly the longest. Length, 4:20 mm.
d. Like the female, but the lateral lobes of the scutum with large shallow punctures; punctures on scutellum more numerous and of uniform size; metanotum longer, without the bidentate spine, this modified to a pair of median carinae ; tarsi darker; abdomen at apex truncate and_bispinose. Antennae black, the scape bright-yellow; pedicel one-half longer than wide; first funicle joint nearly twice as long as pedicel, thrice as long as wide, the second distinctly shorter,
24
2-9 slightly gradually shortening, the ninth one-half longer than wide, the tenth nearly as long as the first.
Hab. Queensland : Cairns district, 1,200 feet. Three females, two males, around decayed logs in jungle, July, 1915 (A. P. Dodd).
Type.—l. 5422, South Australian Museum. A male and female on a tag, male and female antennae and forewings on a slide.
Closely related to both augustus, Dodd, and regalis, Dodd, but the pedicel and funicle joints in the female are longer in those species; for instance, the second funicle joint is distinctly over twice as wide as long; regalis has the scutum and scutellum wholly confluently-punctate, and the plate at apex of abdomen is gently convex, not emarginate ; augustus has a shorter marginal vein, a dark longitudinal stripe through the wing, and the plate at apex of abdomen strongly concave and bispinose.
CACELLUS FUSCICORPUS, Nn. sp.
@. Dull-brown, the head black: legs pale lemon-yellow (including the coxae), also the antennal scape, the pedicel and funicle joints brown, the club black. Vertex and frons with rather dense punctures, these distinctly smaller than in propinguus, regalis, and augustus, and not confluent against the occiput; lower two-thirds of face smooth, except for a row of punctures along the eye margins; cheeks with a very few rather large punctures. Median lobe of scutum at anterior half with rather large dense punctures, the rest of that lobe and all of parapsides with scattered indefinite pin- punctures, also the scutellum; parapsidal furrows deep, complete, foveate; scutellum with a foveate line along anterior and posterior margins; postscutellum unarmed ; metanotum at meson with an acute short bidentate spine; scutum and scutellum with fine pubescence. Abdomen slender, rather narrower than the thorax; one-half longer than the head and thorax united; with fine pubescence on sides and toward apex: pointed at apex, with a small trun- cate plate ; segments 2-4 subequal in length, somewhat longer than the first ; first segment longitudinally striate, 2-4 densely longitudinally rugose-punctate, the punctuation less distinet on the fifth, the sixth with moderately small and dense punctures. Posterior legs long and slender. Forewings almost attaining apex of abdomen ; moderately broad ; faintly infuscate; venation yellowish; marginal vein a little yet distinctly longer than the stigmal which is moderately short and oblique; the postmarginal fully twice as long as the marginal, basal and median veins hardly indicated. Scape
25
slender; pedicel two-and-a-half times as long as wide; first funicle joint a little narrower and distinctly (about a third) longer, the second a little shorter than the pedicel, two-thirds as long as the first, and over twice as long as wide, the fourth a little longer than wide; club compact, 6-jointed, the first joint nearly as long as wide, 2-5 distinctly wider than long. Length, 3°20 mm.
Hab.—Queensland: Cairns district, 600-1,500 feet. Two females, jungle, July, 1915 (A. P. Dodd).
Type.—l. 5423, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide. |
OPISTHACANTHA FLAVESCENS, Nl. Sp.
9. Bright orange-yellow, the abdomen and legs golden- yellow; eyes and ocelli black, also a narrow longitudinal stripe along extreme laterad of second abdominal segment ; antennae yellow, the club brown. Head moderately broad, no wider than the thorax; vertex rather broad, the occiput plainly concave; eyes moderately large, densely pubescent ; ocelli rather small, wide apart, the lateral pair touching the eye margins. ‘Head, scutum, and scutellum with fine surface sculpture and pubescence. Thorax stout, only slightly longer than wide; scutum large, the parapsidal furrows wide apart, delicate but complete; scutellum rather large; postscutellum with a short, stout acute tooth at meson; metanotum unarmed. Abdomen no longer than the head and thorax united, as wide as the thorax, hardly twice as long as greatest width, rounded posteriorly; segments all wider than long, the second and third longest, the latter nearly as long as the following united, the first without a horn or prominence ; first and second striate, the rest smooth. Forewings attaining apex of abdomen; moderately broad; with two indistinct cross-bands, the first involving apex of submarginal and all marginal and stigmal veins, the second near wing apex, but the extreme apex obscurely hyaline; discal cilia fine, very dense; marginal vein nearly as long as the stigmal, which is moderately short and oblique, straight, the post- marginal thrice as long as the stigmal; basal and median veins hardly indicated. Antennae short; scape moderately long and slender ; pedicel stout, one-third longer than wide; funicle joints as wide as the pedicel, the first as long as the pedicel, the second quadrate, the third and fourth transverse ; club compact, 6-jointed, joints 1-5 very transverse, the third slightly the widest. Length, 1:15 mm.
Hab.—Queensland: Cairns district, 1,200 feet. One female, jungle, July, 1915 (A. P. Dodd).
26
Type.—I. 5424, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide.
BaRYCONUS GRACILIS, n. sp.
Q. Head and thorax orange-yellow, the eyes and ocelli black ; abdomen golden-yellow, the horn on basal segment, a patch laterad on both second and third segments" posteriorly, and a band across fifth segment dusky-black; legs golden- yellow, the posterior trochanters, femora more or less, and apical two-thirds of tibiae, also apical half of intermediate tibiae dusky-brown ; first seven antennal joints golden-yellow, the apical five black. Head normal, the occiput not concave; smooth and shining, with striae converging around the mouth, the vertex showing in patches faint impressed polygonal scaly sculpture ; lower face not depressed; eyes not very large, bare; lateral ocelli a little separated from the eye margins. Thorax nearly twice as long as greatest width: pronotum a little visible from above; scutum narrowed anteriorly, about as long as greatest width, the parapsidal furrows distinct and complete and approaching close together posteriorly ; median lobe at anterior half with fine impressed polygonal scaly sculpture, the scutum otherwise smooth: scutellum smooth, rather short, with a very fine foveate line along anterior and posterior margins; metanotum unarmed. Abdomen one-half longer than the head and thorax united ; slender; first segment somewhat longer than wide, with a distinct horn projecting over the metanotum ; second segment over twice as long as the first and somewhat longer than its greatest width, the third a little shorter than the second, the fourth not much shorter than the third, the fifth hardly one-half as long as the fourth, the sixth subconiform and a little longer than the fifth; first and second longitudinally striate, the third and fourth longitudinally reticulate-striate, the fifth and sixth smooth. Forewings not quite attaining apex of abdomen; narrow, the apex rounded; with two fuscous transverse bands, the first covering apex of sub- marginal and all marginal veins and as long as wide, followed by a hyaline ‘band which is plainly shorter than it, the second fuscous band distinctly longer than the first, the wing apex narrowly subhyaline; marginal cilia moderately long; discal cilia moderately fine and dense; submarginal vein attaining the costa at slightly before one-half wing length; marginal vein about as long as the stigmal, which is rather short, straight, oblique; postmarginal vein fully thrice as long as the stigmal; basal and median veins not indicated ; venation pallid-yellow, in the infuscate bands fuscous. Antennae 12-jointed ; scape slender ; pedicel fully twice as long as wide;
27
first funicle joint as long and as wide as the pedicel, the second as long as the first, the third distinctly shorter, the fourth quadrate; club compact, 6-jointed, joints 1-5 trans- verse, the first somewhat smaller than 2-5, which are about equal in length. Length, 1°75 mm.
Hab.—Queensland: Cairns district, 1,200 feet. One female, jungle, July, 1915 (A. P. Dodd).
Type.—l. 5425, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide.
Resembling maculatus, with which it agrees colouration- ally, but of a more slender build, the abdominal segments longer, and the third segment plainly not as long as 4-6 combined. ;
BaRYCONUS AUSTRALICUS, Dodd. Leptoteleia australica, Dodd: ante, 1913, p. 145.
BaRYCONUS IMPERFECTUS, Nn. sp.
©. Black; abdomen dark-dull-brown; coxae black, femora and tibiae fuscous, trochanters, knees, and tarsi pale- yellow ; antennae black, the funicle fuscous. Head no wider than the thorax; vertex moderately broad; frons broad, without impressions ; with fine polygonal scaly sculpture ; eyes large, bare; oceili small, rather wide apart, the lateral ones touching the eye margins. Thorax with fine polygonal scaly sculpture ; one-half longer than wide; scutum large, slightly wider than long; parapsidal furrows delicate, failing anteriorly ; post-scutellum and metanotum unarmed. Abdo- men a little longer than head and thorax united, a little wider than thorax; third segment the longest, occupying one-third of surface, somewhat wider than long, as long as first and second combined, and as long as the following united ; first segment without a horn or tubercle, much wider than long; first and second striate, the third feebly so, the remainder with fine surface scaly sculpture. Forewings hardly attaining apex of abdomen: moderately broad, the apex rather broadly rounded ; faintly infuscate; discal cilia dense, very fine; submarginal vein attaining costa at fully one-half wing length; marginal vein one-third as long as the long stigmal, which is oblique, slightly convexly curved; post- marginal over twice as long as the stigmal; median and basal veins indicated by obscure brown lines. Scape moderately stout ; pedicel twice as long as wide, the funicle joints a little narrower, the first nearly twice as long as wide, second a little longer than wide, third and fourth wider than long ; club compact, 6-jointed, first joint small, 2-5 of nearly equal length, 1-5 much wider than long. Length, 1:45 mm.
28
. Hab.—Queensland: Cairns district, 1,800 feet. One female, July, 1915 (A. P. Dodd). Tupe.—l. 5426, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide.
AUSTROSCELIO LATUS, n. sp.
Q. Black; the coxae concolorous, the femora fuscous except at apex, the trochanters, tibiae, and tarsi golden- yellow ; antennae wholly black. Head large, very transverse, distinctly wider than the thorax; from in front distinctly wider than long; with rather shallow open raised reticulation, the lower half or more of face rather shallowly depressed and transversely striate ; eyes large, pubescent; ocelli rather small, very wide apart, the lateral pair touching the eye margins. Thorax about as wide as long; scutum and scutellum rather finely longitudinally rugulose ; scutellum semicircular, rounded posteriorly ; postscutellum transverse, unarmed, rather pro- minent, projecting over the very short metanotum. Abdomen broadly sessile, as wide as long; second segment occupying fully one-half of surface; broadly rounded posteriorly and almost. truncate; first segment longitudinally rugulose, the second polygonally reticulate, raised, dense mesally, open laterally, the remaining segments with shallow open reticula- tion. Forewings attaining apex of abdomen ; broad, the apex broadly rounded ; subhyaline; discal cilia dense, rather fine; venation fuscous; marginal vein short, one-half as long as the stigmal, which is short, straight, and rather oblique, the post-marginal wanting. Antennae short; scape rather long and slender ; pedicel two-thirds longer than wide, the funicle joints somewhat narrower, the first a little longer than wide, 2-4 wider than long; club compact, 6-jointed, joints 1-5 much wider than long, the first small, the second the longest. Length, 1°10 mm. |
HTab.—-Queensland: Cairns district, 1,800 feet. One female, forest, July, 1915 (A. P. Dodd).
Type.—I. 5427, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, the antennae and forewings on a slide.
Differing from the generic diagnosis in having the antennal depression not very profound, the scutellum semi- circular and rounded posteriorly, and the shorter, broad abdomen.
XENOMERUS LATICEPS, 0. sp.
@. Black; legs golden-yellow, the coxae reddish ; antennae wholly black. Head very transverse, somewhat wider than thorax; vertex very thin; viewed from in front distinctly wider than long; eyes moderately large, bare;
29
vertex and frons smooth and shining, the occiput with fine polygonal scaly sculpture; a carina runs from front ocellus to antennal prominence. Thorax as wide as long; scutum with distinct polygonal scaly sculpture, vanishing against posterior margin; parapsidal furrows as deep abbreviated grooves, rather less than one-half complete from posterior margin ; scutellum smooth, shining, with a foveate row along anterior and posterior margins; postscutellum with a rather long acute spine or tooth; metanotum extremely short, unarmed. Abdomen broadly oval, scarcely longer than greatest width ; first segment strongly transverse, the second as long as first, the third plainly longer than first and second combined, and fully twice as long as the following united; first and second strongly striate, the third with fine impressed striae mesally, smooth laterally and posteriorly, the remain- ing segments with fine scaly sculpture. Legs slender. Fore- wings attaining beyond apex of abdomen; moderately broad, the apex rather broadly rounded ; hyaline; discal cilia rather coarse, moderately dense ; venation terminating slightly before one-half length, thick and distinct, yellow-brown; stigmal vein moderately long for the subfamily. Scape normal; pedicel two-and-a-half times as long as wide; the funicle joints somewhat narrower, the first two-and-a-half times as long as wide, the second distinctly shorter, one-half longer than wide, third as wide as long, fourth wider than long; club 6-jointed, rather compact, joints 1-5 distinctly wider than long, second a little the largest. Length, 1°25 mm.
Hab.—New South Wales: Brooklyn. One female, labelled “Sweeping in forest, partly boggy, October 31, 1914, A.A. Girault.”
Type.—l. 5428, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide.
Both dubius, Dodd, and flavicornis, Dodd, have the second funicle joint as long as the first, also the antennae are partly yellow ; varipes, Dodd, has no well-defined spine on the postscutellum.
TRIMORUS NITESCENS, n. sp.
Q. Black; coxae fuscous, the legs yellow suffused with dusky; antennae black, the scape yellow at extreme base. Head transverse; smooth and shining, the lower face above and around mouth with converging striae; a faint line runs from front ocellus to near antennal insertion; eyes large, very feebly pubescent.. Scutum much wider than long, smooth, shining, with a few scattered setae; parapsidal fur- rows consisting of a row of foveate punctures, widening posteriorly and forming irregular rugose shallow sulci: posterior margin of scutum with a row of punctures; scutellum
30
smooth, shining, with a fine foveate row along anterior and posterior margins; postscutellum with a stout acute spine; latero-posterior angles of metanotum with a small acute spine or tooth. Abdomen stout, distinctly less than twice as long as greatest width; first segment one-half as long as greatest width, the third rather longer than first and second combined, more than twice length of following united ; first segment and most of the second striate, the rest smooth and shining. Legs slender. Scape slender; pedicel barely one-half longer than wide ; first funicle joint fully as long and as wide as pedicel ; the second a little shorter, a little longer than wide; third and fourth small, transverse; club 6-jointed, joints 1-5 trans- verse, the first smaller than others, 2-5 of about equal length, the third shightly the widest. Forewings attaining apex of abdomen ; moderately broad, the apex moderately rounded ; a little less than proximal half (to base of marginal vein) hyaline, the rest plainly infuscate; discal cilia dense, moderately fine; marginal cilia moderately long ; submarginal vein attaining costa at almost one-half wing-length : marginal vein a little more than half length of submarginal, the stigmal very short; venation fuscous, distinct. Length, 1°50 mm.
Hab.—New South Wales: Brooklyn. One female, labelled “Sweeping grass, etc., November 18, 1914, A. A. Girault.”
Type.—l. 5430, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide.
TRIMORUS AURATUS, Nn. sp.
©. Head black; thorax bright orange-yellow, the scutellum dusky; base of abdomen bright-yellow, the rest dusky-black ; legs golden-yellow ; antennal scape yellow, dusky at apex, the antennae otherwise black. Head transverse, no wider than the thorax, the vertex thin, the frons a little convex; smooth and shining, toward mouth with converging striae; a very fine carina runs from antennal insertion to anterior ocellus; eyes moderately large, bare. Thorax a little longer than greatest width; parapsidal furrows complete but delicate; scutum with fine surface sculpture and pubescence ; scutellum smooth, at its base with very fine pubescence ; post- scutellum with a short stout acute tooth; latero-posterior angles of the metanotum not acute. Abdomen stout, not much longer than its greatest width ; first segment transverse, the third occupying fully one-half length, the first and second and base of third longitudinally foveate-striate. Forewings long; moderately broad; subhyaline; discal cilia fine and dense ; venation light-fuscous; marginal vein almost as long as the submarginal, the stigmal short, with a distinct knob.
31
Scape slender; pedicel twice as long as greatest width ; first funicle joint as long and as wide as pedicel, the second hardly shorter than the first, the third and fourth very short and wider than long; club 6-jointed, compact, joints 1-5 trans- verse, 2-5 of about equal length. Length, 1:10 mm.
Hab.—Queensland: Cairns district. One female, on window, February, 1916 (A. P. Dodd).
Type.—I1, 5430, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide.
Very similar to Hoplogryon pulchrithorar, Dodd.
GRYONELLA CRAWFORDI, Dodd.
Four males, labelled “Sweeping native flora in a park, Muswellbrook, New South Wales, October, 1914, A. A. Girault.”’
PHANUROMYIA NECOPINATA, 0. Sp.
Q. Black; the antennae concolorous; legs concolorous, the trochanters, knees, tips of tibiae, and the tarsi rufous; valves of ovipositor yellow-brown. Head transverse, some- what wider than the thorax ; vertex very thin; occiput feebly concave ; eyes moderately large, faintly pubescent; ocelli very wide apart, the lateral ones touching the eye margins; head, viewed from in front, distinctly wider than long; mandibles with three small teeth; vertex with fine polygonal scaly sculpture, this present also on either side of antennal insertion, the face otherwise smooth and shining. Thorax as wide as long; scutum with fine polygonal scaly sculpture and rather dense fine pubescence; scutellum smooth, except for scattered pubescence. Abdomen as wide as the thorax; two-thirds longer than greatest width ; first segment extremely short ; second somewhat longer than wide, nearly thrice as long as the following united ; first segment and extreme base of second strongly longitudinally foveate-striate, rest of second segment smooth, the following with numerous pin-punctures: oviposital valves exserted for a length equal to one-half that of abdomen. Forewings attaining distinctly beyond apex of _ abdomen; broad, the apex broadly rounded; hyaline; mar- ginal cilia rather short; discal cilia rather fine, dense; venation fuscous; submarginal vein attaining costa somewhat before half wing-length ; the marginal hardly one-third length of stigmal, which is very long, slender, moderately oblique: postmarginal one-half longer than stigmal. Scape slender: pedicel fully twice as long as greatest width; first funicle joint a little narrower, fully twice as long as wide; second a little longer than wide, the third quadrate, the fourth
32
wider than long; club 5-jointed, not compact, first joint small and transverse, 2-4 slightly wider than long, the second a little the largest. Length, 1°25 mm.
Hab.—New South Wales: Muswellbrook. Two females, labelled “Sweeping native flora in park, October 26, 1914, Ae. Ay Giravly.? ; :
Type.—I. 5431, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewings on a slide.
TRISSOLCUS FLAVISCAPUS, N. sp.
QO. Black; legs reddish-yellow, the coxae and anterior femora black; antennal scape yellow, the pedicel fuscous, the flagellum black. Head, dorsal aspect, transverse, some- what wider than the thorax, the vertex thin, the occiput gently concave; viewed from in front, somewhat wider than long ; vertex and front with coarse scaly sculpture, appearing shagreened ; immediately above antennal insertion is a small shallow depression which is transversely striate, above which is a delicate groove running to front ocellus ; eyes large, bare ; ocelli wide apart, the lateral ones almost touching the eye margins. Thorax as wide as long; scutum and scutellum with similar sculpture to the head, the former with some very fine pubescence; parapsidal furrows deep, a fourth or more complete from posterior margin; postscutellum prominent, with several strong striae or carinae. Abdomen as wide as thorax; no longer than wide; first segment short, the second fully twice as wide as long and as long as the following united, the third one-half length of second ; first segment and extreme base of second strongly foveate-striate, the second otherwise smooth, but on either side of meson with obscure, fine, close, impressed striae, which fail posteriorly ; third smooth, later- ally with minute pin-punctures; the rest with minute pin- punctures. Forewings long, broad, hyaline; submarginal vein attaining costa a little before one-half length, the marginal one-third as long as the stigmal, which is very long and slender: post-marginal one-half longer than the stigmal ; venation yellow. Scape normal; pedicel fully twice as long
as greatest width: funicle joints a little narrower, the first:
distinctly shorter than pedicel and barely twice as long as wide, the second quadrate, the third wider than long; club 6-jointed, first joint small, 2-5 distinctly wider than long, the second somewhat the largest. Length, 1°25 mm.
T7ab.—Queensland: Pentland. One female, forest, Sep- tember, 1914 (A. A. Girault).
Type.-—I. 5432, South Australian Museum. A female on a tag, antennae and forewing on a slide.
33
PRODISCOTHYREA, A NEW GENUS OF PONERINE ANTS FROM QUEENSLAND.’
By WiiLt1am Morton WHEELER.
(Communicated by Arthur M. Lea.) [Read April 13, 1916.] Puate IV.
PRODISCOTHYREA, gen. nov.
Worker. Small, monomorphic, closely related to Dis- cothyrea, Roger. Mandibles triangular, with straight, toothless apical border, furnished with a row of short, dense, regular setae. Both the maxillary and labial palpi 4-jointed. Head produced and narrowed in front to the very short, trans- verse clypeus which projects out over the mandibles like a roof. Frontal carinae large, lyriform, horizontally flattened, apparently fused in front with the middle of the clypeus, where they are closely approximated. Frontal area and - groove obsolete. Head deeply and broadly excavated at the sides of the frontal carinae, forming large, laterally indis- tinct scrobes for the accommodation of the antennal scapes. Ocelli absent, eyes small, but convex, well in front of the middle of the head. Antennae very large and robust, 10- jointed ; scape incrassated, inserted at the anterior border of the head very near the clypeal margin, concave on the flexor surface for the accommodation of the funiculus; the latter with greatly enlarged apical and very transverse basal joints. Thorax short, convex and rounded above, without promeso- notal and mesoépinotal sutures, epinotum merely tuberculate, inferior corners of pronotum blunt. Petiole small, rounded above, and attached by nearly its whole posterior surface to the postpetiole, unarmed beneath. Postpetiole very large, forming the great bulk of the abdomen; gastric segments small, the first very convex above, turned downward and forward, remaining segments small, forming an anteriorly directed cone, as in Discothyrea, Proceratiwm, Sysphincta, and Spaniopone. Sting well developed. Legs with slender
@) “Contribution from iS Entomological Tabeeeaty f the Bussey Institution, Harvard University, No. 102. C
34
tarsi and simple claws; middle tibiae without spurs, hind tibiae with a single large feebly-pectinated spur. Body opaque, sculptured : hairs. absent; pubescence short, dense, and silky.
} Female (dealated). Very similar to the worker and but shghtly larger. Ocelli present, but small; eyes somewhat larger than in the worker. Thorax with distinct pronotal, mesonotal, scutellar, metanotal, and tegular sclerites, and with stumps of the lost wings.
PRODISCOTHYREA VELUTINA, Sp. nov.
Worker. Length, about 2 mm.
Head subrectangular, a little longer than _ broad. decidely narrower in front than behind, very convex above, with straight posterior and rather convex lateral borders and rounded posterior corners.. Gular surface rather convex, with a prominent, ridge-shaped tubercle on each side. Clypeus transversely and regularly convex, its anterior border straight and distinctly crenulate, especially in the middle. Frontal carinae extending back about two-thirds the length of the head, dilated and horizontally flattened in the middle, the space between them scarcely concave, rounded antero- posteriorly and continuous with the regular convex surface of the head. Antennal scapes nearly two-thirds as long as the head; scapes incrassated, especially at the apex, where they are nearly one-fourth as broad as their length; first funicular joint rather broad, subglobular, distinctly broader than long; joints 2-5 subequal, very transverse; 6-8 larger and propor- tionately longer, terminal joint very large, glandiform, as long as the remainder of the funiculus, about two and one- half times as long as broad. Thorax narrower than the head, seen from above trapezoidal, about one and two-fifths as long as broad, and one and one-half times as broad through the humeri as through the epinotum, sides slightly concave; humeri bluntly angular; in profile the thoracic dorsum is very unevenly convex to the declivity of the epinotum, which is abrupt, concave, and marginate on the sides. Each margin- ation merges into a scarcely distinguishable tubercle above, and the base and declivity are separated by a transverse ridge. Petiole from above nearly twice as broad as long, broader behind than in front, with straight anterior and lateral and feebly convex posterior borders; in profile the segment is less than twice as long as high, convex and anteriorly sloping above and on the ‘sides, its ventral surface compressed and translucent anteriorly, but without a spine
35
or tcoth. Postpetiole convex above, one and one-quarter times as long as broad, much broader behind than in front, where it is as broad as the posterior border of the petiole, the ventral surface anteriorly with a blunt, transverse tubercle. First gastric segment separated by a slight con- striction from the postpetiole, as broad as long, very convex dorsally, and rapidly narrowed behind to the small remaining segments. Legs moderately long, tarsi slender. Opaque; gaster and legs somewhat shining. Mandibles densely and finely punctate-rugulose. Head, thorax, petiole, and post- petiole uniformly and densely foveolate (thimble-pitted), gaster and legs very finely and densely punctate and shagreened ; antennal scapes with smaller and more scattered foveolae than the head. MHairs lacking; whole body covered with short, fine, dense, silky, yellowish-white pubescence, so that the surface appears like velvet under a low magnification. Rich ferruginous-red; gaster and legs, including the coxae, slightly paler and more yellowish; edges of frontal carinae, posterior border and a median dorsal line on the postpetiole, and a similar line on the first gastric segment deep brownish- red. Female (dealated). Length, about 2°4 mm.
Differing from the worker in the larger eyes, the presence of ocelli, and the structure of the thorax. Pronotum twice as broad as jong and very shor&in the middle, owing to the extension forward of the mesonotum, which is as long as broad, evenly convex above, with distinct parapsidal furrows. Tubercles of the epinotum distinctly larger and more acute than in the worker.
Described from 39 specimens, one female and 38 workers, constituting an entire colony taken by myself October 24, 1914, in a small clearing in the tropical ‘“‘scrub’’ (rain forest) at Kuranda, Northern Queensland. The nest was of peculiar structure, being a small, regularly-elliptical cavity, 2 cm. long by 15 em. in width, in the soil under the centre of a large flat stone. This cavity was completely lined with the dense, white mycelium of a fungus, on which the ants were quietly resting. When disturbed their movements were very slow, and many of them curled up and “‘feigned death.’’ I could find no larvae in the cavity, but there were several small, pinkish, spherical bodies, which I took to be parts of the fungus. The nature of the delicate layer of nutrient substratum on which the hyphae were growing could not be ascertained. The colour, sculpture, and velvety texture of the ants and their timid behaviour are strikingly like those of certain species of the neotropical fungus-growing tribe
G2
36
Attiini (notably species of Sericomyrmex and Aptero- stigma).() These peculiarities, and the fact that the colony was completely shut off from the outside world by a layer of mycelium, strongly suggest that Prodiscothyrea velutina is a fungus-growing and fungus-eating ant. Should further research prove this supposition to be correct, the insect would be of considerable interest as the first case of a fungus- gardener among the ants of the Old World, and the first to exhibit the habit among the members of the subfamily Ponerinae. As the Ponerinae are by common consent regarded as a very ancient and primitive group, we should have to infer that the habit was probably of great antiquity, and had been acquired independently at least twice during the phylogeny of the Formicidae. The possibility of a third independent development of the habit is, indeed, suggested by the extraordinary Myrmicine ant Proatta butteli, recently described by Forel from Sumatra, because it is structurally very similar to certain species of the Attiine genus J/ycuce- purus, but von Buttal-Reepen did not find it associated with fungi, but in the carton nest of a termite (Hamitermes dentatus, Harv.), which does not cultivate fungi like many of the Old World termites.
Prodiscothyrea evidently belongs to Emery’s tribe Proceratiini, and is very closely related to Discothyrea. In this genus, however, the antennae are 9-jointed; the clypeus forms a semicircular disc instead of a very short, transverse plate, the frontal carinae are very much smaller and shorter, there are no large impressions on each side of the head for the accommodation of the antennal scapes, the eyes are smaller and at the middle of the sides of the head, and in the female the eyes and ocelli, judging from the descriptions, are much larger. Like Discothyrea and Spaniopone, Prodiscothyrea is related to Bradoponera of the Baltic amber, which is of the lower Oligocene age. The Australian genus is evidently an ancient Mesozoic genus, like Paranomopone, which I recently described, from the same locality in Northern Queensland (Psyche, xxii., 1915, pp. 117-120, pl. 1). The great antiquity of the tribe Proceratiini is attested by its wide geographical range and the sporadic occurrence of species of Proceratium, Discothyrea, and Sysphincta in widely separated regions of both hemispheres.
(2) The peculiar structure of the toothless mandibles, with the dense, regular row of short setae along their apical borders, is also suggestive of habits which require the manipulation of such delicate bodies as fungus hyphae, though I know of no similar structures in our American fungus-growing ants.
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE.
Worker of Prodiscothyrea velutina, sp. nov., from the side. Head of same from above.
Head from below.
Head from behind.
Mandible from below.
Extensor surface of antenna.
Dorsal view of thorax, petiole, and postpetiole.
Middle leg. Hind leg.
CO GO NID Ore go NO
AMENDING NOTE.
Professor Wheeler writes that it is necessary to make some amendments to his paper dealing with the ants, taken by Captain White, in last year’s Transactions; as “‘I find that the name Polyrhachis longipes ) 1s preoccupied, and I would substitute for it Polyrhachis macropus. The name Camponotus aurofasciatus 4) was given by mistake to the minor worker of Camponotus (Myrmotrema) imflatus, Lub- bock, as I find from examination of some of the material you sent me for study. The minor worker of this ant had not been described, and is so different from the major worker of anflatus that I did not recognize it as belonging to that species.”
(3) Ante, 1915, p. 821. eyes. Oli
OOo i@ 2)
ON THE OCCURRENCE OF ARENICOLA LOVENI!I, KINBERG, ON THE COAST OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
By J. H. Asuworrn, D.Sc., Lecturer in Invertebrate
Zoology in the University of Edinburgh.
(Communicated by Edgar R. Waite, F.L.S.) [Read May. 11, 1916.]
By the courtesy of Mr. Edgar R. Waite I was afforded’ facilities during the early part of August, 1914, for exam- ining the annelids in the collection of the South Australian Museum, Adelaide. Among the unnamed material were two bottles contaiming specimens of Arenicola from the coast of South Australia, and these have recently been sent to me for examination. The specimens prove to belong to the species. A. foveni, Kinberg, hitherto recorded only from three locali- ‘ties on the coast of South Africa, and a short account of their chief features is given.
ARENICOLA LOVENI, Kinberg, emend. Ashworth.
INinberg, J. G. H.: Ofvers. Kong]. Vet.-Akad. Forhandl., 1866: (1867), p. 355; Eugenies Resa, Zool., vii., Annulata (1910), p. 73; Bat. SORIxX., homed
Ashworth, J. H.: Arkiv. for Zool:, vii. (1910), No: gos Annals S. African Mus., xi. (1911), p. 1, pl. 1.; Cat. Chaetopoda,,. Brit. Mus., i., Arenicolidae (1912), p. 103, pls. ii. and iv., fig. 11.
The characters of the species are:—Caudate Arenicola with nineteen chaetiferous segments; thirteen pairs of gills, the first gill on the seventh segment, gills large and pinnate > the median lobe of the prostomium is large, the smaller lateral lobes are of almost uniform width, that is, they are not dilated or lobate at their anterior ends; neuropodia are clearly visible in each segment, those of the branchial and of the two pre- branchial segments are long dorso-ventrally and almost reach the mid-ventral line; five pairs of nephridia, which open on the fifth to the ninth segments; one pair of oesophageal glands; two very large septal pouches, which pass through apertures in the second septum and terminate immediately ur front of the third septum; a pair of closed statocysts, each containing a single large secreted statolith.™
(1) A description of these anatomical features is given in the writer’s publications cited above.
39
Two specimens are from the Bay of Shoals, on the north- east coast of Kangaroo Island, and two are from Kingston, Lacepede Bay (long. 139° 80' E., lat. 36° 80’ S.). Their
dimensions are :—
(1) Total length 320 mm., the tail being 110 mm. (2) mes 29 220 > 37 ?
7 33 Oe Ae) ee eu LOO, "3 3, ORS ow (@uicom plete):
They are stout worms, the maximum girth of the largest specimen being 56 mm. Their colour is brown (in alcohol), the tail being paler than the rest of the worm, and in two cases almost greyish in tone.
In each worm the first gill is borne on the seventh seg- ment, and the gills are pinnate. The third gill of specimen (3) has seventeen main axes, each of which bears, right and left, branches terminating in gill-filaments.
The outlines of the prostomium are imperfectly preserved in all the specimens.
The neuropodia are of the usual elongate type, and their chaetae (crotchets) are similar in general form to those of South African examples, but have a sharper rostrum and dis- tinct postrostral teeth are present.
The notopodial chaetae differ from those of South Afri- can specimens, as they do not present the well-marked transverse .striation so characteristic of the latter. They are provided with numerous pointed processes,(2) less regularly arranged than in the South African examples, and almost like those of A. cristata (compare fig. 12, p. 45, in Cat. Chaet., Brit. Mus.). Specimens of A. /ovens from different Iccalities evidently exhibit some variation in regard to the processes of their notopodial chaetae. The transverse striation of these chaetae, given 1n my previous accounts of dA. loveni as a specific character, proves to be a variable feature, and has therefore been omitted from the statement of the diagnostic characters of the species given above.
Two of the specimens, one from each locality, have been ‘dissected. Both possess five pairs of nephridia and a single pair of conical oesophageal glands.
The septal pouches, the most striking internal feature of this species, are of the usual large size, and extend back- wards, through apertures in the second septum, until they almost reach the third septum. In the largest specimen (1) the longer of the two septal pouches attains a length of 23 mm.
(2) These are much obscured by a covering of débris.
40
One of the statocysts of specimen (3) was excised, stained, and mounted. It is a closed vesicle with thick walls and contains a large roundish secreted statolith, the diameters of one face of which are about ‘114 mm. and ‘105 mm. respectively.
These features clearly show that the South Australian: specimens belong to the species A. loveni, and agree with those from South Africa, with the exception of certain differ- ences in their chaetae (see above).
The only other feature which calls for notice here is: the presence, in both the specimens dissected, of a pair of thin-walled globular dilatations, each about 4 mm. in diameter, on “the dorsal blood-vessel immediately anterior to the paired hearts and posterior to the oesophageal glands. Similar dilatations are not present in the three South African examples of A. lovens in my collection.
Arenicola loveni has hitherto been found only on the coast of South Africa. The type specimen, preserved in the Riks Museum, Stockholm, was found at Port Natal, near Durban, some fifty years ago; but until it was examined by the writer its characters were so imperfectly known that it was impossible to state if A. lovena was a valid species. From the type and from further specimens, collected in Sal- danha Bay and False Bay, were prepared a full description and diagnosis of the species (Ashworth, 1910-11). The pre- sent records from the South Australian coast greatly increase: the known range of distribution of the species, and it would. be interesting to ascertain how far the species extends, east. and west, along the Australian coast.
In this connection it may be remarked that the records: of Arenicola from the Australian coast are very scanty ;‘) there are, indeed, only two previous records. Some years ago
(3) The writer, during his recent visit to Australia, examined many long stretches of sandy shore, but without finding castings or specimens of Arenicola. The absence of Arenicola and its cast- ings forms one of the most striking differences between the Australian beaches and those of Britain and Western Europe, for Arenicola marina is so abundant and readily accessible in Western Europe that it is commonly used as bait. This species occurs in greatest numbers in those beaches where the sand is not shifting and contains a considerable proportion of the decomposing organic matter on which these worms feed. Arenicola is scarce or absent in stretches of clean sand, i.e., where food is scanty, and also where the force of the sea is sreat ‘and the sand is constantly shifting. The absence of Arenicola in many Australian beaches is due pro- bably to the wonderful cleanness of the sand, and in other cases. to the great force of the sea. The principal Polychaeta of the sandy beaches of Australia seem to be Eunicids, Nereids, and Ariciids, but especially the first-enamed, which are frequently collected for use as bait.
Al
Professor Haswell kindly sent to me, from Burnie, Tasmania, va few small specimens of Arenicola which belong to the species A. assimilis, Ehlers, var. affinis, Ashworth, and about the same time J received from the Naturhistorisches Museum, Hamburg, a single specimen from Barrow Island, off North- west Australia, which proved to be A. cristata, Stimpson.
Arenicola assimilis and its variety affinis are widely. dis- tributed in southern regions. A. assimilis has been recorded from the Strait of Magellan, the Beagle Channel, and South ‘Georgia, and the variety affinis from the first two localities, from the Falkland Islands, Kerguelen, Tasmania, New Zealand (Otago Harbour), and the islands to the south (Stewart, Campbell, Auckland, and Macquarie Islands), Plimmerton, near Wellington, N.Z., and from Table Bay rand Angra Pequena (Liideritzbucht), South Africa. These ‘records show that A. assimilis is a characteristically southern ‘species, and they present striking evidence for consideration in relation to the former greater extent of the Antarctic Continent and its influence on the present distribution of animals. The records indicate that this species may be ex- pected to occur on the south-east coast of Australia, and a ‘careful look-out should be kept for specimens which will ‘probably seldom exceed 6 inches in length.
Arenicola cristata is evidently w idely distributed in the ‘warmer parts of the Indo-Pacific Ocean, although it has been found only.at a few stations. The writer has recorded speci- mens from Suez, Japan, the Californian coast, and, as already mentioned, Barrow Island. Specimens might be looked for ‘in suitable localities on the north coast of Australia.
The writer would be glad to examine and report upon ‘specimens of Arenicola from any Australian locality, or indeed from any source.
- Zoological Department, University of Edinburgh, February 18, 1916.
42
A NEW SPECIES OF LEECH FROM SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
By W. Harotp Lreicu-SHarre, B.Sc. (Lond.). (Communicated by Edgar R. Waite, F_L3y
[Read May 11, 1916.]
BRANCHELLION AUSTRALIS, Nn. sp.
Introduction.—By the courtesy of Dr. J. H. Ashworth, of the University of Edinburgh, I have examined six specimens of the genus Branchellion forming part of the collection of the Museum of South Australia, Adelaide. The tube containing the specimens bears the label “E129,” and attached is a note to the effect that they were collected - by W. B. Poole on March 27, 1912, at Port Victor, South Australia, attached to a Skate (aia lemprieri, Richardson).
Ail the specimens are alike, but they exhibit somewhat marked differences from Branchellion torpedinis, Savigny, the: only established species (vide Blanchard, 1894a). These differences are, in my estimation, of specific and not generic value only, and for the Austr alian leeches I propose the name: Branchellion australis.
body.—The largest specimen measures 35 mm., inclusive of the suckers, and 30 mm. without the suckers. - The large specimen of L. torpedinis in the British Museum (Natural History), South Kensington, London, which I have used for purposes of comparison in this paper, measures 55 mm., of which the anterior sucker occupies a little more than 4 mm., the neck 7 mm., the abdomen 49 mm., and the posterior sucker a little less than 5 mm. The two largest specimens. are greyish-black in colour and appear to be mature. The smaller specimens are white, having been decolourized by the alcohol in which they have been preserved. The leech is — cylindrical, and divided the most sharply of all the Ichthyobdellidae into two distinct regions—a neck region, which is bare, and a spindle-shaped abdomen, the latter carrying laterally 31 pairs of foliaceous branchiae, and 11 pairs of rounded, pulsating, respiratory vesicles, described below. As in B. torpedinis, the neck is capable in the mature individuals (Apathy, 1888) of being invaginated into the abdomen, the first segment of which, composed of two annuli, at least, forms a prepuce-like fold surrounding and over- lapping the posterior portion of the clitellum. The leeches are considerably flattened in the abdominal region, being elliptical in section.
43
Suckers.—There is a sucker at each end of the body, as in all leeches. The anterior sucker surrounds the mouth, and is hoodhke. It almost certainly represents 6 segments. There are no eyes apparent in any of the specimens. This is peculiar, since B. torpedinis bears six distinct eyes on what is considered to be the fifth segment of the anterior sucker. The posterior sucker is twice the size of the anterior, and is in diameter about equal to the width of the abdomen at its broadest part. Its concave surface is covered wit® small papillae.
Segmentation.—(A description of B. torpedinis, for com- parison with the following, is given by Apathy, 1888, by Blanchard, 1894b, and, in English, external characters only, by Harding, 1910.) For notation see text figs. I ‘and; 2 :—
(a) Neck. A. Heap.
(a) Anterior sucker
() 3 small annuli present in most genera § ; 6 segments.
B. PRECLITELLUM. S-aumula,- representing ... me ... 3 segments.
C. CLiTELLUM ; ee ... 3 segments.
Each of the 3 Danie which are of about equal size, 1s composed of 2 annuli. In the first’ and third “segments the first annulus is larger than the second. In the second segment they are of equal size. The male genital aperture opens between the two annuli of the second segment, and has projecting tumid lips. The female genital aperture opens on the first annulus of the third segment. Both apertures are ventral. The clteilum is covered by the preputial fold as far anteriorly as the second annulus of the first segment.
(B) Body or Abdomen.
A. TESTIS REGION AND CAECUM REGION TAKEN TOGETHER. 12 segments.
Each of the 12 segments is composed of 3 annul, except the first, which acts as a prepuce and is only divided into two. The remaining 11 segments bear each a pair of respiratory vesicles, one on each side, bordering the first annulus of the segment. In B. torpedinis every annulus of these segments bears a pair of lateral foliaceous branchiae, making 33 pairs in all, but in B. australis there are but 31 pairs of gills, the first annulus of segment 2 of the abdomen, which bears
yy
"
iD G2) Fp
DDN
0s eee Pig vide fi
Brenchellion australis.—The entire animal, viewed from the:
dorsal side; numbering and lettering explained in the text.
45
a large vesicle, does not bear gils, and the third annulus of the twelfth segment is without gills also. Thus the gills corresponding to the first and last pairs of gills present in B: torpedinis are absent in B. australis.
B. ANAL REGION. 3 segments. The first two segments are composed of 2 annuli each, and the third of one annulus, making 5 annuli in all. The anus opens dorsally between segments 1 and 2—1.e., be-
tween annuli 2 and 3.
C. PosTERIOR SUCKER. 7 segments. The total number of segments is therefore 34.
Respiration. — Respiration is carried on by means both of the foliaceous branchiae and_ the rounded vesicles protruding from the abdominal portion of the body. Vesicles are common in other genera, and I have seen them rise and fall by pulsation in Calhohbdella lophiu. They re- ceive lymph, which after aeratiou is returned to the lateral sinus, so that respiration is lymphatic. There are 31 pairs of gills, and 11 pairs of vesicles arranged as described above. The number of pairs of gills is a specific charac- ter. Blanchard (1894a) came to the conclusion that B. torpe- dimis,) which was originally described as having 35 pairs of gills, B. orbiniensis with 33 pairs of gills, and B. rhombi with 30 pairs of gills, were all one species, and that the founders of these species had miscounted the gills in every case, or had stated the
Branchellhion australis.—The anterior end of the animal in ventral aspect, with the ven- tral portion of the prepuce removed to show the clitellum; | numbering and lettering ex-
plained in the text... M., mouth; ¢, male genital aper- ture; 9,- female genital aperture; Pr., prepuce; R#.V., respiratory «vesicle, the first on the left side without a gill; G., the first gill on the left side.
(1) The name B. torpedinis was retained as having priority, although 33 pairs of gills was assumed to be the correct number.
46
total in round numbers only! He based this conclusion on the fact that some scores of leeches of all ages which he examined from various hosts and localities never showed any other number than 33 pairs of gills. The discovery of the present species with 31 pairs is, therefore, important and interesting, in that it shakes what appeared to be a reasonable certainty in Blanchard’s conclusion, stated above. On the ventral surface along the boundary of each annulus runs a projecting flange which appears to unite the pair of branchiae of the annulus.
Pigment.—The whole of the dorsal surface is freely punctuated with black dots, easily visible under a lens; less freely is this pigment scattered on the gills and on the respiratory vesicles (text fig. 3). The ventral surface is
=
K VR N. Ni :
SPR iu ty y xs
N ISX Kv
SiS
N . SONNCG, SNC si
RN.
AY
Branchellion australis.—Typical gill of preserved specimen. R#.V., respiratory vesicle with pigment spots.
unpigmented except towards the sides near the gills. There are on the dorsal surface, however, very conspicuous patches where the pigment is absent, giving to the unaided eye the appearance of whitish spots. The disposition of these white spots is very different from that in B. torpedinis, where there are six spots on the first annulus of each abdominal segment. In B. australis the spots are variable in number in different parts of the abdomen, being more numerous halfway along. A typical segment exhibits four large spots ® on the first annulus, easily visible to the unaided eye, eight small spots on the second annulus, and four spots on the third annulus.
(2) And in the mid-abdominal] region there are sometimes two smaller subsidiary spots.
47
The leeches are not all uniform in this respect, but the number of spots is always 4, 6, or 8, and the first annulus always has at least four large spots. In that part of the anterior sucker where one would expect to find eyes are large black spots, which I consider to be merely pigment-cells. There are eight or nine of these, at irregular distances apart ; and some so nearly touch as to appear to the unaided eye to coalesce.
body \Vall.—The epidermis consists of a layer of cells elongated in a direction at right angles to the axis of the body, covered with a cuticle secreted at the free edge and having their nuclei away from their external border. Among the epidermal cells are epithelial glands for the secretion of mucus. The derma consists of a thick layer of connective tissue, which includes very small fibre-forming cells. Deep down in the derma are large flattened cells about 40, in length, and half as thick, situated immediately outside the muscle layer. They are far more numerous in the gills, whose structure resembles that of the body wall, as far as epidermis and derma are concerned (text figs. 4B and 5). The muscle layers run below the connective tissue layer, and immediately below them are found the cocoon-gland ,cells, which, however, do not attain the huge dimensions of those found in Cailiobdella, Abranchus, and Platybdella, being only about 50 in their greatest diameter, a comparatively small size for such cells. Their appearance is precisely the same as I have described for Platybdella (1916). Below these cells run the cocoon-gland-cell ducts, interspersed with the longi- tudinal muscle fibres. There are no yellowish-brown pigment cells, such as are seen in Calliobdella (1914). The muscle is not striped, and the cells are about 1 mm. in length by 80-100 » in breadth. Perez and Gendre (1904a) have drawn attention to some diagonal fibres in B. torpedims, which are also present in B. australis in the same region, near the posterior sucker, and are intermediate between the ordinary muscle cells and the type well known in. Nematodes. No pigment cells are shown in the figures, but it should be remembered that the leech sectioned had been decolourized by preservation in alcohol. Nevertheless, sections show pigment cells in the suckers.
Coelom.—The body cavity is divided into the five following regions:—A ventral sinus, a dorsal sinus, two lateral sinuses, and, in parts, an intestinal sinus. The dorsal blood-vessel'is double, and is situated in the dorsal sinus, but comes outside it occasionally, and more frequently than in Pontobdella. In the more specialized genera—e.g., Calliobdella—it remains within the sinus throughout its
48
‘s]]09 snorqy jo sXe] “7 *uqu s]f09 peutep “op foeporyno YALM situdoprde “ads yng ‘ANUS LU[N[foo of} MOYS OF UOTZBOYLUSVWU YSLY v sopun (‘y werd oy} ut -g—p soul, oy} uooayoq yaed oy) []TS vB Jo uolyiod vB Cg foprsoa Aiopeatdsat % 4 : UOTF BOY LUD UU MO[ U opun UOLJDOS B UL UDOS Sv UdULOpPq ev oy jo IPs oy} WO s][ts anof jo uvjd “p—sypijgsny woyjoyounug
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‘Qonp {[99-puv[s-100900 “p-a'h-o {][e0 puae[s-u00000 ‘-a°H:9 S$ (;eurpny “suo, “Huey sonbiygo “yqQ ‘faepnoaro “*9) sodvy ofosnt “pw Sg p ‘Si ul UMOYS osoT4 se ounyeuU oles oY jo s]joo feuep oA] “op s4odRT [foo snoiqy “7 ‘wqy fonssty oatoouuod “ssiy ‘wuoQ ‘puRTs-oumlys Terpeyyide “ ¢ ‘Stutiopide “dy Sop tyne “pry “poyrusrur Yonut [FLK-Apoq OY} JO VOLS [LULPNZLBUOT]—'stPDLISND WOYpayOUd.LG
Te “OL
7 Vp fy a =
} ‘gpotsea Arojevatdsea “ ycay fuoysueS-oarou *h-u ‘sostluts [tuepRl “Gey ‘[assea-poorq [vajuoeaA “arq'a Ssnuts [eayuea “Q"y4 f]essoa-poojq [es10p “a'q'p ‘Ssnuts [esaop “ord ‘seysey “7 SyoRuoys “Gy f(g ‘shy UL epvos posrv[ua uv UO UMOYS saodB] OY} Sopnpout qavd pepeys ot) [pea -Xpoq off} ‘*# “UOLSor [LUTOpPGR oy} UL Apo of} JO WOTZOOS oSIOASUV.IY BV JO WIRISVIGQ—'sYDAysND WoYJayouvsg
‘9 ‘SLi
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51
Jength. The ventral blood-vessel as also double for the greater part of its length outside the ventral ‘sinus; again unlike Calliobdella. The lateral vessels give off branches which run into the branchiae and end with an open mouth. The lateral sinus, which runs parallel to the lateral vessels, communicates with the cavity of the respiratory vesicles (text fig. 6). The ovary is situated within the ventral sinus, as in Pontobdella.
The Nervous System and the Alimentary Canal resemble those of other Ichthyobdellid leeches, and do not present any special features. The various regions of the latter can be best seen from text fig. 7. The salivary glands are very well developed, and exhibit in section large secretory cells (text fig. 8). In the leech sectioned only the intestine con- tained a moderate quantity of nucleated red blood corpuscles taken as food from the host.
The Revroductive System bears a close similarity to that of other Ichthyobdellid leeches. The posi- tion of the genital apertures has already been mentioned. A general idea of the sexual organs may be gathered from text figs. 8 and 9. The male reproductive organs consist of six pairs of metameric testes, situated in the first six segments of the abdomen.
‘The testes are chambered, and —
contain spermatozoa in all stages of development. From each testis springs a short vas efferens, that from the most posterior one serving as a source of the vas deferens of that side, and in its «course received the remaining
Pig
Fig.. 7.
Brancheliion = australis. — Diagrammatic scheme of the alimentary canal in lateral aspect. M., mouth; Ph., pharynx; Ph.S., pharyngeal sheath; S.G., salivary glands; St., stomach; C.. coeca; Int., intestine; A., anus.
52
8.
Fig. Branchellion aus- tralis.—Horizontal section the
through
anterior
Pero
Phin,
pharynx;
salivary
S.G.;
oland; D.E., duc-
ejaculatoril ;
B., bursa; ¢, male
tus
genital aperture;
Q, female genital aperture ; Pr., pre-
Did, SV aSe
deferens.
puce;
WS
oy
a =
aaa
as, 9. Branchellion aus- tralis. —Diagram-
matic scheme of the reproductive system viewed from the ventral surface. d.e., duc- tus ejaculatorii ;
P., penis ; B., bursa ;
gd, male genital aperture; ©, fe- male genital aper- ture; Ov., ovary; Od., oviduct; T., testes (first pair) ; V.D., vas defer- ens; V.H., vasa efferentia.
VE.
54
vasa efferentia. In the posterior part of the clitellum each vas deferens curves slightly, and, from being ventral, turns dorsal, and runs forward to the anterior end of the eighth, or the posterior end of the seventh segment of the preclitel- lum; here each widens out to form the respective ductus ejaculatorii, which, from being dorsal, turn abruptly and run ventrally in a posterior direction. In the first segment of the clitellum the ductus ejaculatorii unite and enter the bursa by a common-end portion. The bursa, which has a fairly considerable saccular development, is, on its dorsal side, immediately posterior to the common opening of the ductus ejaculatorii, thickened to form a conical muscular penis, which functions as a copulatory organ. In none of the specimens is the penis extruded, and the common-end portion of the ductus ejaculatorii does not enter it, as far as I can discover. The female reproductive organs consist of a pair of pear-shaped vesicles situated in the first segment of the abdomen, their anterior portion being in advance of the first pair of testes, and their posterior and more pointed portion between the testes. Each vesicle contains in con- siderable numbers complex ovular bodies in all stages of. development, over and above the germinal mass, in which two or three nuclei are enveloped by a mass of surrounding protoplasm. The eggs fall into the ovarian cavity, where they complete their development. The development of the ova has been carefully described by Perez and Gendre (1904b). The ovaries are of very large size, as compared with those of other’ leeches, such as Calliobdella and Platybdella, being in the one of the smaller specimens sectioned, very obvious, and half as large as a testis. A short oviduct leads from the vesicles to the female genital aperture. ,
Generic Characters.—Abdomen very distinctly marked off from the neck, the anterior portion covering the genital apertures on the clitellum as a preputial fold. Each abdominal somite (except perhaps the first) consists of three annuli. The abdomen is flattened and bears laterally foliace- ous branchiae, not less than 30 pairs (the genera Ozobranchus and Hubranchella bearing quite a small number of pairs— viz. 5 and 7 pairs respectively). Along the side of the abdomen are 11 pairs of pulsating respiratory vesicles, a pair to every segment except the first, a vesicle being at the base of the gill of the first annulus of each somite.
Specific Characters :—
B. AUSTRALIS, N. sp. B. TORPEDINIS, Savigny. (1) Branchiae, 31 pairs. (1) Branchiae, 33 pairs.
55
(2) White spots on the dorsal (2) White spots on the dorsal
side caused by the absence side caused by the absence of black pigment are typic- of black pigment are typic- ally :— ally :
' 4 large on the 1st annu- 6 on n the Ist annulus of lus of each abdominal each abdominal . seg- segment. ment; none on the
8 small on the 2nd annu- other annuli. lus of each abdominal segment.
4 small on the 3rd annu- lus of each abdominal
seoment.
(3) Black pigment dots are ab- (38) White spots on the ventral sent from the major part surface: 4 on the Ist of the ventral surface, so annulus of each abdom- that there can be no inal segment. white spots.
(4) Eves, apparently none. (4) Eyes, 6.
In &. australis the neck region is relatively longer than in B. torpedinis, and the first segment of the abdomen larger. The gills are of a different shape from those of B. torpedinis, and, allowing for preservation, probably smaller, while the respiratory vesicles are relatively much larger. In the place where one expects to find eyes are larger black dots (in two of the specimens), which I regard as merely pigment cells; in any case, these are more than 6 (8 and 9 respectively).
REFERENCES.
ApATHY (1888). Analyse der Ausseren Korperform der HMirudineen. © Afstth. Zool. Stat. Neapel. win., 153.
BLANCHARD (1894a). Courtes notices sur les Hirudinées, xix. Sur les Branchellion des mers d’Europe. Bull. Soc. Zool. de France, xix.
——— (1894b). Hirudinées de VItalie. Boll. Mus. Zool. Unio, di Torino, 1x.- No. 192.
Harpine (1910). A revision of the British leeches. Parasit- ology, i1., 130.
Leicu-SHarpe (1914). Calliobdella lophi, Parasitology, vii., 204.
——— (1916). Platybdella anarrhichae, Parasitology, viii., 274.
Perez and Genpre (1904a). Sur les fibres musculaires du
Branchellion. Comptes rendus soc. biol. Paris, lvii., 113.
(1904b). Sur lovogenése du Branchellion. Op. cit.,
lv, OBE
Perez (1906). Différenciations tendinenses épithéliales chez le Branchellion. Ov. cit., lviii., 447.
‘Hamilton House, 17, Clyde Street, Redcliffe Gardens, London, 8.W., England.
January, 1916.
56
ADDITIONS TO THE FLORA OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA. NOS
By J. M. Brac. [Read May 11, 1916.] PEAnES. V:. TO; V DEE
This list is largely the result of three excursions: —l. Up the Murray to Renmark by water, returning by the Paringa- Tailem Bend railway, October, 1915. 2. To Gladstone and Melrose; in the same month. 3. To Murat Bay, via the newly-opened railway from Port Lincoln, November, 1915. Specimens gathered on other occasions, and many forwarded by friendly collectors, have also been taken into account.
In dealing with the eucalypts I have had the great advantage of consulting Mr. J. H. Maiden, Government Botanist of New South Wales, and the leading authority on this difficult genus. Professor A. J. Ewart, Government Botanist of Victoria, has also lent me much kind assistance, especially in comparing doubtful specimens with those in the great herbarium under his control.
An asterisk denotes an alien plant more or less estab- lished in our State.
The contraction “Dist.’”’ placed between brackets and followed by a capital letter refers to the botanical distric‘s in Tate’s “Flora of Extra-tropical South Australia,” and implies that the locality mentioned is a new record for the district.
Four new species are described and figured—in the genera T'riodia, Trichinium, Poranthera, and Brachycome— and one new variety.
CONIFERAE.
Callitris robusta, R. Br. “Murray Pine.” A large tree with spreading branches; Pinery, Melrose. C. propinqua, R. Br. Wudinna. Much the same tree in appearance; the cones comparatively small (20-23 mm. long), but with the thick valves and peduncles of the species. C. verrucosa, R. Br. A compact shrub under 2 m. high, with branches _ mostly erect, growing in mallee scrub at Karoonda; old fruits often less warted. Also Loxton, with very warted cones.
GRAMINEAE. * Bromus rubens, L. Moolooloo (S. A. White) ; Edilillie ; Minnipa. Specimens with the typical compact heads, turning
D7
dark-purple when ripe. B. arenarius, Labill. The descrip- tion in Fl]. Aust., vil., 661, should read: —‘‘Spikelets 15-30 mm. long, 5-14-flowered; the lowest glume 3-nerved, the second 5-7-nerved.”
* Agrostis verticillata, Vill. Creek near the brewery, Melrose. A. quadriseta, R. Br. Cummins (Dist. L.).
*Festaua (Myuros, > 14. .Minnipa; ».Mooloolog.)j.* fF. bromoides, Smith. Minnipa; Pungonda.
*Trisetum pumilum, Kunth. Moolooloo.
*Loluum temulentum, L. “Darnel.’”?’ Cummins. *L. rigidum, Gaud. Gladstone.
* Avena orientalis, Schreb. The species of cultivated Oat, which seems to be usually sown in South Australia, 1s. growing wild on the sandy soil of Thevenard Peninsula. *A. barbata, Brot., the slender Wild Oat, seems to avoid culti- vated land and is found in such places as the Adelaide Park Lands, roadsides, creeks, gullies, railway reserves, and. generally in waste places, at least as far north as Melrose,, whereas *A. fatua, L., the common Wild Oat, is almost: always found in cultivated soil.
*Koeleria phleodes, Pers. With typical tuberculate flowering glumes; Tooligie; Melrose.
*Lamarckia aurea, Moench. A Mediterranean grass common at Renmark and at Woolshed Flat, near Quorn (Miss J. Mills). Recorded by Mueller in 1864 as growing at Swan Hill, on the Murray, but not previously noted for South Australia.
Triodia lanata, sp. nova (tab. v.). Gramen caespi- tosum, caulibus geniculato-ascendentibus 30-50 cm. longis,. foliorum laminis rigidis subulato-pungentibus patentibus intus basin versus lanatis 5-12 cm. longis, vagins extus lanatis demum glabrescentibus, ligulad e pilis longis constante, paniculd sublaxd, spiculis 5-7-floris, glumis omnibus sericéo- villosis, vacuis 10 mm. longis 3-nervius acutis, gluméd florifera 7-S mm. longa truncata subtiliter 9-nerma, nervis ternatim ordinatis mediano dentes laterales subaequante. In the scrub at Minnipa. Chiefly distinguished from 7. irritans and T. aristata by the short bent stem, the shorter and woolly leaves, and the silky outer glumes. A ‘‘Porcupine Grass.”’
Poa nodosa, Nees. Thevenard Peninsula. Locally called “Shaking grass,” from its likeness to *Briza minor, L. I found the grain adhering to the palea in all the flowers examined, so that this species should be placed in the same section as ?. Billardiert and P. homomaila.
Stipa elegantissima, Labill. Melrose (Dist. N).
Anthistiria vmberbis, Retz. Observ. bot., v., 22 (1789). “Common Kangaroo Grass.’’ All the leading authorities are
58
agreed that the name of 4. ciliata, L.f., adopted by Bentham in the “Flora Australiensis’’ and by Mueller in his Ist and 2nd Census, must be abandoned. A. ciliata is an annual grass, native in India and introduced in South Africa, but not found in Australia, while A. amberbis is a perennial grass, distributed throughout Australia, India, and parts of Africa. Retzius’ name is the oldest for this plant, with the exception of Themeda triandra, Forsk. (1775), but the generic name Themeda fell into disuse for over one hundred years and all attempts to revive it seem destined to failure, although it was not placed by the Botanical Congress of Vienna on the index of names to be rejected. The synonymy is fully dealt with by J.-D. Hookeran, Ue Brit sinds vite.
Aristida Behriana, F. v. M. Numerous in a paddock of ringed gums two or three miles north of Melrose. Appar- ently a very localized and comparatively rare grass. The ascending stems only 4-8 cm. long below the inflorescence and the rhizome thick and matted. The description in the “FI. Aust.’ and in Tate’s “Fl. Extratrop., S.A.,” should be altered from “outer glumes nearly equal’’ to “outer glumes unequal, the lower about half as long as the upper.” The description is correctly given by Mueller and Moore. Also at Moolooloo (Dist. S$; 8. A. White).
CYPERACEAE.
Cyperus Ina, L. Near. Tarcoola (Dist. W; J. W- Mellor). C. Gunnu, Hook, f. Myponga; Mount Barker. United by Mueller and Tate with C. lucidus, from which it differs by having the spikelets in dense globular heads. ©. pygmaeus, Rotthb. River Murray (Dist. M; H. H. D. Griffith). This species, and not the very similar Scirpus Michelhianus, L., is supposed is be represented in Australia, but the Murray specimens have at least some of the glumes in each spikelet arranged irregularly round the rhachis, the style is 2-3-fid, and the glumes are 3-nerved, the two lateral nerves very faint. These three characters point to S. Michelanus rather than to C. pygmaeus.
Scirpus setaceus, L. Melrose (Dist. N). Nuts of the typical form, subglobular, not exceeding # mm. in length, of a dull-white colour, with about 16 clathrate longitudinal ribs. In all the flowers examined only two stamens were found. S. cernuus, Vahl, ann. 1806 (8. riparius, Poir., ann. 1820), with still weaker stems and shorter involucral bract, from National Park, Belair, and Nuriootpa; the nut about the same size, shining, finely punctulate: both species growing in moist spots. S. antarcticus, L., ann. 1771 (S. eartilagineus, Poir., ann. 1820). Myponga; scrub between Murray Bridge
59
and Callington; Karoonda; Melrose; Robe. The nut broader and 1 mm. long, without any point, either brownish and smooth or dark-brown and punctulate-striate. Growing in dryer ground, with less slender stems, longer and more spreading involucral bract, ana stiffer glumes.
J UNCACEAE.
_Nerotes leucocephala, R. Br. Musgrave Ranges (Dist- eo: eeew bite); ‘Tintinara (Dist. T). XY ejfusa, Lindl. Gladstone (Dist. N).
Nanthorrhoea quadrangulata, F. v. M. Telowie Gorge (Dist. N); Moolooloo (Dist. 8; 8. A. White).
* Juncus capitatus, Weig. Barossa Range; Bordertown. (Miss Turner); Kangaroo Island.
LILIACEAE.
Dianella revoluta, R. Br. Moolooloo (Dist. 8; 8. A- White).
Arthropodium minus, R. Br. Bordertown (Dist. T).
Thysanotus Patersonn, R. Br. Gawler Ranges (Dist. W; 58. A. White).
CASUARINACEAE.
Casuarina stricta, Ait. .Some specimens of this Sheoak were found above Campbell Creek, at a fair elevation on Mount Remarkable, but most of them appeared to be dying, possibly as a result of the drought of 1914.
PROTEACEAE.
Grevilica Huegelvi, Meissn. Moolooloo (Dist. 8: 8. A. White).
Hakea leucoptera, R. Br. Minnipa. Varies from the type in the perianth (especially the limb) and the pedicel pubescent with short appressed hairs. This appears to be H. Kippistiana, Meissn., a species established on Western Australian specimens and united by Mueller with H. lewcop- tera. The type is found in this State from Renmark to Spencer Gulf, and it would be well to distinguish the form with pubescent flowers, which I have also received from Woolshed. Flat, near Quorn (Miss J. Mills), as var. Kippistiana. At Minnipa it is a shrub about 3 m. high, flowering and fruiting in November: the flowers, which grow in great profusion, are pure white when fresh. Leaves of both type and variety sometimes attain 95 cm. in length.
H. fleriis, F. v. M. Scrub at East Wellington.
60
CHENOPODIACEAE.
Enchylaena villosa, F. v. M. Warramboo (Dist. L).
Bassia Birchu, F. v. M. Muinnipa (Dist. L). A small undershrub about 20 cm. high; branches erect or spreading ; the fruits in the Minnipa specimens have six rather unequal spreading spines, two of them connate towards the base and with a ridge on the perianth between them. B. uniflora, F.v.M. Murat Bay and north thereof. Stems procumbent, tomentum hoary, fruit oblique at base with a very short spine at one side of the summit and a hard tubercle at the other. Agrees exactly with specimens gathered at Port Vin- cent (Dist. Y). Of the form with fulvous tomentum I have a specimen from Port Lincoln (Dist. L; H. H. D. Griffith). B. tricorms, F.v. M. Renmark. Bentham gives the number of style-branches as three ; in all the flowers examined I found only two.
Kocha decaptera, F.v. M. A few miles north of Murat Bay. An erect shrub about 1 m. high; stem and branches densely white-tomentose, as also the raised summit of the fruit; leaves linear, thick, green, 5-10 mm. long. Specimens from Dublin (Dist. A; H. H. D. Griffith) have the horizontal wing pink; linear-clavate glaucous leaves and tomentose stem and branches. This probably represents Tate’s HK. penta- tropis, which he afterwards reduced to a form of A. decaptera, Specimens from Arkaringa (Dist. C; Miss Staer) have the stem and branches glabrous; leaves cylindrical, 10-13 mm. long. In drying, all the leaves turn black.
Threlkeldia diffusa, R. Br. Althorpe Island (Dist. Y ; 8. A. White). Th. ichoata. This is the correct name of Th. obliqua (these Transactions, xxxix., p. 94), as 1t appears imperative, under article 48 of the Vienna rules, to retain the original specific name, even if somewhat inappropriate, when a species is transferred to another genus.
Atriplez paludosa, R. Br., var. appendiculata, Benth. Both the type and the variety are found on Thevenard Penin- sula. Flowers dioecious in my specimens and the small bladdery appendage of the variety occurs near the base of each valve (not of one only, as stated by Bentham), although frequently one falls off before maturity. Some specimens of A. vesicaria, Hew., brought by Captain White from the Musgrave Ranges, show the same caducity of the appendage, and unquestionably there is a close relation between the two species. A. halimoides, Lindl. Goat Island (Dist. Y; 8S. A. White); Telowie (Dist. N). A. campanulata, Benth. Berri; Mann Flat: Carrieton; Gladstone; Moolooloo. This species was united by Mueller with A. angulata, Benth., but in the
61
‘specimens from the above-named places, and from Broken Hill, I have never seen any with the exappendiculate perianth of A. angulata. A. Muellert, Benth. “Annual Saltbush.” North Park Lands of Adelaide; Woodville; Port Adelaide: -Roseworthy (Dist. A); Gladstone (Dist. N).
AMARANTACEAE.
_Trichinium seminudum, sp. nova (tab. vi.). Herba perenms ciurciter 80 em. alta, caulibus erectis vel ascen- dentibus ramosis piloswusculis, folus glabrescentibus, radi- calibus lanceolatis in petiolum alatum angustatis cum petiolo 7-14 em. longis, caulinis brevioribus latioribus vix petiolatis, spices primum hemisphaericis demum ovoideis vel oblongis 4-5 em. longis 3 cm. latis, bractets bracteolisque ovato- lanceolatis acuminatis parce pilosis 8-9 mm. longis, illis brunneis his fere albis, perianthio 12-15 mm. longo prope basin constricto, segmentis apice albo-scariosis medio viridibus et villosis basin versus rigidis et fere nudis, duobus eatertoribus truncato-emarginatis margine inferiore ciliolatis, interioribus acutis infra longe inflero-ciliatis, tubo pubescente, filamentis wmferne dilatatis tribus anantheris, stylo bhrevi glabro, ovario supra sparse piloso stepitato. Minnipa. Should ‘probably be placed in Series Straminea beside T. alopecuroi- deum, Lindl., which it somewhat resembles in habit, but the ‘dividing line between Straminea and Rhodostachya is not so well marked as would appear from the text-books. Both 7. macrocephalum (placed in Straminea) and T. ezaltatum {placed in Fhodostachya) have, for instance, the inner perianth-segments “glabrous inside,” strictly speaking, the ‘difference being that the former has only a few of the: long marginal hairs inflexed, while in ezaltatum they form an intricate woolly mass which occupies the lower part of the convex inner surface of the segment. None of the hairs, however, rise from the inner surface itself, but only from the
margins. The new species differs from all others in the glabrous condition of the outside of the lower part of the ‘perianth.
T. alopecuroideum, F. v. M., var. nova rubriflorum. Variat perianthio rubro, spicd paulo angustiore (20-25 mm. lata), cupulé staminali pilis brevissimis ciliatéd. Near Oodna- datta (Miss Staer, November, 1914). A very handsome plant on account of its long red spikes.
Alternanthera nana, R. Br. Oodnadatta (Dist. C: Miss Staer). dA. angustifolia, R. Br. Oodnadatta (Miss Staer). Not previously recorded for South Australia, the nearest locality quoted being Sturt Creek, in North-western Australia.
62
PHYTOLACCACEAE.
Didymotheca thesioides, Hook. f. Karoonda (Dist. M)-
Codonocarpus cotinifolius, F. v. M. North of Murat Bay (Border of Dist. L and W). Mr. B. P: Bowering, ‘the local schoolmaster, says there are only a few of these trees in the locality.
AIZOACEAE.
* Mesembryanthemum erystallinum, L. ‘Ice Plant.’’ Spreading on the sandy soil near Murat Bay.
*(Galenia secunda, Sond. Received by the Agricultural Department from Port Germein, where it is called ‘‘Cali- fornian lucerne,’’ because the seed is believed to have come in the ballast of a ship from California. A South African weed, recorded in Victoria in 1902, but not found hitherto in South Australia.
CARYOPHYLLACEAE.
*Silene nocturna, L. Renmark.
*Spergula arvensis, L. ‘‘Corn Spurry.’’ Karoonda.
*Herniaria hirsuta, lL. Mannum. This Mediterranean plant has already been noted for Woolshed Flat and Wallaroo, but has not hitherto been collected on the Murray.
PAPAVERACEAE.
*Papaver Argemone, L. Melrcse. Only one specimen of this European poppy (not hitherto recorded for South Australia) was found.
CRUCIFERAE.
Menkea villosula (F. v. M. et Tate), J. M. Black. This alteration of the specific name of J/. hispidula (tnese Trans., xxxix., 830) has become necessary under Art. 48 of the rules of nomenclature adopted at the Vienna Congress, because Professor Ewart finds, after comparison with Helms’ speci- mens in the National Herbarium of Victoria, that J/. hism- dula is identical with Capsella villosula, F. v. M. et Tate. His examination of the Melbourne specimens confirms the necessity of transferring the species to JMJenkea.
Stenopetalum sphaerocarpum, FE. v. M. Muinnipa (border of Dist. L and W). - Slender annual in fruit (November) ; growing in the shelter of Porcupine Grass (Triodia lanata).
*Sisymbrium orientale, L. ‘‘Oriental Rocket’’ or ‘‘Wild Mustard.’’ Grows with extreme luxuriance in the Trans- Murray scrub near Karoonda.
Lemdium fasciculatum, Thell. Renmark; Gladstone. Differs from L. ruderale, L., in the short dense fruiting raceme, the pod cuneate towards the base, and the four minute white petals about half the length of the sepals. L-
63
foliosum, Desv. Little Althorpe Island (Dist. Y; S. A. White). Valves of pod wingless and fruiting pedicels some- times elongated.
*Carrichtera annua (l.), Prantl. Sent to Department of Agriculture from Port Pirie, and appears to have estab- lished itself near that town. Spain, Eastern Mediterranean region, and Mesopotamia.
CRASSULACEAE.
Tillaea acuminata, F. M. Reader. This species is widely distributed in South Australia, and is distinguished from T. Siteberrana, Schult., ann. 1825 (T. verttedlaris, DC., ann. 1828), by its pentamerous flowers, sessile or subsessile, its broad abruptly acuminate scarious-striate sepals and its long-beaked carpels, which (like the petals) are quite as long as the sepals. In the flower the beaks protrude conspicuously beyond the sepals. The carpels are tuberculate in the lower half, a peculiarity not found in 7. Szeberiana. The latter species has almost always a few pedicellate flowers springing from the clusters of sessile ones; its flowers are tetramerous, and the sepals are narrower, acute rather than acuminate, ‘and considerably exceed both the petals and the small obtuse short-beaked carpels. (See figures in pl. vu.) Both these species are common. I have specimens of 7. Sieberiana from sandhills at the Grange (near Adelaide), Clarendon, scrub between Murray Bridge and Callington, Gladstone, Beetaloo, Melrose, Loxton, Karoonda, Robe, and Kangaroo Island; and of 7. acuminata from Black Hill (near Adelaide), Bugle Ranges, Halbury, Melrose, Woolshed Flat (near Quorn), Berri, Blanchetown, Renmark, Karoonda, Taplan, Port Lin- coln, and Minnipa. T7. recurva, Hook. f. I have only found this as a rare plant in the Onkaparinga, the North Para at Nuriootpa, and the Glenelg River. 7. purpurata, Hook. f., also appears to be very rare. Var. pedicellosa, F. v. M., of T. macrantha, Hook. f., varies from the type by the very long pedicels of some of the flowers, erect growth, and fewer stems. The typical form has the stems often prostrate for a short distance and rooting at the nodes. Ewart follows Mueller’s later opinion in raising var. pedicellosa to the rank of a species, but some specimens from Brighton, Strathalbyn, Willunga, and Clarendon appear intermediate, and we have not in this case any difference in the flowers to fall back upon in case of doubt. Hooker, in his description of 7. macrantha (Fl. Tasm., 1., 145), says: “‘Squamis hypogynis nullis,’’ and Bentham is silent on this point. There is, however, a crimson scale at the base of each carpel, although in the dried state the colour is usually lost and the scale‘is difficult to find.
64
The scale occurs in the var. pedicellosa (which I have from Burnside, Port Lincoln, Robe, and Kangaroo Island), as well as in the type. PITTOSPORACEAE.
Billardvera cymosa, F. v. M. Karoonda; Lameroo (Dist. M). Var. serrcophora, Benth. Strathalbyn; Port Lincoln.
Pittosporum phillyraeoides, DC. In the dry country north of Murat this is only a shrub, not above 2 m. high, leaves small (24-5 cm. long), fruit unripe, but much smaller than the unripe fruit gathered about the same date on typical trees at Minnipa. This is doubtless the same form as was found by Captain White in the Everard Range, with hoary pedicels and small leaves.
LEGUMINOSAE.
Acacia Oswaldu, F. v. M. Minnipa and Chillundie, with lanceolate phyllodia; also at Murat Bay (with oblong- lanceolate phyllodia), where it is known as ‘‘Prickly Myall.”’ At Iron Knob it has linear-lanceolate phyllodia, very pun- gent-pointed, and is known as ‘“‘Dead Finish Myall.’’ Some | specimens from the Murray have the pungent point trans- ferred to one corner of the oblique summit of the curved phyllodium, which thus presents a curious cimitar-like appear- ance. «A. continua, Benth. Moolooloo (Dist. $8). A. aneura, EF. v..M. © “Mulga.” Iron Knob (Wm. ‘CC: Newhold}e Phyllodia narrow, 4-9 cm. long. This species appears to flower from July to November. A. Burkitiw, F. v. M. Iron Knob (Wm. C. Newbold). Flowers July-September; pods (hitherto unknown) become ripe in November. This species, the type of which was collected near Lake Gilles, atso occurs near Broken Hill. Mr. J. H. Maiden, at whose instance the pods were obtained, proposes to describe it fully and to illustrate it in his ‘‘Forest Flora of New South Wales.”’ A. colletioides, A. Cunn. Dublin scrub (Dist. A; H. H. D. Grifith). A. rigens, A. Cunn. Gawler Ranges (Dist. W; S: A. White). -A.rugeola, FE. v. M. Morialta G@iligg Beetaloo. Specimens from these two places have the phyllodia 15-25 mm. long; peduncles only 5-6 mm. long. From Port Lincoln we have typical specimens, with peduncles usually longer than the phyllodia. A. sentis, F. v. M. Marino (Dist. A). A few shrubs, about 2 m. high, on a hillside near the Cement Works, also one shrub on the Henley Beach road. Probably the most southerly habitat of a species which extends north to Oodnadatta and Central Australia. Also Gladstone (Dist. N); a few specimens remaining on the road- sides, and flowering vigorously in October, 1914, in spite of the terrible drought of that year. In Baroota it is a neat,
65
ornamental shrub, branching at some distance from the ground, and growing in clearings among the denser scrub; in the Baroota Creek it becomes a small tree. Also north- west of Port Augusta (Dist. W; S. A. White). A. acinacea, mdl: >, Mount Thisbe, K.1. (Dist. K; Hoa DP Grifith). A. dodonaeifolia, Willd. Marino, near Cement Works (Dist. A). Grown as a hedge at Port Elliot and Victor Harbour, and said to be indigenous in that locality also. A. tteaphylla, F.v. M. Telowie Gorge (Dist. N). A shrub with drooping branches. Woolshed Flat (on the border of Dist. N and 8; Miss J. Mills). A. brachystachya, Benth., ann. 1864 (4A. cvbaria, Fv. M., ann. 1882). Tarcoola (Dist. W; J. W. Mellor); Mount Gunson (Dist. W; Mrs. Beckwith) ; Oodna- datta (Dist. C; Miss Staer); Everard and Musgrave Ranges (Dist. C; S. A. White). A long-leaved Mulga. A. frwmen-- tacea, Tate. Ruby Gap, Hale River; between Love Creek and Deep Well (S. A. White). All these places are in Central Australia. Tate quotes Dist. C for this species in his ‘‘Flora of South Australia,’’ but all the localities men- tioned in the report of the Horn Expedition appear to be in Central Australia (Northern Territory). It is evidently a very handsome desert acacia.
Daviesia gemstifolia, A. Cunn. Strathalbyn (Dist. A).
Aotus villosa, Smith. Victor Harbour (Dist. A); Eyre Peninsula (Dist. L; 8. A. White).
Dillwyma hispida, Lindl. Scrub near Murray Bridge; Kast Wellington (Dist. M). D. uncinata (Turcez.), J. M. Black (D. patula, F. v. M.). Near Murray Bridge (H. H. D. Griffith); Karoonda (Dist. M). The original dates of publication of these species are: —WHutazia uncinata, Turcz., ieoa 5... sparsijolia, B®. v.M., 1854; #. patula, FF. v. M., 1861.
Pultenaea densifolia, F. v. M. Murray Bridge (Dist. Me a De Gratith "Pe larguflorens, \. v> ME ilis near Gladstone; Telowie Gorge (Dist. N). In specimens from Black Hill, near Adelaide, most of the leaves are arranged. in threes, £. tenuifolia, R. Br. Strathalbyn (Dist. A); Port Lincoln (Dist. L). . Var. glabra, Benth. Warunda (Dist. L).
Templetoma retusa, R. Br. Wedge Island (Gambier Isles; S. A. White). 7. egena, Benth. Between Booleroo and Tarcowie (Dist. N). JY. aculeata, Benth. Between Gladstone and Bundaleer (Dist. N).
Swainsona procumbens, F. v. M. ‘‘Broughton’ Pea.’ This plant is still to be found along the Gladstone and Laura railway, and was no doubt at one time common on the plains. The handsome flowers are at first purple, changing to blue,
D
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66
and the standard is bent backwards almost at right angles to the claw, at the summit of which are two flat, white, rounded confluent callosities. This species should therefore, at least as regards South Australian specimens, be removed to Bentham’s section B in the key to Swainsona. S. Burkei, F.v. M. Oodnadatta (Dist. C; Miss Staer).
Psoralea eriantha, Benth. Oodnadatta (Dist. C; Miss Staer).
Cassia artemisioides, Gaud. Gladstone; Telowie Gorge (Dist. N); Arkaringa (Dist. C;:Miss Staer). CC. Sturtu, R. Br. Marino (Dist. A); Telowie (Dist. N).
*Medicago denticulata, Willd. Melrose; Gladstone; Mannum. *J/. reticulata, Benth. Gladstone. *J/. minima, L. Mannum; Gladstone; Napperby. *J/. truncatula, Gaertn. Mannum.
*Trifolium glomeratum, L. Melrose.
ZYGOPHYLLACEAE.
Zygophyllum fruticulosum, DC. Minnipa; Yanninee; north of Murat Bay. Cells of fruit usually 1-seeded, but sometimes with two seeds and often barren. Z. apiculatum, F. v. M. Dublin (Dist. A). Z. ovatwm, Ewart et White. Loxton; Alawoona; Minnipa; Poochera. First record for South Australia; grows also in Western Australia and Vic- toria (Mildura). The small flowers are deflexed from the time they open; capsule opening loculicidally, the endocarp of each 1-2-seeded cell separating in two valves.
Nitraria Schoeberr, L. Growing in natural hedges just behind the sandy shores of Murat Bay.
RUTACEAE.
Boroma wnornata, Turcz., ann. 1852 (B. clavellifolia, F. v. M., ann. 1854). Between Murray Bridge and Cal- lington (Dist. M); near Port Broughton (Dist. N); Yeelanna (Dist. L; T. G. B. Osborn). B. coerulescens, F. v. M. Near Murray Bridge; Karoonda (Dist. M).
EUPHORBIACEAE.
Poranthera triandra, sp. nova (tab. vil.). Parva planta annua 2-4 em. alta, caule rigido erecto, ramis divaricatis, folvis obovatis vel oblanceolatis planis 2-7 mm. longis, ecaulinis oppositis vel alternis petiolatis, floralibus alternis, stipulis lanceolatis integris, pedicellis fructiferis elongatis, floribus minimis albis, calycis segmentis petalis staminibusque 3 (floribus foemimeis rarius tetrameris), glandulis florum foemineorum in discum lypogynum sealobatum coalitis, stylis apice emarginatis, seminibus brunneis verrucosis, embryone
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curvo cylindrico. Yeelanna (T. G. B. Osborn, November, 1915). Specimens apparently from Ardrossan (J. G. O. Tepper, November, 1879) are in the Tate Herbarium, placed under P. microphylla, which the new species resembles con- siderably in habit. It is removed from all other species by its trimerous flowers, and styles merely notched at the summit, but it has the anthers and other characters of Poranthera, and it seems better to place it there and widen the generic _ definition rather than invent a new genus for its reception. In several Euphorbiaceous genera there is considerable lati- tude allowed in the number of floral parts.
SAPINDACEAE.
Dodonaea bursarufolia, Behr et F. v. M. Yeelanna (Dist. L). D. stenozyga, F. v. M. Minnipa (Dist. L) ; Lox- ton (Dist. M).
RHAMNACEAE.
Trymalum Wayun, F. v. M. et Tate. The localities for this beautiful little shrub, which is peculiar to our State, are: —Gorge of the Onkaparinga, above Noarlunga (where the type was collected by Tate about 1881) ; south bank of Torrens River, about half-a-mile above the weir; Rocky River, near Narridy, and Barunga Range (S. Dixon); near Gladstone ; Kingscote, Kangaroo Island (H. H. D. Griffith). It appears always to grow near water.
Stenanthemum leucophractum, Reiss. Gladstone (Dist. N).
Spyridium subochreatum, Reiss. Typical specimens of this shrub grow at Karoonda, with stipules half as long as the leaves. S. bifidum, F. v. M. Between Gladstone and Beetaloo (Dist. N).
Cryptandra amara, Smith. Bundaleer Hills (Dist. N).
MALVACEAE.
Hibiscus Drummondu, Turez. Minnipa. A_ slender shrub about 1 m. high, growing in the scrub on the western side of the railway; petals lilac with a large purple blotch inside near the base. Hitherto recorded only from Western Australia. Professor Ewart kindly confirmed the determina- tion by comparison with specimens in the National Herbarium of Victoria.
*Malva parviflora, L. Berri.
DILLENTACEAE.
Hibbertia’ stricta, R. Br. Coomunga. A small form where the sepals and leaves are villous with long, loose hairs ; leaves crowded, becoming almost glabrous with age; ovules
D2
68
only three in each ovary. Near var. /irliflora, Benth., except for the number. of ovules. Var. glabriuscula, Benth., oecurs at Wanilla, the specimens being similar to others from Fulham, Blackwood, and Pinnaroo. A. fasciculata, R. Br. Karoonda (Dist. M).
FRANKENIACEAE.
Franken tetrapetala, Labill. (?) This is in many ways a doubtful species (see Fl. Aust., 1., 152, and Diels, Fragm. Phyt. Aust. occid. 390), but a small ashy-grey plant from Thevenard Peninsula is near it and is almost certainly the same as the specimens mentioned by Diels from Israelite Bay, Eucla, and Esperance Bay. Branches mostly ascending ; flowers white, tetramerous or pentamerous, usually terminat- ing short branchlets, rarely axillary or in the forks, style- branches and placentas two, with only one ovule to each placenta; leaves 2-3 mm. long, sessile and united by a con- spicuous ciliolate sheath. All the flowers on some specimens are tetramerous and on others all are pentamerous. Until botanists who have the opportunity examine carefully Labil- lardiére’s types and compare them with specimens from the Great Bight or elsewhere it will be impossible to come to any satisfactory decision on this question.
THYMELAEACEAE.
Pimelea. trichostachya, Lindl. Minnipa (border of Dists. L and W). MYRTACEAE.
Hucalyptus cladocalyz, Ko .v. .M.,.. anni, Lea ee corynocalyz, F. v. M., ann. 1860). “Sugar Gum.’’ Wanilla and thereabouts, but on Eyre Peninsula it is a lower, more straggling tree than in the North and is often reminiscent of Peppermint (2. odorata) on the Adelaide foothills.
E. calycogona, Turez. Scrub between Murray Bridge and Callington; Warunda, E.P. Fruits urn-shaped, about 10 mm. long, strongly 4-ribbed ; leaves often black-dotted and glossy. Var. gracilis, Maiden (#. gracilis, F. v. M.). Main- nipa. A fair-sized mallee, with smooth, white bark on the upper stem and branches, and rough, dark, peeling bark below; fruits small, glossy, sometimes slightly angled: leaves usually narrow and black-dotted. Baroota—the same, but a taller tree, called “Red” or “White Mallee” according to the colour of the bark. Port Vincent, Ardrossan, Arno Bay, Milang Road, between Murray Bridge and Callington— usually a dwarf mallee in these places.
_ E. diversifolia, Bonpl., ann. 1813 (EF. santalifolia, F. v.
M., ann. 1855, partly). East Wellington; Coorong (S. A.
>
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White); Port Lincoln; Goat Island, Y.P.; Kingscote and American Beach, K.I. The fruits are often mealy-white when fresh.
BE. bicolor, A. Cunn., ann. 1835 (£. largiflorens, F. v. M., ann. 1855). Maunum; Berri; Settlers’ Bend ; Renmark.
EF. Behriana, F. v. M. Nuriootpa (Dist. -A):
E. fasciculosa, F. v. M. Black Hill, near Adelaide; Brownhill Creek; Torrens Gorge; Bridgewater; Wullunga; National Park, Belair; Greenhill Road. A small straggling tree, often with several bent stems (like a mallee) ; outer bark rough, brown, deciduous; inner bark smooth, white. For- merly included in #. paniculata, Smith, which is an erect tree of New South Wales and Queensland. F. fasciculosd is con- fined to South Australia.
EB. hemiphioa, F. v. M. “Box Gum.’’ Numerous about Melrose and on the foothills of Mount Remarkable, where its distribution extends down to the creek, so that it is often found growing within a few yards of the Red Gum /(#£. rostrata). In the field L. hemiphlora is distinguished by its lofty stature, its usually straight and single stem, and its light-brown bark, streaked longitudinally, but in the her- barium it is often hard to separate from large-fruited forms of Peppermint Gum (/. odorata).
EB. leucoxylon, F. v. M., var. pauperita, J. EK. Brown. “Scrubby Blue Gum.” Hamilton: Kapunda: Nuriootpa: near Gladstone and Beetaloo.
EF. incrassata, Labill., var. dumosa, Maiden (Ff. dumosa, A.Cunn.) Probably the commonest mallee about Murat Bay and north thereof; native name “gheelya.’’ Grows 3 to 8 m. high; bark smooth and white except at base of tree, where it is dark and rough; buds of the “egg-in-egg-cup” shape; fruits small. Very near some forms of J. oleosa, but the anthers oblong with parallel cells. Also at Kingscote, K.I. Var. conglobata, Maiden. Port Lincoln. A gmall tree with very thick, stiff, broad leaves. Var. angulosa, F.v. M. Port Vincent ; Ediliiie; Arno Bay, with very large fruits, 17 mm. long; also in scrub between Murray Bridge and Monarto: Square Waterhole: Renmark, Karoonda—the fruits in all these latter places rather smaWer, 12-13 mm. long. In the ‘Cis-Murray scrub this is a “dwarf mallee,’’ 3 to 5 m. high, ‘distinguished from other neighbouring species of similar height and appearance by the smooth bark of the stem, which peels off and hangs down in long strips on the ground. In the Trans-Murray scrub (at Karoonda) it is a small “whip- stick mallee,’’ rarely exceeding 2 m. in height, with the bark peeling at the base of the stem in the same way.
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i’. olcosa, F. v. M., is apparently the tallest mallee at ; Minnipa, 5 to 8 m. high, the stems and branches white, witl: rough bark only near the base of the tree. Also at Tooligie, Oi namboo Wudinna, and north of Murat, but not so tall at those places, and often only a small mallee.
Darwinia Schuermannu, Benth. Port Lincoln, Coomunga. In all the fiowers examined the number of ovules was 8-10, not 2, as stated by Bentham.
Melaleuca unecinata, R. Br., is numerous along the rail- way from Edilillie to Minnipa. "The “Broom-bush” of Eyre Peninsula and the Murray country is elther M/. wneinata or Baechea Behri, F. v. M., while in the North ‘‘Broom-bush’” usually means ‘Templetonia egena, Benth. Pholidia scoparia, R. Br., is also a small erect broomlike shrub growing in dry country, but at Murat it has for some reason cbtained the: name of “Candle-bush.’”’ dJ/. squamea, Labill. Myponga (Dist. A). M. ercifolia, Smith. Torrens Gorge (Dist. A)- M. acummata, F. v. M. Fairly common in the scrub at Karoonda. All my specimens, from there and elsewhere, have conspicuous translucent oil-glands on the lower surface of the leaves.
Bueckea crassifolia, Lindl. Karoonda (Dist. M). Petals hght-violet; anthers purple. 6. Behri, F. v. M. Barossa Range (Dist. A); Sherlock; Lameroo (Dist. M). B. ericaea, KF. v..M. Kangaroo Island (Dist..K; Ai.cH. DMG riwa:
Leptospermum laevnigatum, var. minus, Kooy Me Karoonda. Also at Mulgundawa and Port Lincoln.
Calythria tetragona, Labill. Moolooloo (Dist. S).
UMBELLIFERAE. Hryngium rostratum, Cav. Murray Bridge (Dist. M).
PLUMBAGINACEAE.
* Statice Thouini, Viv. Received by the Agricultural Department from a farm near Yorketown, Y.P., but has apparently not established itself. Eastern Mediterranean region, North Africa, and Southern Spain.
LOGANJACEAE. Logania linifolia, Schlecht. Karoonda (Dist. M).
APOCYNACEAE.
Alyxia buaxifolia, R. Br. This handsome shrub is numerous in the scrub at Minnipa, which is nearly forty miles from the sea, a8 the crow flies, so that it is not always a maritime plant.
GH
BoraGINACEAE.
Halgania lavandulacea, Endl. Waikerie; Karoonda; Lameroo; Pinnaroo (Dist. M). A shrub with very sticky, leaves. Al. cyanea, Lindl., ann. 1839 (7. strigosa, Schlecht., ann. 1847). Common at Karoonda and Minnipa.
SOLANACEAE.
Solanum hystrix, R. Br. Beautiful Valley; Murat Bay. Berry to 3 cm. diameter. The type of this very prickly plant was gathered by Robert Brown on February 4, 1802, at Petrel Bay in the Isle of St. Francis. It appears to be confined to the country near the Great Bight. 8S. coactiliferum, J. M. Black. Minnipa; Murat Bay; Renmark. The coastal speci- mens have broader, thicker, and more densely tomentose leaves ; pedicels solitary or twin; flowers all tetramerous, but in the Renmark specimens one of the four corolla-lobes is notched at the summit. Called “koomba” by the natives at Murat Bay. *S. conereum, R. Br. Roadside near Melrose. Hitherto this New South Wales species has only been recorded from the Greenhill Road, near Adelaide.
youn, australe, F. v. M. Bundaleer Hills; Orroroo (Dist. N).
LABIATAE.
Vestringia Dampiert, R. Br. I follow Maiden (Trans. eOW OCC MOUAs XxXxI., 267) 1n mereine’ W. rigida, Rl Br., in this species, although I have not found any specimens in South Australia with the leaves in whorls of four, but always in threes. Two very different forms grow on Thevenard Penin- sula. One 1s a low intricate shrub, with very short leaves (4-6 mm.) and small flowers; the other form grows close to the sea, and stands about 1 m. high, with erect or spreading “pences, the leaves 10-20 mm. long, and the corolla about 14 mm. long. I have very similar specimens from Kangaroo Island, with some of the leaves 30 mm. long.
Teucrium sessiliflorum, Benth. Dublin scrub (H. H. D. Griffith ; Dist. A).
SCROPHULARIACEAE.
Veronica peregrina, L. Renmark (Dist. M). In moist
spot near river. ienoconicam
Myoporum brevipes, Benth. Murat Bay; Coorabie (Fowler Bay). Professor Ewart says these specimens are “close to, if not identical with AZ. brevipes.” They differ from Bentham’s description in the whole plant densely tuber- culate, pedicels 1-6 in the axil, corolla slightly hairy inside, ovary 2-4-celled, and the fruit globular (as in W/. parvifolium,
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Benth.) not oblong. A small erect shrub, about 50 em- high ; corolla white, somewhat two-lipped, with pink spots or the lower lip; leaves 6-18 mm. long. Also Murray Bridge (H. H. D. Griffith), with smaller leaves and less tuberculate.
Pholidia Weldu, F. v. M. Minnipa; Murat Bay and north thereof; Kingscote, K.I. (Dist. K; H. W. Andrew). The Kangaroo Island and Murat specimens have smaller leaves than those gathered at Minnipa: all are strongly tuber- culate on leaves and branches. In the fresh flower there is: a deep impression or hollow in the broad, almost reduplicate lowest lobe of the corolla. Near Murat the shrub is slightly above 1 m. high. Ph. Behriana, F. v. M. Specimens from Cummins and Yeelanna have the upper leaves conspicuously ciliate and the lower ones are sometimes 25 mm. long. Ph. crassifolia, F. v. M. Murray Bridge; Lameroo (Dist. M) = Warramboc: Minnipa.
Evremophila rotundifolia, F. v. M. Tarcoola (Dist. W + J. W. Mellor). #£. Brownu, F. v. M:. Dublin scrub (Dist: A;H. H. D. Griffith). #. Duttonn, F. v. M. Mount Gun-= son, Dist. W: Mrs. Beckwith); Minnipa.
RUBIACEAE.
*Galiwm A parine, Li. vars mienor, DC. Woolshed Flat, near Quorn (Miss J. Mills); Campbell Creek, Melrose. This: clinging plant, called in England “‘Cleavers,’’ was recorded from Mount Gambier by Bentham in 1866. *G. murale, DC. This little alien, which seems to have great facility in distri- . buting its seeds, was found fruiting in the scrub at Minnipa. in November.
GooDENIACEAE.
Dampiera stricta, R. Br. Myponga (Dist. A). “De lanceolata, Cunn. Longwood (Dist. A); Minnipa (Dist. L).
Goodenia glauca, F.v. M. I have this species from Ren- mark, Gladstone, Arkaringa, and Broken Hill, and always: var. sericea, Benth. The indusium, although glabrous on the outer face, is appressed-silky on the inner and the style is: hairy.. G. pusillflora, F. v. M. Brighton, Dublin (Dist.. A); Halbury, Gladstone, Telowie Gorge (Dist. N).
Seaevola spinescens, R. Br. Minnipa (Dist. Ly). 8- aemula. R. Br. (Dist. N) and S. humilis, R. Br., both grow at Gladstone. These two species are certainly rather difficult: to distinguish and it might be better, as Bentham suggests, to treat /iwmilis as a variety only. S. aemula has longer and less prominently toothed leaves, a soft pubescence which may almost wear off through age, and usually longer spikes and corollas. It is a larger plant and has a wide range throughout
= fo
the State. S$. hwmilis is essentially northern in its habitat. Puzzling forms, almost intermediary, occur on Kangaroo Island, where Tate records the existence of both species.
CoMPOSITAE.
Helipterum floribundum, DC., var. Sturtianum, Benth. Dublin scrub (H. H. D. Griffith); Gawler Ranges (S. A. White) ; Telowie; Pirie; Karoonda; Warramboo. This is the form with straw-coloured outer bracts of the involucre and pappus-bristles united only at base. The spreading snow- white inner bracts of this “everlasting’’ are a marked feature in many parts of the Murray Scrub and Eyre Peninsula. The type, with all the bracts white and the pappus-bristles dilated and united in their lower halves, is found chiefly in our Far North— Mount Lyndhurst, Oodnadatta, Tar- coola, Mount Gunson, Gawler Ranges, Arkaringa, Everard Range, River Finke. In these Transactions, xxxvi., 23, pl. n., it was sought (I now think unneces- sarily) to distinguish this form as var. twbulipappum. The specimens vary in size, and there are small intermediate forms from the Murray and Wallaroo, with all the bracts white but the pappus-bristles united only at base. HW. corym- biflorum, Schlecht. This beautiful httle plant often covers the ground along the banks of the Murray with a carpet of “white everlastings,” as 1t also does in many of our northern ‘districts. At Melrose it grows on the flats among the box- gums.
Athrixia tenella, Benth. Specimens from Edilillie have the upper part of the stems more or less clothed with erect or spreading bracts similar to those of the involucre. This character shows an approximation to the Western Australian A. Croniniana, F. v. M., but the pappus is normal.
Cratystylis conocephala, 8. Moore, in Journ. Bot., xliii., 138, ann. 1905 (Olearia conocephala, F. v. M.; Pluchea conocephala, F. v. M.; Stera conocephala, Ewart et Rees). Common near Murat Bay and inland towards Chillundie. The conical heads are very fragile, finally falling from the branchlets and the bracts separating from the receptacle. The flowerheads seem to be constantly semi-dioecious or dioecious, the bisexual (or male?) corollas swollen towards the summit by the fertile, connate anthers, the female corollas cylindrical with the anthers abortive and free. (See pl. vi.) The pistil of the bisexual flowers appeared perfect, but it was too early in the season (November 11) to make certain on this interesting point. A densely-branched, compact shrub about 1 m. high, called locally “Bluebush,”’ and so closely simulat- ing in habit the other Bluebush of our northern and north- eastern country (Aochia sedifolia, F. v. M.) that at a‘short
74
distance it would be impossible to distinguish them. In view of the unisexual character of many, if not of all the flowers, it is evident that Moore’s generic description must be partially altered.
Gnephosis skirrophora, Benth. Minnipa; Wudinna ; Cape Thevenard.
Angianthus Whiter, J. M. Black. Broken Hill, N.S.W- (A. B. Black). As this plant has now been found so close to our eastern border, and as the type comes from Corunna Station, E.P., it probably inhabits some of the intervening country (Tate’s District 8).
Podolems Siemssenia, F. v. M. Minnipa. P. rugata, Labill. Karoonda: Loxton (Dist. M). 2. acuminata, R. Br. Gladstone (Dist. N).
Helichrysum Tepperi, F. v. M. Port Lincoln (Dist. L) = Minnipa (Dist. L or W); Alawoona (Dist. M). //. retusum, Sond. eb F: v. M. (including 2H decurrens, ¥. yi Karoonda; Lameroo; Murray Bridge: Gladstone: Strath- albyn; Nuriootpa; Port Lincoln; Yeelanna; Hog Bay, K.1. All the efforts I have made to distinguish satisfactorily these two species have failed, and I think they should be united. Mueller first sought to distinguish them by stating (Trans. Phil. Inst. Vict.,, 1., 59). that //.. decurrens \ ditersa ram //. retuswm in shorter more wrinkled leaves, with broader decurrent lines, in neither shining nor glabrous nor heterogam- ous flowerheads, and in more copious pappus-bristles.” Later,. in Fragm. viii., 46, he adopted another formula:—“ Ab /7. retuso distinguendum est capitulis paulo longioribus apice magis apertis, squamis involucri minus _ flavescentibus nunquam laxis.” As regards the supposed presence of female flowers in //. retuswm and their absence in //. decurrens, out of ten specimens examined only two (from Murray Bridge and Kangaroo Island) had. no female flowers, and these two were not distinguishable by any other characteristic from specimens which had both bisexual and female flowers in each head. The leaves, which vary from 5 to 15 mm. in length and are usually spreading, have a narrow groove along the upper surface and a small point which is more or less recurved, so that the leaf appears either truncate or notched at the summit. The upper-surface varies from rough to almost smooth, and the margins are always more or less revolute, sometimes almost hiding the tomentose under-surface. The decurrent lines are often as long as the leaf itself and are always conspicuous, at least below the young leaves, for the prominence or otherwise of thé lines is almost entirely a question of the age of the leaf, just as the looseness or otherwise of the involucral bracts is a matter of floral
Sim io
alevelopment. The head contains J0-13 flowers, of which 1-3 are usually female, 4-toothed, and without pappus; rarely all are bisexual. The involucral bracts vary from snow-white (like those of Cassiunia laevis) to straw-colour. H. adnatum, with which Ozothamnus retusus was united by Bentham in Fl. Aust., iii:, 629 (he has not noticed O. decurrens in that work), appears to be a distinct species with short, rather acute, erect leaves, adnate to the branch usually for the whole ‘of their length (see J. H. Maiden, Illust. N.S.W. Plants, 23, pl. 8), but I have not seen any specimens from South Aus- tralia. As regards priority of specific name, //. retawswm and HI. decurrens are both of the same date—F. v. M., Fragm., vul., 46 (1873)—but the original descriptions are:— ‘Ozothamnus retusus, Sond et Muell. in Linnaea, xxv., 510. (852) 590. decurrens, KF. Muell., in Trans. Phil. Inst. Vict., q., 59 (1859). WH. Sessenu, F. v. M. To the stations men- tioned by Mueller in Vict. Nat., vu., 48, for this species— River Murray, Gawler, Lake Alexandrina, Burra, Wirrabara, Port Augusta, Port Lincolna—may now be added: Halbury, ‘Gladstone, Napperby, Telowie, Melrose, Whyte-Yarcowie, Meribah, Lake Gairdner, Gawler Ranges. For the closely- allied species, H7. hyalospermum, F. v. M.:—Burnside, Kapunda, Melrose, Tarcowie, Gawler Ranges.
Calotis scapigera, Hook. Port Adelaide River (Dist. A ; Bee Dec rithtihy.
Olearia rudis, F. v. M. Karoonda. Extreme form of var. glabriuscula, Benth. Almost without hairs or roughness, but otherwise like the type.
fliumea squamata, F. v. M., was common at Karoonda, but only budding in early October.
Lagenophora Billardieri, Cass. Campbell Creek, Mel- rose (Dist. N).
Craspedia globosa, Benth. This handsome and appar- ently rare plant was found in bud on the banks of Campbell ‘Creek, Melrose, in the middle of October.
Brachycome tesquorum, sp. nova (tab. viii.). Merba perennis tata glanduloso-hispidula basi lignea, caulibus erectis ramosis, falius rigidulis oblanceolatis 2-3 cm. longis acute paucidentatis trinerviis, nervis infra prominentibus, pedun- culis clongatis subcorymbosis, imvolucri bracteis oblongis margine late scariosis laceratis, ligulis florum marginalium conspicuis lilacinis, acheniis obovatis compressis margine imcrassatis exalatis pilis uncinatis conspersis utringue bicos- tatis, pappo nullo. Oodnadatta (Miss Staer); Glen Ferdi- nand, Musgrave Ranges (8S. A. White). Belongs to Section
76
Paquerina, and appears nearest to B. angustifolia, A. Cunn., but has three-nerved leaves with a few long sharp teeth or lobes and ribbed achenes.
Senecio magnificus, F.v. M. Pinnaroo; Karoonda (Dist. M); Oodnadatta ; Everard Range (Dist. °C). 8. brachy- glossus, F. v. M. At Renmark is a form with involucres 7-8 mm. long, of about 12 bracts; outer female flowers about 10, with a very short ligule not exceeding the style-branches ; inner bisexual flowers 20-25. The heads correspond fairly with var. major, Benth., but the Renmark specimens are slender, few-flowered, with leaves nearly entire, and only about 12 cm. high. |
*Centaurea melitensis, L. “Maltese Cockspur.” Yaninee.
* [Ledypnors cretica, Willd., is found at Gladstone in the form with glabrous involucral bracts and long diffuse stems. Moolooloo, ordinary form (8S. A. White).
*Urypostemma calendulaceum, R. Br. “Cape Dande- lion.’’ Forming great yellow patches on -the slopes of Mount Remarkable in October.
*Carduus tenuiflorus, Curt. To the localities already given must be added Melrose, Robe, and Kangaroo Island.
* Lactuca salugna, L. “Willow Lettuce.” Murray Bridge as a py locality.
*Sonchus muritimus, L. Henley Beach; Glenelg; Port
Noarlunga; Port Hilliok = Robe; Port MacDonnell. I don’t know whether it is found on the seacoast north cf ew Probably the plant referred to by Bentham in Fl. Aust., 680, as a maritime variety of S. olcraceus, L., ieee Ff resembles in the achenes. In the Nat. Fl. of S.A. I called it var. littoralis of S. asper, but was not then aware that it was perennial, with long slender subterranean stolons penetrating the sand and forming new plants. In the South Australian specimens the leaves vary from almost entire, with small auricles, to sinuate-pinnatifid with large rounded auricles, and the achenes have usually 3-5 longitudinal ribs, the middle one most prominent, but with few or no transverse rugosities,. which are also obsolescent in some Mediterranean forms.. Our plant varies in height from 30 to 60 cm., and is often course and stout, the leaves bordered by spiny teeth. As this species is not mentioned by the early navigating botanists of Australia, it is very probably, like Cakile maritima, an intro- duction which has spread rapidly along our coasts. F. M. Bailey records the occurrence of S. maritomus in Queensland. *S. asper, Hoffm. Grows to a large size in Campbell Creek, Melrose.
“Chrysanthemum coronarium, lL. As a garden escape at Berri.
vile
*Xanthiwm orientale, L., ann. 1763 (X. canadense, Mill, ann. 1768). Sent to the Department of Agriculture from the neighbourhood of Renmark, and apparently numerous. This weed is a congener of the Bathurst Bur (*X. spinoswm, Li.), but has burs twice as large, with stouter and longer spines and two large divergent beaks at the summit of the bur. This is its first record in South Australia and it is a most undesirable introduction. The body of the bur is 14-18 mm. long and with the two beaks it measures 17-25 mm. in length. Originally an American species, but may have reached South Australia from the Mediterranean, as it approaches closely to the descriptions of X. staliewm, Mor., the name given to a form of XX. orientale naturalized in Mediterranean countries:
DESCRIPTION OF PLATES.
PriatE V.
Triodia lanata, n. sp. 1, flowering glume. 2, palea. 3, pistil, stamens, and lodicules.
Pratt VI.
' Trichinium seminudum, n. sp. 1, perianth. 2, inner segment of perianth. 3, bract. 4, bracteole. 5, pistil and stamens.
Pirate VII.
Poranthera triandra, n. sp. 1, male flower. 2, female flower. 3, female flower viewed from above after the fruit has fallen, show- ing the 3 calyx-segments and the hypogynous disk. 4, female flower and pedicel (fruit fallen). 5, embrvo. 6, stamen.
Cratystylis conocephala, S. Moore. 1, female flower. 2, bisexual (or male ?) flower. 3, free, barren stamen of female flower. 4, summit of style.
Tillaea. 1, flower of T. Sieberiana, Schult. 2, carpel of same. 3, carpel of T. acuminata, F. M. Reader. 4, flower of same.
Prate VIII. Brachycome tesquorum, n. sp. 1, female flower. 2, bisexual flower. 3, outer involucral bract. 4, inner involucral bract. 5, achene.
78
REVISION OF THE GENUS STIGMODERA, AND DESCRIP- TIONS @OF SOME NEW SPECIES OF BUPRESTIDAE (ORDER COLEOPTERA).
By H. J. Carrer, B.A., F.E.S.
[Read June 8, 1916.] Puates IX. anp X.
Strq@MopDERA, Escholtz.
More than most Australian families of the Coleoptera, the Buprestidae are in great need of revision; while of the Buprestidae the’ purely Australian genus, Stugmodera—num- bering above 300 species of the most beautiful of our Coleoptera—has never been tabulated. There is, in conse- quence, much confusion arising from misidentification, synonymy, and nomima nuda. Twenty-three authors have described or named species, of whom, fortunately, the earlier writers—e.y., Donovan, Kirby, and Castelnau and Gory—gave excellent figures, the monograph of the last two authors being a standard work of great value. Amongst later writers, Saunders gave figures not only of his own species, but of species of other authors identified by him. There is thus little difficulty in determining the majority of the species described by these authors. It is much to be regretted that later writers who have contributed most new names—e.g., Thomson, Macleay, Blackburn, and Kerremans—have not published figures of their species, so that, where the types are not available for examination, there is some difficulty in deter- mining the value of their species, unless they possess strongly differentiated characters. The work of Thomson is so casual, brief, and unscientific that the greater part is of little value. He seems to have taken little pains to acquire knowledge of the works of other authors on the subject. In consequence, as Kerremans has shown, a large number of his names are synonyms. Macleay’s types are distributed between the Australian and the Macleay Museums in Sydney. I have been able to examine these. Moreover, many of the species described by Saunders were sent to him by Mr. G. Masters, late curator of the Macleay Museum, so that the named specimens in that Museum may in many cases be considered as co-types. Blackburn described fifty-five species, but with a tendency to insufficient allowance for variation, and some- times with insufficient material. I find that no less than
79
seventeen of these must be considered as synonyms, or, at most, variations of previously-described species. Some of these have been indicated by himself, others were unfortunately published in papers which nearly synchronized with those by M. Kerremans, so that each of these writers sometimes repeated the work of the other. By the courtesy of Mr. Edgar R. Waite, of the South Australian Museum, and the co-operation of my friend, Mr. A. M. Lea, I have had the loan of a large number of specimens, including many of Blackburn’s co-types, or specimens bearing labels in Black- burn’s handwriting. This has been supplemented by similar help from Mr. Kershaw, of the National Museum, Melbourne, so that I have been able to determine with accuracy almost all the species named by this diligent entomologist. Further, a notebook containing the late Canon Blackburn’s copious notes on various Coleoptera has been entrusted to me, in which is an outline of a tabulation of the genus Stugmodera. While not following the same method in my own tabulation, this has been cf use in a few cases of species unknown to me. Besides the material mentioned above, all the unnamed or doubtfully-named specimens in the Macleay Museum, the Brisbane Museum, the Perth and Tasmanian Museums have been sent to me, together with the fine private collection of Mr. Lea. My own collection—largely taken by myself in twenty years’ collecting in every Australian State, except South Australia, is a good one—and I am further indebted for specimens to Mr. C. French, Mr. H. W. Brown (the widest of our field collectors), and Mr. H. Hacker. In 1907 I visited the Museums of Brussels, Paris, and England, taking notes on specimens, especially in the Hope Museum, Oxford, and the British Museum (which last had recently purchased the fine collection of M. Kerremans), and I was thus able to compare specimens with many types. With this material I have ventured on a task that would otherwise have been insuperable, in the hope that. the tabulation may render identification easier to collectors, and at the same time purge our catalogues of useless names. Probably sore errors will occur. but at least this tabulation will afford a basis for future workers. Lastly, I would pay my homage to the great specialist in Buprestidae, M. Chas. Kerremans, whose cheery acquaintance;I had the honour to make in 1907 and whose * correspondence I have valued since. His standard work in the “‘Genera Insectorum’’ has been of great assistance to me, and I have, in part, followed his subdivision of the genus into the three subgenera mentioned below. Whatever be the value of these subdivisions zoologically, they are very helpful in classifying so large a genus. If had hoped to see the
80
completion of M. Kerreman’s monumental monograph on the Buprestidae before attempting my tabulation, a work courageously continued throughout periods of ill-health. To this misfortune has now been added the martyrdom of his devoted country and the detestable German occupation, during which all correspondence has been impossible. I am sure that M. Kerremans will take an honest criticism in a generous spirit. Up to 1902 this author described some eighty-four Australian species of Stegmodera, of which twenty are con- fessed synonyms, partly through the synchrcenism with Black- burn’s publications. To these I have added cthers below, in some cases confirmed by notes lately taken at the British Museum by Dr. E. W. Ferguson. In a few cases species placed together in. my tabulation may not be synonymous. It is not sometimes possible to determine species by description only, especially when the descriptions omit important charac- ters or no following note shows the distinction between a new species and its nearest allies. This should always accompany a description in so large a genus. While a European naturalist has the advantage of access to types and copious hterature to hand, he has not generally the field experience and constant communication with collectors to enable him to decide ques- tions of variation and distribution. This fact further emboldens me to attempt the work that follows.
VaRiIaTIion.—The variations of Stigmoderae are often so wide that it is always a dangerous supposition that an insect that looks at first sight unlike anything described is a new species. At the same time, while certain species seem liable to variation, a large number are singularly constant in colouration, pattern, and structure. These variations may be classified under :—(1) Size, (2) colour, (3) structure, (4) sex.
(1) Szze.—While the majority of species will be found of a certain average size, remarkable instances occur in exceptional cases of dwarf or abnormally large specimens. Thus in the common species, taken around Sydney, I have before me macularia, Don., varying from 33 x 15 mm. to 21 x 9 mm. ; variabiis, Don.; from 37 «x 15 mm. to 20mees mm.; jacquinotr, Boisd., from 30 x 14 mm. to 19 x 8 mm.; cyanicollis, Boisd., from 13 x 44 mm. to 74 x 24 mm.
(2) Colour —Here will: be ‘found the chief. stumbling- block to the novice. Again it is the commoner, and widely- distributed species which vary most. The’ well-named variabilis, Don., is a good example of this. Here the elytra may be a concolorous red or yellow, while the three dark fasciae and apical spot show every form of interruption or absence. The following are some of the species in which a similar variation has been noticed :—snitchelli, Hope (with
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its many-wamed variations, infra); yarelli, C. and G.; semi- cincta, C. and G. (with variety variopicta, Thoms.) ; undulata, Don.; robusta, Saund.; ignota, Saund.; speciosa, Kerr. ; aulcis,. Blackb.;. octospilota, C. and G.; punctiventris, paund.; sunutata, ©. and “G.; revches, Cyr and 'G:; oleata, Blackb. ; alexandri, ». sp.; regia, Blackb. The presence or absence of shoulder spots is variable in jekellw, Saund. ; rgnota, Saund.; skusev, Blackb.; punectiventris, Saund.; and others. The absence or presence of yellow or red margin of the pronotum in the same species is rare, but nevertheless it seems to occur—.¢., if stevensi, Gehin. = tibialis, Waterh., the latter being generally without such a margin; but I am very doubtful of this synonymy. The width of this pale margin in species with a dark disc and wide margins is very variable—e.y., thoracica, Saund.; latithoraz, Thom, : vt collis, Macl.; prctipes, Blackb. ; tricolorata, Waterh, : while some species vary in the amount of red colouration which. takes the place of the usual metallic surface of the pronotum, as in parryi, Hope; caroli, Blackb. Maculiventris, Macel., is extremely variable in pattern; the type has the elytra orange-yellow, sanguineous towards apex, with a spot on the suture behind the scutellum, a postmedial fascia, and an apical patch dark-green; but the postscutellary spot is some- times widened into a short fascia, there is often a wide _preapical spot, sometimes shortly fasciate, while the suture is more or less widely dark. It is one of the largest of the subdivision Castiarina, having simple tarsal claws, and is wrongly placed with Themognatha in the ‘‘Genera Insectorum.”’ The colour of the abdomen is variable, probably sexual, some- times brassy-green with yellow spots at the sides; in other examples the abdomen is almost wholly yellow, the margins of segments only being green. The apex has a fringe of long yellow hair.
Melanism is of rare occurrence in the genus, but I have seen the variety of variabilis, Don., with the whole upper- surface black, except the yellow band to the prothorax, known as nigripenms, C. and G. What is more common is a tendency for the colour of the fasciae (in fasciated species) to spread more or less, sometimes wholly, over the surface of the elytra. Thus crwentata, Kirby, is an evident variety of veyeta, Hope. There is a wholly-blue specimen of yare/li, C. and G., in the Macleay Museum, and Mr. H. W. Brown has two beautiful blue-green specimens of conspicillata, White, while there is a well-known variety of cyanicollis, Boisd., found in Victoria and Tasmania, which I believe is the species described as viridis, C. and G. It is possible that the charming little species described infra as leai may be another local variety of
82
this, but it should be named. Blackburn mentions an example of undulata, Don., illustrating the above tendency (ante, 18975¢p.- 32).
It is thus quite possible that varicollis, Cart., is a variety of yarelli, C. and G., though this appears to be a good example of geographical variation, in which every specimen has a more or less constant pattern that varies from the type found elsewhere. This remark is also true of rujfipes, Macl., a red- legged North Queensland form of octospilota, C. and G. This kind of variation, or species in the making, obviously intensi- fies the difficulty of sharp definition in the tabulation in a genus in which colour is so prominent a feature. In a few species the colour of the underside is variable. This will be treated especially under sex variation, but in the much- described punetiventris, Saund. ( = biotata, Saund. = guttata, Blackb., etc.) the underside is either yellow or coppery, while in species having more or less yellow on the under-surface the amount of such colouration is very variable. S. decipiens, Westw., is also variable in pattern.
(3) Structural variation (including sculpture and cloth- ing).—The chief variations here will be noted under sexual variation; otherwise such variations are rare, and the best diagnosis of species can be made on structural characters. There are, however, two obvious cases that deserve mention.
(a) Width, or expansion of the sides of prothorax. (6) Structure of the apices of the elytra.
In a few cases there are some considerable variations under (a)—e.g., klugi, C. and G., often shows wide differ- ences in the form of the prothorax (a fact to which Mr. G. 8.
Bryant called my attention when collecting in Sydney). This
is true also of the species parryz, Hope, which in a long series I cannot distinguish from parvicollis, Saund. (6) The apices of the elytra form, in general, one of the best characters for the separation of allied species, and some authors believe this to be a constant character in the same species. There is, however, sufficient variation here to give cause for trouble (vide Blackburn, ante, 1900, p. 48, on yarell1). The examina- tion of long series of bzcincta, Boisd.; octospilota, C. and G. ; cupricollis, Saund., and others, will show enough variation to make exact description difficult, the spines sometimes being subobsolete ; where the type has distinct spines. Also many of the larger species, whose apex is more or less truncate with a short external spine (e.g., thoracica, Hope; variabilis, Don.) show a variation towards the simply-rounded apex.
(4) Sexual variation.—The most marked sexual distinc- tion lies in the form of the last abdominal segment, the male having this segment more or less excised (e.g., reichei, C. and
i. a a.
lle
_ Ps
83
G.), or merely truncate (¢.g., macularia, Don.), while that of the female is rounded. The male is generally smaller (markedly so in wmperialis, n. sp.), narrower, and more attenuated behind. In some species (¢.g., chevrolati, Gehin. ; reicher, C. and G.) the female has a finely-forked ovipositor, to be found in many others only by dissection. I have not observed the sexual variation in density of punctures, noted by Blackburn, except perhaps in puhicollis, Waterh., in which the male has the thorax densely clothed with long hairs, the female having only a slightly pubescent surface. In such cases the density of hair is accompanied by a corresponding coarseness of sculpture. A more obvious sexual variation occurs in a few species in the colour of the abdomen. Thus in alternata, Lumh., the largest and most beautiful of the section Castiarina, the male has a yellow abdomen, while that of the female is dark-green, with lateral yellow spots; simi- larly with maculiventris, Macl. In jekelli, Saund., and cruenta, C. and G., the male has a yellow, while the female has a dark metallic abdomen. In tmmaculata, Cart., the pronotum and whole underside of the male is bright metallic- green, the corresponding parts of the female being brilliant- golden-copper. In «mnperialis, nu. sp., the male is not only much smaller than the female, but the elytra are without the fascia found in the female. In the nearly-related species, duboulayi, Saund., and macfarlanei, Waterh., the male has one fascia, the female two fasciae, besides the dark apex to the elytra. In conspicillata, White, the male has only the apex of a dark colour, while the female has two fasciae as well as the apex so coloured.
S. oleata, Blackb.—Mr. H. W. Brown has taken a long ‘series of this fine species at Yalgoo, Western Australia, of which seven specimens are before me—two male, five female. The author evidently had some doubt as to the male specimen described by him being conspecific with the female by his note of interrogation affixed thereto. I have little doubt that the male so described is that of another species, while there is some doubt as to his diagnosis of the sex of the female specimen described. I therefore append notes on the colour markings of the specimens before me.
3. (a) Head, legs, and underside blue-black, the last three segments of abdomen'red with dark margins ; prothorax orange-red with narrow basal margin dark; elytra blue-black with medial fascia expanded laterally and wide preapical fascia connected narrowly at sides with the former orange-red, also a few small orange spots near basal margin.
84
¢. (6b) As im (a), except prothorax with apical half suffused with darker markings, elytral orange fasciae not connected laterally, abdomen entirely dark (metallic blue and green).
Q. (a) Two specimens as in the description of the male by Blackburn (the whole blue-black, elytra with red preapical fascia).
Q. (4) Two specimens have an additional medial fascia orange-red, narrower than in the male, and widely interrupted at the suture.
Q. (c) One specimen, elytra as in /d/, but the prothorax has a vague transverse red band near the base.
S. sanguinosa, Hope.—In this species there is a marked
sexual dimorphism in the structure of the apices of the elytra and of the last segment of the abdomen. In the male the
3 4 SexuaL Variation or Apices or KiytTRA AND ABDOMEN OF Stigmodera sanguinosa. Fig. 1. Apex of elytra of female. Fig. 2. Apical segment of abdomen of female. Fig. 3. Apex of elvtra of male. Fig. 4. Apical segment of abdomen and part of aedeagus of male.
elytra are prolonged considerably beyond the abdomen, while in the female the reverse is the case. The last abdominal segment in the latter is bilobed, while it is truncate in the male. The quite different structure of the apices of elytra,
85
simply pointed in the male, bidentate in the female, is very unusual. I do not know a similar case in the whole genus.
I have noted in the tabulation special cases of variation as they occurred, for convenience of reference. /
Distribution.—While the genus is exclusively peculiar to Australia and adjacent islands, the species are extraordinarily freakish in their distribution. A few species are very widely scattered, almost over the whcle continent, while the majority are found in a quite limited habitat. Of the larger species I know only one, mifchelli, Hope, that is found in every one of the States; while maeularia, Don., variabilis, Don., occur over the whole of the eastern side of the continent. Of the smaller species, the following are known to me as occurring in every State: —Amphichroa, Boisd.; burchelli, C. and G.; cyanicollis, Boisd., and its varieties; zospilota, C. and G.; S-spilota, C. and G.; 10-maculata, Kirby, and rufipennis, Kirby. The country extending from north-west Victoria to . the extreme west of Western Australia can only be considered as one faunal area, and many of the. Western Australian forms occur over a great part of this area. I have received specimens of semulata, C. and G.; robusta, Saund.; jekellr, Saund. ; sanguineolenta, C. and G.; pallidiventris, C. and G., from widely-separated places in this great area, extending as it does over thirty degrees of longitude. Besides the above, there are a few species—e.g., wndulata, Don.; bicincta, Boisd.; erenata, Don. ; 8-maculata, Saund.—that occur over the whole of eastern Australia. A large number, possibly the greater number of species, are very local in their occur- rence, and collectors will often speak of limited regions where one rare species is known only to be found. Thus cydista, Rainb., has only been found in a limited district near Sydney, while Mr. Brown’s captures in the Cue district show species unknown elsewhere.
SYNONYMY.
I have placed var. only before those names which ought, in my opinion, to be retained for certain constant forms, sometimes peculiar to certain districts, and which may in some cases prove to be distinct species, but which differ from the typical form. Thus 8. rufipes, Macl., is a Queensland variety of octospilota, C. and G., having red femora. Again, under that much-described species, mitchelli1, Hope, besides the faux pas of M. Thomson, occur var. 1, guadrispilota, Saund. (a robust large form peculiar to Western Australia) ; var. 2, tasmamca, Kerr (a small Tasmanian form); var. 3, karattae, Blackb. (a variable form from Kangaroo Island, Victoria, and southern New South Wales, generally smaller and darker than the typical form).
86
I have placed under the tabulation all the synonyms
known or considered as such by me; but in the list imme- diately following this are placed only such synonyms as have not been so far published.
“1 o> OF H CO
eh
THEMOGNATHA.
parryt, Hope (=fusca, Saund.=parvicollis, Saund. = major, Waterh.=picea, Kerr.).
sanguineocincta, Saund. (=alcyone, Thoms. =coelestis, Thoms.).
sanguimpennis, C. and G. (=cincticollis, Kerr.).
excisicollis, Macl. (=addenda, Thoms. = sincera, Kerr.).
haematica, Hope (= (?) clara, Kerr.).
afims, Saund. (=limbata, C. and G.=adelpha, Thoms.).
sanguinea, Saund. (= pictiventris, Kerr. =cyanventris, Kerr. =avuncularis, Thoms.).
donovam, C. and G. (=jansoni, Saund.).
rectapennis, Blackb. (=agicerubra, Kerr.).
reichei, C. and G. (= funerea, White = marmorea, Blackb.).
vitticollis, Macl. (=delia, Thoms. = fallaciosa, Kerr.).
mitchelli, Hope (=stricklandi, Hope=daphns, Thoms. =ostentatriz, Thoms.=var. 1, quadrispilota, Saund.'= var. 2, tasmanica,. Kerr’ = vara karattae, Blackb.).
yarelli, C. and G. (=var. 1, flavipennis, Gehin. =var. 2, elegans, Gehin.=var. 3, varicollis, Cart.).
flavicollis, Saund. (=8S. wnicincta, Saund.).
CASTIARINA. empressicollis, Macl. (=costalis, Saund.). moribunda, Saund. (= (?) dispar, Blackb.). punctiventris, Saund. (=guttata, Blackb.=var. minor, Blackb. =var. zgnea, Blackb.). atronotata, Waterh. (= guttaticollis, Blackb. = consularis, Kerr): Nore.—minor, Blackb., is wrongly placed under guttaticollis by Kerremans (Gen. Ins., p2 207): septemnotata, n. nom. (=septemmaculata, Blackb. ; the latter name is preoccupied by Mannerheim for a synonym of spilota, C. and G.). producta, Saund. (=acutipennis, Thoms. = (?) var. swl- cicollis, Kerr.). delta, Thoms. (= (?) deceptor, Kerr.). lilliputana, Thoms. (= Neocuris mastersi, Macl. = ocularis,
Kerr. = (?) dawsonensis, Blackb.). ’
AT. 48.
4
87
semicincta, C. and G. (=var. variopicta, Thoms.).
laena, Thoms. (=var. electa, Kerr.).
versicolor, C. and G. (=decemguttata, Gory.= parva, Saund.).
decemmaculata, Kirby (=inaequalis, Kerr.).
picta, C. and G. (=purpurea, Hope=var. laetabihs, Kerr.).
pallidiventris, C. and G. (=var. cincta, Blackb. =rubro- cemmcta, Kerr, n. praeoc.).
elder, Blackb. (=rustica, Kerr.=diversa, Kerr.):
andersom, C. and G. (=var. veraz, Kerr.).
mastersi, Macl. (=var. deleta, Kerr.).
distincta, Saund. (=sternalis, Blackb.=deliciosa, Kerr. - =var. baliola, Kerr.=var. imermis, Kerr.).
fulviventris, Macl. (=guttigera, Blackh.).
auricollis, C. and G. (=ochreiventris, Saund. =strigata, Macl.).
wilson, Saund. (=var. sigma, Kerr.).-
confusa, Waterh. (=agrestis, Kerr.).
anchoralis, C. and G. (=arborifera, Blackb.).
sumulata, C. and G. (=helenae, Hope=var. phryne, Thoms:=var: lais, Thoms.=var. triramosa, Thoms. = distinguenda, Thoms. = fraterna, Kerr.).
ignota, Saund. (=var. semisuturalis, Saund.).
abdonuinalis, Saund. (= (7) var. wnica, Kerr.).
tricolor, Kirby (=curta, Saund.=opima, Kerr.).
humeralis, Kerr (=tallyardi, Cart.).
. gibbicollis, Saund. (=fascigera, Kerr.).
cyanipes, Saund. (=armata, Thoms. =/longula, Blackb.).
cupricolius, Saund. (= alterzona, Thoms. = deyrollez, Thoms. = julia, Thoms.).
trifasciata, C. and G. (=agicalis, C. and G.=tacita,
Kerr.) affabthis, Kerr. (=simplex, Kerr.). vegeta, Hope ( = coeruleiventris, Saund. = haroldi,
Saund.=viridiventris, Saund., var. cruentata, Kirby = neologa, Thoms. =(?) coerulea, Kerr. = coelestis, Kerr. =stillata, Blackb.).
crenata, Don. (=kreffti, Macl.=variata, Kerr.).
rubriventris, Blackb. (=maculifer, Kerr.).
burchelh, C. and G. (=perplexa, Hope=langwnosa, Hope=hostilis, Blackb.).
sagittaria, C. and G. (=gravis, Har. =obscuripenms, Saund.).
amphichroa, Boisd. (=sexspilota, C. and G.=sieboldi, C. and G.=cylindracea. Saund.=bucolica, Kerr.).
88
54. hoper, Saund. (=burchelli, Hope=placida, Thoms.).
55. punctatosulcata, Saund (=litegiosa, Kerr.).
56. obscura, Saund. (=var. transversiycta, Thoms.).
57. alternecosta, Thoms. (=alacris, Kerr. = quadrinotata, Blackb.).
58. scalaris, Boisd. (=eyanicollis, Boisd. =subtrifasciata, C. and G.=media, Hope=crucigera, C. and G.= prudens, Kerr.).
59. flavovaria, Saund. (=flavopicta, C. and G.=tumida, Kerr.).
60. wolacea, Macl. ( = cupreoflava, Saund. =* eqwna, Blackb.).
61. pwerilis, Kerr. (=var. atrocoerulea, Kerr.).
62. rotundata, Saund. (=(?) var. aeneicornis, Saund.).
NOTES ON SYNONYMY.
(1) I have examined a large number of specimens labelled parryi, Hope, and parvicollis, Saund., and have carefully compared them with descriptions. While extreme cases are very different in size, and vary as to the amount of dark colouration on the pronotum, I have not been able to draw any definite line between the two names. The other synonyms have been already noted by Kerremans.
(2) (3) (4) (6) (7) I see no reason for the various names under these to mark minute differences scarcely amounting to ‘variation.
(5) The description of clara, Kerr., would exactly cor- respond to a specimen of haematica, Hope, in which the blue colour extended over the whole abdomen; I have seen examples in which this is very nearly the case, the amount of red or blue on the underside being very variable.
(8) S. donovam, C. and G.=jansomi, Saund. There can be little doubt of this from a study of the figures and -descriptions. /
(9) The description of apicerubra, Kerr., exactly cor- responds with my co-type of rectipennis, Blackb.
(10) S. reicher, C. and G., is very variable. Blackburn | himself thought that marmorea was a synonym.
(11) I cannot see anything in the description of fa/laciosa, Kerr, to distinguish it from vwitticollis, Macl., a common Northern and Central Australian species, subject to wide variation. Dr. E. W. Ferguson informs me that there is some confusion between the names vitticollis, Macl., and sexmaculata, Saund., in the Brit. Mus. Coll., but these are widely different species.
(12) S. mitechelli, Hope, shares with varrabilis, Don., the distinction of being the most variable in a variable genus.
89
IT have little doubt of the synonymy of the seven names.
(13) After my recent experiences in the examination of long series, I am compelled to include varicollis, Cart., as a variety of yarell14, C. and G., though the name should stand for this local form, of which Mr. Duboulay took a large: number, all more or less marked as stated in its description.
(14) I agree with Blackburn that wnecinecta is the male, flavicollis the female, of the same species.
(15) Saunders’ figure and description of costalis proclaim its identity with «impressicollis, Macl., a fairly common Queensland insect.
(16) I am a little doubtful here. There is a slight colour difference, as the suture and apex of moribunda are said to be narrowly black, this marking being absent from dispar, Blackb. This variation is so common. in analagous cases e.g., rufipenms, Kirby, that I think I am justified in giving this synonymy.
(17) I have seen many specimens which include all these names and which form continuous series.
(18) (25) (26) (27) (30) (32) (35) (41) (43) (46) (47) (55) (56) (60) In all these cases Dr. EK. W. Ferguson has: been kind enough to confirm my own impressions by an examination of types in the British Museum. As regards (32), I have previously published the synonymy of sternalis, Blackb., with distincta, Saund. Dr. Ferguson’s note on amermis, Kerr., states :—‘‘There were two spp. included under inermis, both marked types; one=distencta, Saund.=deli- ciosa, Kerr.; the other=nova, Kerr.; baliola seems little more than a colour variety of distincta, Saund., with broader bands and basal elytral border.’’
(20) I have followed Kerremans in placing acutipennis, Thoms. = producta, Saund., though the former name has been long given in Australia to the species described as wnsignis, Blackb.
(21) S. delta, Thoms (vide note in tabulation).
(22) I am only slightly in doubt as to the correct inclu- sion of dawsonensis in this; but there is only a slight colour difference, the addition of an apical spot on each elytron, and this variation is common in other species.
(23) S. variopicta, Thoms. This form is well known to collectors as a variety of semicincta, C. and G. I have taken the two forms in company frequently, at Medlow, Blue: Mountains.
(24) S. electa, Kerr., cannot be more than a variety of lTaena, Thoms.
(28) See note in the tabulation.
90
(29) (31) From descriptions and examination of many specimens, including co-type of e/deri, Blackb., and the type of mastersi, Macel.
(33) Co-type of guttigera compared with type of fulvi- ventris, Macl.
(34) Type of strigata, Macl., compared with figures and descriptions of awricollis and ochreiventris.
(36) More than probable.
(37) A co-type of Blackburn’s arborifera is identical with the very common Perth species, anchoralis.
(38) One of the most variable of the smaller species. Extreme forms are very different in pattern, but all have the same general colour scheme and robust obese form (/fraterna was merely a name to supply the preoccupied distinguenda ).
(39) S. semisuturalis, Saund., is a well-known varietal form of zgnota, Saund., to collectors. JI have taken them together in the Blue Mountains.
(40) Vede note in tabulation.
(42) I confess to a blunder here, due to my not having then seen M. Kerremans’ fine work (Genera Insectorum.)
(43) M. Kerremans was mistaken in placing gibbicollis, Saund., as synonymous with grata, Saund. The species are quite distinct. This no doubt accounts for his redescription of gibbicollis as fascagera, Kerr.
(44) I have already published the synonymy of Jongula, Blackb., with cyanipes, Saund.; armata, Thoms:, described as from Sydney, is no doubt the same species. It is rare in the Sydney district, though occurring at Ropes Creek and in the Blue Mountains.
(45) Shght colour varieties, chiefly in the prothorax and underside.
(48) S. cruentata, Kirby, is the oldest of the names, but the pattern of vegeta, Hope, is the common one. JI am a little doubtful as to the identity of coclestzs with the above; stillata was a name given by Blackburn for coelestis, Kerr., the latter name being preoccupied by Thomson. ‘There is no reason for placing sfi/lata as a synonym of Jaena, Thoms., as M. Kerremans has done (Genera Insectorum).
(50) S. rubriventris, Blackb., was described from ,Western Australia. There is a New South Wales species very near, if not identical with it, but generally larger. It is possible that this is the form described as maculifer, Kerr.
(51) S. hostilis, Blackb. I have examined a co-type of this in the South Australian Museum collection, labelled by Blackburn. The apex of one elytron is slightly malformed or damaged ; the other apex is perfect and ordinarily bispinose: As this is the only or main distinction between this and
al
burchelli, I conclude that Blackburn was misled by the malformation.
(52) Is my conclusion from figures and descriptions.
(53) (54) Common species that include all the names noted.
(57) The synonymy of alacris, Kerr., with alternecosta, Thoms., has been published by M. Kerremans himself. A co-type of quadrinotata, Blackb., in the South Australan Museum shows the same insect. A species I often used to find near Cook River, Canterbury (near Sydney).
(58) The commonest insect of the whole genus, with a corresponding variation, which I believe includes the names given.
(59) (61) I feel sure of the synonymy, from descriptions.
(60) S.ceequna, Blackb. Type in National Museum, Melbourne, examined by me and found identical with type of violacea, Macl. The suggestion of mine that cwpreoflava, Saund., was the same was confirmed by Dr. Ferguson.
In the following tabulation an asterisk (*) is placed against species unknown to me. This tabulation is put forward with some diffidence, and is probably net without error. The difficulties can be partly estimated by the follow- ing statement of the numbers of names so far catalogued :—
No. of speciesin tabulation. No. of names catalogued. A. Stigmodera 8 15 B. Themognatha 69 eT CC. Castiarina 241 386 Total 318 522
In other words that 204, out of 522 names, should be either sunk as synonyms or treated as variations; a formidable list with which to make oneself familiar. M. Kerremans gave 345 species in the Genera Insectorum, and I find that four species were then omitted—viz., suwbpura, Blackb.; tyrrhena, Blackb.; pallas, Blackb.;. and erwhescens, Blackb. If my tabulation is correct there are thus 318 existing species, of which 31 are here described as new.
The species can be divided into subgenera as follows :—
ie EKlytra pitted with large foveate punctures (also striate- punctate in cancellata, Don.)—a. sT1GMoDERA, Eschs.
2-4. Hlytra striated or striate-punctate, the intervals some- times coState.
3. Tarsal hooks lobed or toothed at the base—-8. THEMO- GNATHA, Sol.
4. Tarsal hooks simple—c. cAsTIARINA, C. and G.
o> <0
Cris Cobo 4 jor)
oN ®
92
Suseenus A. Table of SrigmopERA, elytra pitted.
Elytra without coloured fasciae.
Elytra yellow.
Elytral foveae’small, more or less concolorous with elytra apex widely bidentate—goryi, C. & G.; curtisi, Hope.
Klytral foveae large. and black.
Apex of each elytron simply rounded—macularia, Don. ; cicatricosa, Dalm.
Apex of each elytron bispinose (with oblique excision)—
jacquinoti, Boisd.
Elytra brown-red, foveae black, apex subtruncate— porosa, N. sp.
Elytra red, foveae green, apex dentate—sanguinosa, Hope.
Upper surface brilliant golden-green—gratiosa, Chev. ; smaragdinea, Hope.
Elytra with coloured faSciae.
Thorax and underside’ brilliant coppers-green—roet, Saund,; cancellata, Boisd.; vescoet, Gehin.
Thorax and underside dull-blue or oree een—cancellata, Don.; dejeani, Hope; dejeaniana, Boisd
Norre.—The geographical distribution of the above is curious, the first four species being peculiar to the eastern side, the last four to the western side of Australia.
Suneenus B. THEMoGNATHA, elytra striate, tarsal hooks
lobed or toothed at base.
Tibiae enlarged and toothed on the external border.
Prothorax with yellow margins, abdomen yellow—duponti, Boisd.; stevensi, Gehin.
Prothorax concolor ous, abdomen bronze—tibialis, Waterh.
Tibiae normal.
Elytra without coloured fasciae.
Elytra entirely red or yellow.
Prothorax concolorous.
Prothorax red (sometimes with bronzy reflections).
Alternate intervals of elytra costate—heros, Gehin.
Intervais regularly convex—parryi, Hope ; fusca, Saund. ; parvicollis, Saund.; major, W aterh. ; picea, Kerr.
Prothorax bronze—chalcodera; Thoms.
Prothorax brassy-green.
Abdomen chiefly yellow—brucki, Thoms.
Abdomen brassy- ereen—sanguineocincta, Saund. ; alcyone, Thoms. ; coelestis, Thoms.
Prothorax black—aestimata, Kerr.
Prothorax with red or yellow margins.
Dise of pronotum black.
Margins of pronotum red, underside blue—sanquini- penms, C. and G.; cincticollis, Kerr.
Margins of pronotum yellow, underside black—flavo- marginata, G. and H.; eruentata, Murray.
Prothorax green, with red margins.
Klytral apices simple—menalcas, Thoms.
Elytral apices strongly bispinose—lobicollis, Saund.
oe
44-48,
46-48.
93
Prothorax red, with narrow central part black, abdomen red—haematica, Hope; (?) var. clara, Kerr.
Elytra red or yellow, suture or apex, or both with dark markings.
Prothorax concolorous.
Pronotum and underside blue.
Suture and sides generally with wide blue vittae— suturalis, Don.; vertebralis, Boisd.
Suture (partly) and apex only dark—franca, n. sp.
Pronotum and underside green.
Apices of elvtra truncate.
Base, suture, and apex of elytra blue (apical mark rarely absent)—similis, Saund.
Base and suture ot elytra green, size smaller than similis marcida, Blackb.
Apices of elytra strongly bispinose—e.ccisicollis, Macl. ; addenda, Thoms.; sincera, Kerr.
Pronotum bronze (sometimes more or less red)—earoli, Blackb.; capucina, Blackb.
Prothorax with red or yellow margins.
Red margins as wide as or wider than discal colour.
Alternate intervals of elytra subcostate and narrowed— latithoraz, Thoms.
Intervals of elytra uniform—thoracica, Saund.:; atalanta, Thoms.
Margins of prothorax narrower than discal colour.
Disc of pronotum metallic-green, sides of elytra sanguineous.
Underside entirely green.
Sutural markings continuous from base to apex without notable enlargement—limbata, Don.
Suttral marking commencing behind base, with irregular widenings—affinis, Saund. ; limbata, Ce yands Ge adelpha, Thoms.
Underside (in part at least) yellow.
Elytral suture green, abdomen with yellow spots, last segment with red bands—sanguinea, Saund.; picti- ventris, Kerr.; var. cyanventris, Kerr. ; avuncularis, Thoms.
Apices of elytra strongly bispinose, margins of elytra not dark.
Sides of prothorax angularly widened, margins of pro- notum and elytra red—viridicincta, Waterh.
Sides of prothorax rounded, their margins and elytra clear yellow—donovani, Cc. and G.; jansoni, Saund. Apices of elytra truncate, margins of elytra blue-black—
lessont, C. and G.; acutithorax, Thoms.
Dise of pronotum and apical half of elytra coppery-red— pascoei, Saund.
Dise of pronotum and apex of elytra bronzy—sanguini- ventris, Saund.
Disc of pronotum blue, margins irregularly red—notati- collis, n. sp.
Disc of pronotum red, margins bronzy—wimmerae, Blackb.
Elytra brown, piceous, or black, lateral margins more or less yellow.
Prothorax with yellow or red margins.
56-58.
deed
Oi.
58.
59-62.
60.
62.
63-71. 64-68.
65.
66-68.
Ole 68.
69-71.
70.
94
Head and underside abnormally pilose.
Form oval, apices of elytra simple, pronotum strongly pilose in male—pubicollis, Waterh. ; lateritia, Thoms.
Form navicular, apices strongly bispinose, pronotum not pilose—barbiventris, n. ‘sp:
Head and underside normally pubesc ent.
Elytra reddish-brown, disc of pronotum black—flavo- cincta, C. and G.
Elytra brownish-black, disc of pronotum bronze Don.
Pronotum mottled red and black, not margined— gigas, D. Sp.
Elytra dark-blue or black, apex sanguineous (except im (by:
Prothorax concolorous.
Elytra (except apex) and underside black — princeps,. Blackb.
Elytra (except apex) blue (or greenish).
Form elongate, apex widely red—bonvouloiri, Saund.
Form shortly ovate, apex narrowly red—obscuripennis,. Manneth. ; rugosipennis, Thoms.
Prothorax mar roined more or less red.
Klytra blue, apex red, apical segments of abdomen red— rectipennis, Blackh. - apicerubra, Kerr.
Apex of elytra concolorous with rest, margins inter- ruptedly red—rufocyanea, n. sp.
Elytra Gin general) fasciated.
Prothorax concolorous (at least with no defined yellow or red margins).
Upper-surface nitid dark-green, underside black, elytra with a single preapical fascia red—mmniszechi, Saund.
grandis,
Whole surface brilliant-green, elytra with basal and
preapical fascia yellow —saundersi, |Waterh. ; obesissima, Thoms.
Pronotum bronze or coppery.
Underside black, elytra black with irregular fasciae yellow—reichei, C. and G.; funerea, White ; mar- morea, Blackb.
Underside (or at least the abdomen) yellow.
Elytra with 3 black fasciae, apex sanguineous (pronotum sometimes with irregular orange spots near margin)— murrayi, G. and H.; trifasciaata, Murray ; imperatriz,. Thoms.
Elytra with 2 fasciae and apex blue-black, underside blue —spencei, C. and G.; egregia, Boh.; sternoceroides, Thoms.
Pronotum blue, elytra with 38 fasciae and apex blue— congener, Saund,
Pronotum green, irregularly mottled yellow, elytra with one fascia and apex violet—ch evrolati, Gehin. > imperatrix, White; imperator, Thoms.
Pronotum yellow (sometimes with dark discal markings), abdomen more or less yellow.
Elytra with one fascia, shoulder, and subapical spot black, apices hooked—martini, Saund.
Klytra with one’ fascia and subapical spot blue, apex rounded—favicollis, Saund.; wnicincta, Saund,
86. 87.
88-113. 89-95. . 90-94.
og: 100-113. 101-108. 102-106. 103-105. 104.
105. ‘106.
107.
108. 109-113.
110-112. LUIG
112. 118.
M4117, 115.
116.
95
Pronotum red with base, apex, and discal spot green, elytra with short fascia and apex green—carpentariae, Blackb.
Pronotum with sexual difference in colour, male orange, female blue-black (sometimes with red or orange basal band), underside black—oleata, Blackb.
Prothorax with yellow or red margins.
Yellow margins as wide or wider than dark disc.
Elytra with one fascia and apex blue.
Legs variegated, femora yellow, tibiae green—pictipes, Blackb.
Legs concolorous.
Whole abdomen yellow (24-29 mm._ long) — tricolorata, Waterh.
Apical segments only yellow (36-42 mm. long)—vitticollis, Macl.; delia, Thoms.; fallaciosa, Kerr.
Elytra with basal margin and short fascia blue (male nonfasciate)—imperialis, n. sp.
Yellow or red margins of prothorax not as wide as dark dise.
Elytra with sexual colouration, male with one, female with two fasciae, and apex blue. °
Dise of pronotum brilliant-copper, punctures small and sparse—duboulayi, Saund.
Disc of pronotum less nitid, punctures large and close— macfarlani, Waterh.
Elytra without sexual colouration.
Size large (more than 30 mm.