i0 t^fx TEANSACTIONS SOUTH AFRICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. VOLUME XII. 1901-1902. WITH TWELVE PLATES. CAPE TOWN: _ PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY 1902. CONTENTS, I'AGE Descrh'tivk Catalogue op the Coleopteka of South Afkica (Lucioiidce and Scarabieidce). By L. Pekinguey, F.E.S., F.Z.S., kc, Assistant Diirctor Soutli African Mnsctnn ...■■■ ■ 1-9-0 .,^'^^^ a^ '&^^.'^" 5% TIUNSACTIONS BA/T SOUTH AF1!K'A>; rHILOSdl'HICAL SOCIETY. Vol. XII. DESCKIPTIVE C-^T.\LOGUE OF THE COLEOPTEEA OF SOUTH AFEICA {LuCANiDiE and Scarab.eid^). By L. Peeinguey, F.E.S., F.Z.S., Ac, Assistant Director SoutSt African Museum. Family LUCANID^. Maxilla Avith two lobes, the inner one seldom distinct ; labrum fused with the clypeus ; ligula not always bi-lobate, ciliate, situated in the inner part of the mentum, the latter closing the greater part of the buccal cavit}' ; mandibles strongly developed ; antennae inserted before the eyes, ten-jointed, geniculate in the South African species,, the club formed by three immovable joints strongly pectinate inwardly and mostly always pubescent ; the eyes are large, partly or entirely divided ; scutellum moderately small or very small ; elytra more or less oblong, or sub-cylindrical, completely covering the pygidium ; the abdomen has five ventral segments ; the legs are usually slender, the anterior tibiae being sometimes dilated towards the apex ; the intermediate and posterior tibiae have two apical, strong spurs ; the tarsi are long and have very robust claws and a median onychium. In spite of the different facies, the insects included in this family are very closely connected with the Scarabceidce. The three apical joints of their antennae forming the club are, however, pectinate inwardly, and not mobile, whereas in the Scarahceidce they can always be folded, and are not pectinate inwardly. ^' 1 iiiM m; wKl 2 Transactions South African Pliilosopliical Society. [vol. xii. The representatives of this family hve in rotten logs or tree- trunks, and are therefore mostly dependent on forests, which are rare in South Africa, where only five genera and six species are re- corded. Three of these genera are peculiar to the South African fauna. In one genus (Colophon) the hroadly dilated fore tibitr imply perhaps terricolous habits. Key to the Genera. Sub-Family Lucanin.?:. A=. Ligula not bi-lobate ; maxillae not hooked ; body short ; mandibles short, arcuate in both sexes Colophon. <2, Ligula bi-lobate ; body oblong, smooth ; mandibles greatly developed in the male Cladognatlnisi^ A'. Ligula bi-lobate ; maxillte with an inner hook ; body oblong, squamose ; mandibles short in the male Oonotiis. (o Sub-Family Figulin.e. Eyes incompletely divided ; mandibles sub-horizontal, long, bifid at tip Xiphodontus. 7 Eyes completely divided ; mandibles short and bearing at the base a vertical horn incurved at tip Nigidius. ^ Gen. colophon. Gray, Griffith's Animal Kingd., 1832, i., p. 533. Mentum articulate, slightly attenuate laterally, and hiding the maxillsB and the ligula ; the latter is long and slender, not bi-lobate, a little ampliate laterally towards the tip and deeply emarginate triangularly and broadly at tip ; the palpigers are swollen and contiguous, the labial palpi are somewhat long, the apical joint is in the shape of an elongate, slightly incurved club ; maxillae ending in a long pencil of hairs, maxillary palpi not long, second joint longer than the apical which is only slightly longer than the third ; mandibles as long as the head in the male, a little shorter in the female, roundly urcuate ; eyes not very deeply divided ; the four apical joints of the antennae are pectinate, but only the last three are pubescent ; pro- thorax broad, ampliate and rounded laterally, diagonally attenuate towards the base ; elytra short, convex, sub-ovate ; anterior tibiae , 190|.^ Cataloijue of the Colcopleya of SoutJi Africa. l)io;idly dilated at tip, quadri-dentate outwardly, intermediate and posterior ones Nvith two and one spine respectively, and briefly digitate at apex ; the basal abdominal segment is produced between the hind coxie into a long cuneiform process slightly impressed tx'ans- versely and representing probably an absorbed sixth ventral segment; prosternal iiitercoxal process very declivous but sharp at tip. This genus seems to be found in South Africa only, and includes one species, the two sexes of which seem, however, to have been / the Coleo])lcra of South Africa. 5 ones with a small fiingc or brush of fulvous hairs on eacli side of the apical part. The genus seems to be represented all over the ^dobe, except in America. Cladognathus (Prosopocoelus) natalensis, Parry, Transact. Entom. Soc. Lond., vol. ii., 3rd ser., 1864, p. 36. Dark chestnut-brown on the head and prothorax, much lighter chestnut-brown on the elytra, the suture of which, however, is dark. Male : Mandibles as long as the head, curved laterally for a third of the length, produced slightly obliquely from there, sub-falcate at tip, strongly and equally dentate in the lower inner margin Avhich is deeply emarginate at base and leaves a moderately broad open space, and with an inner basal tooth and two round, knobby ones at the base of the upper margin ; head transverse, a little broader in the anterior than in the posterior part ; the former is sinuate or slightly incised near the outer angle, the posterior angle is somewhat obtuse, or not very sharp ; the eye is not much divided behind ; prothorax broader than the head, sub-parallel laterally, or very slightly attenuate from the anterior angle which is somewhat rounded, to the posterior which is very sharp at tip and obliquely attenuate ; it is covered like the head with a fine aciculation forming a very finely shagreened surface ; scutellum punctulate ; elytra very finely and closely punctate, but only finely aciculate in the large development and having only a faint trace of a supra-marginal stria ; under side glabrous, finely aciculate, a little darker than the upper side but always with a redder or lighter transverse patch on each side of the metasternum ; posterior tibiiB without spine. Female : Very much smaller than the male ; mandibles short, bi-carinate on the upper side ; head deeply foveolato-punctate, gense dividing the eye for tw'o-thirds of the length and projecting much ; prothorax gradually ampliate laterally from the anterior angle to the posterior and very obliquely truncate towards the base, deeply and roughly foveate laterally and with only a few scattered punctures in the centre of the disk ; elyti'a deeply and closely punctured in the dorsal part and foveolato-punctate on the sides and in the posterior part ; posterior tibige with one spine ; the elytra, in spite of being much more deeply punctured than in the male, are more shining. Length (exclusive of mandibles), 20-36 mm. ; width 9^-15 mm. G Tvansactivns SoiitJi African PhilosojjJiical Socict/j. [vol. xii. Hal). Natal (Duvban), Transvaal (Lydenburg), Southern Ebodesia (Manica). This species is found also in German East Africa. Gex\. OONOTUS, Parry, Trans. Entom. Soc, 3rd Ser., ii., 1864, p. 62. Mentum mobile, twice as broad as long, much rounded laterally, slightly sinuate at middle at apex, ciliate there, broadly and closely foveate in its outer face ; ligula bi-lobate, the ciliate part of the lobe projecting beyond the mentum ; maxillfe ending in a sharp hook in the male and very densely penicillate above the hook ; palpi as in Colop]io)i ; mandibles short, robust, arcuate, not as long as the head, bluntly bifid at tip with the upper tooth reflexed in the male ; head transverse in front Init with the genge projecting from near the anterior angle almost in a line with it, eyes deeply divided by the genae which project much beyond it ; the head is somewhat deeply set in the prothorax and has two small tubercles, one on each side ; labrum very small and arcuate ; club of the antennae formed of three long pectinate joints, and as long as all the intervening joints except the basal one which is as long as all the other joints put together ; prothorax a little rounded laterally and slightly wider at base than at apex ; scutellum very rounded at tip ; elytra closely punctate, not striate ; anterior tibise spinose from elbow to apex, the two apical spines stronger than the others, intermediate and posterior ones pluri-serrate ; tarsi a little shorter than the tibiae ; prosternal inter- coxal process rounded, not projecting ; upper side clothed with squamose hairs, denuded here and there so as to form somewhat regular designs. I do not know the female. This genus seems to be restricted to the eastern part of South Africa, but it will most likely prove to occur north of that limit. OoNOTUS ADPEKSUS, Bohem., Insect. Caffrar., ii., p. 384. Westw., Trans. Ent. Soc, 3rd Ser., i., 1863, p. 455, pi. xvi., fig. 6. Black, opaque, and covered on the upper side with slightly flaves- cent squamae, denuded here and there in rubbed examples, scutellum 1900.] Catalogue of (he Colcoptcra of South Africa. 7 entirely clothed with the scales ; head covered with deep round punctures, mandibles a little more reflexed in the male, and the tooth on the upper part is less apical and more conspicuous ; genae produced into a very distinct lobe nearly in line at apex with the anterior angle, projecting much, rounded in front, oblique laterally truncate at base ; and having above the eye on each side a short tuberculate ridge ; prothorax a little convex, rounded and slightly ampliate on the sides ; it has, in the centre of the anterior part three small tubercles arranged in a triangle, the sides are not obliquely attenuate behind and the basal angle is sharp ; scutellum much rounded at tip ; elytra convex, rounded behind, oblong, not broader at base than the base of the prothorax, very closely and deeply punctured ; under side deeply foveolato-punctate ; from each punc- ture springs a short, greyish hair ; anterior tibiae irregularlj- serrate but having two stronger teeth at apex ; intermediate ones also pluri-serrate, posterior ones with only a spine beyond the middle. I do not think that the female is yet known. Westwood thought that the example he figured was a female, owing to the maxillge being hooked — a constant feature of the female, I believe, in the genus Dorcus, to which this species was at one time supposed to belong — but I have ascertained that this character is also found in the male, the only sex known to me. The vestiture of this insect varies very much. In some examples there are on the prothorax four more or less rounded patches of scales on each side, each patch set in a very shallow depression, but there is always a more or less distinct squamose band along the margins ; on the elytra the suture is generally denuded for the greatest part of the length, and they have on each side two parallel, median patches with an elongate one under the two, or five or six . ill-defined ones on each side. Length 10-11 mm. ; width 4^-4f mm. Hab. Natal (Durban). Gen. XIPHODONTUS, Westw., Entom. Magaz., v., 1838, p. 259. Mentum twice as broad as long, hardly concave, rounded laterally, straight in front, apical joint of labial palpi longer than the other two put together, deeply scooped beneath, last joint of maxillary palpi one-third longer than the penultimate one and sub-cylindrical ; 8 Transactions South African Philosophical Society [vol. xii. upper lobe of maxillae very narrow and fasciculate ; mandibles parallel, long or short according to the sexes, obliquely raised, eyes incised by the canthus for about four-fifths of the length ; basal joint of antennae shorter than all the others, the two penultimate ones are straight and form the club the apical joint of which is swollen and rounded inwardly and at tip ; prothorax sub-parallel or slightly attenuate in front laterally ; scutellum short, rounded at apex ; elytra cylindrical ; legs moderately short ; anterior tibige denticulate from the elbow to the apex, posterior ones bi-spinose outwardly, tri- digitate at apex and w^ith the tarsi hardly shorter than the tibiae ; prosternum with a sharp triangular intercoxal projection ; suture of the mesosternum and metasternum quite obliterated be- tween the intermediate coxae. This genus is represented in South Africa only. XiPHODONTUS ANTILOPE, Westw., Plate XXXI., hg. 4. Entom. Magaz., v. p. 260. X capensis, Sturm., Catal., p. 347, pi. iv., fig. 3. X reichei, Cast., Hist. Natur., ii., p. 175, pi. xvii., figs. 1-8. Black, moderately shining, and with the palpi and tarsi piceous red. Male : Head deeply excavate in the centre ; mandibles three times the length of the head, rising sub-obHquely, parallel, compressed, a little concave inwardly and deeply incised at tip, the incision forming two unequal teeth the upper of which is longer and rounded ; at the base of the mandibles there is also a small marginal inner tooth ; prothorax one-third longer than broad, sub-parallel, deeply excavate in front and with the median part produced into a sub-horizontal lobe tri-dentate at tip, the median tooth being a little below the line of the other two and projecting above the anterior decUvity ; it is slightly impressed on the discoidal part ; on each side of the median lobe there is a deep and broad longitudinal furrow reaching from the base to not far from the apex of the lobe, and also a small supra-basal shallow elongate impression on each side of the median groove ; the whole surface is covered with round, deep, equally distant punc- tures ; elytra covered from apex to base with sharp narrow costae made sinuose by being fossulate, partly laterally, partly in the middle ; intervals very narrow, rugulose, opaque while the costse are shiny ; abdomen covered with foveolate punctures ; meta- 1900.] Cataloyuc of the Coleopteiu of South Africa. 9 sternum covered with round not closely-set punctures but liavin^' only ca few punctures on the median part which is distinctly shiny, mesosternum and metasternum with deep, round punctures. Female : Differs from the male in the shape of the mandibles which are shorter or not longer than the head, bi-dentate at tip, the upper tooth being rounded and the inferior one longer and more acuminate; the head is not excavate ; the prothorax is more attenuate and rounded laterally in front, and the three tubercles in the anterior part are not set in a transverse line, the median one standing behind the other two. Length (exclusive of mandibles), 8-13 mm. ; width 4-5 mm. Hab. Cape Colony (Knysna, Swellendam, ?Kowie). Gen. NIGIDIUS, McLeay, Hor. EntomoL, i., 1819, p. 108. Mentum one-third broader than long, rounded and ampliate late- rally from the median to the apical part, deeply and somewhat broadly emarginate at tip and somewhat broadly concave in the inner anterior face ; ligula bi-lobate, very slender, membranaceous, fringed with long, dense hairs ; labial palpi short ; upper lobe of maxillae broad, sub-oblong and fringed with very long, dense hairs ; apical joint of maxillary palpi flagellate, a little longer than the two preceding put together ; mandibles shorter than the head, curved and moderately sharp at tip, bluntly bi-dentate inwardly, and bearing on each side of the base a vertical horn curving inwardly ; head as broad as long and with the canthus of the genge lobate and project- ing much beyond the eyes which it divides entirely ; antennae moderately long, basal joint not quite as long as all the others, club glabrous and consisting of the two penultimate joints which are conical inwardly, and of the apical one which is rounded at tip ; prothorax nearly parallel laterally for two-thirds of the length and slightly obliquely attenuate from there towards the base which is slightly sinuate while the apical part is straight ; scutellum elongate, somewhat sharp at tip ; elytra sub-cylindrical ; suture of the meta- sternum and mesosternum not quite obliterated ; intercoxal prosternal process not aculeate at tip ; anterior tibige serrate from the elbow to the apex where the two terminal sei'rate teeth are set close together, posterior ones pluri-dentate on the outer side, tri-digitate at apex ; tarsi shorter than the tibiae. The genus is represented in the Philippine Islands, Formosa and 10 Ti-auHdctions SoutJi African PJiUosopldcal Society. [vol. xii. Malacca, and in Africa (Senegal, Guinea, Gaboon, Somaliland, and Nyassaland). Key to the Species. Lobe of the gente rounded laterally in front ; median i^art of prothorax with a broad longitudinal groove enclosing a distinct carina delcgorrjuei. Lobe of the gente diagonal, not rounded in front and very deeply excavate ; median part of prothorax with a shallow, punctate median groove Tcdidus. NiGIDIUS DELEGORGUEI, TllOmS., Plate XXXI., fig. 2. Annal. Soc. Entom. d. Franc, 1862, p. 430. Male : Black, shining ; head not excavate, covered with round, very closely set foveae, but the outer part of the horns on the mandibles is smooth ; the apical angle of the head is very sharp and dentate, under this angle there is also a sharp angular projection, and the lobe of the genge which projects very much outside the eyes is rounded in the anterior part ; prothorax nearly straight in front, slightly emarginate in the anterior angle, sub-parallel for two-thirds of the length and obliquely attenuate from there to the basal part, and with the posterior angles much rounded; it is narrowly impressed transversely along the anterior margin, and has in the centre of the disk a deep sulcus stopping a httle short of both apex and base and enclosing a longitudinal, very distinct carina nearly as long as the sulcus ; the walls of the furrow are smooth and the whole disk is covered with deep, closely set foveate punctures which are closer and more rugose laterally, and the smooth walls of which in the discoidal part form a few smooth areolets ; scutellum with a few punctures ; elytra cylindrical with the humeral angle projecting sharply, very sharply carinate and with the intervals moderately wide, deep and filled with a row of broad but shallow foveate punctures, and having another row of narrower and deeper punctures set against the side of the intervening carinate costge ; costae, abdomen, and sternum deeply and closely foveolato-punctate, outer face of anterior and posterior femora only shghtly punctate, while that of the inter- mediate ones is closely foveolate. Female : The female is a little smaller than the male and similar 1900.] Catalo(juc of the Colcoptcra of South Africa. 11 ill shapu ; the vertical lioni on tlie base of the mandibles is occasion- ally smaller. Length 13-19 mm. ; width 5-G mm. Hab. Natal (Durban), Transvaal (Rustenbm-g). Burrows in dead wood. NiGiDius VALiDUS, n. spec. Plate XXXI., fig. 3. Black, shining ; base of mandibles with a vertical horn, bent at a moderately sharp angle inwardly at tip and very rugose inwardly ; head very rugose, deeply excavate in front and having two transverse smooth areolets in front and a transverse smooth sj^ace in the basal part ; it is obliquely angular on each side of the anterior part, the gense are bluntly angular at the apex a little below the angular part of the anterior margin, very deeply excavated in front of the eyes which are entirely imbedded in the canthus at some distance from the outer margin, and strongly directed outwards and backwards, quite truncate at the base and projecting nearly as far as the anterior angle of the prothorax which is sub-parallel laterally, emarginate for a very short distance from the anterior angle which is a little sloping, obhquely attenuate behind, impressed transversely in front, having there a median, shai'p carina ; it is moderately plane on the disk which has a median, shallow^ deeply punctate furrow ; the anterior bi-sinuate impressed transverse part is very rugose ; the sides of the prothorax are deeply, closely, and somewhat irregularly punctured, and the median part of the disk is smooth, or feebly aciculate ; on each side of the anterior part there is a distinct supra-lateral fossa, and a rounded, very shallow impression behind at a short distance from the base and equi-distant from the outer margin and the median furrow ; in the marginal furrow there is also a median longitudinal carina very much shorter than the anterior one which reaches from the anterior margin to nearly the apex of the dorsal furrow ; scutellum punctate ; elytra very sharply carinate, with the carinate part smooth and shining but having on each side of the hollow^ intervals a distinct series of punctures, smaller, however, than the transverse ones filling the bottom of the intervals ; under side with the exception of the median part of the metasternum closely foveolato-punctate ; pros tornum very briefly and sparsely pubescent ; legs as in N. dclegorguci. Length 23 mm. ; width 9 mm. This species is evidently closely allied to N. divergent, Waterh., but, judging from the description only, it is distinguished by the 12 Transactions SoutJi African Philosophical Society. [vol. xii. deeply hollowed genae, which not only divide the eye into two, but are produced very much beyond, the eye itself being quite imbedded j in the lateral part of the head. Hab. Mozambique (Rikatla). . DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF THE COLEOPTERA OF SOUTH AFRICA. By L. Peringuey, F.E.S., F.Z.S., Sec. Assistant Durctor SoutJi. African Miiseani. Family SCARAB^ID^. Maxill.e bi-lobate, but with the inner lobe often indistinct or wanting and always immovable, ligula bifid and membranaceous, or horny and soldered with the mentum ; antennae inserted in front, near the eyes, under a ledge, varying in the number of joints but with the ultimate ones mobile, compressed, lamellate and forming a club ; abdomen with five or six ventral, and eight dorsal segments ; presternum small, owing to the contiguity of the anterior coxae ; tarsi usually five-jointed, apical joint with a distinct onvchium between the claws. The sole distinctive character of this extremely numerous and very variable family is the shape of the antennal club, the lamellate joints of which are mobile. All the other characteristics vaiy much, owing to the great diversity of habits. Yet it forms a very homogeneous group, the sub-families of which, wdth perhaps the exception of one {Orphnince) are fairly well differentiated, but there are many transition groups uniting genera apparently far removed. The distinctive char-acters will be found described in full when treating of the sub-families, and the following is only a short summary of those used in the classification. Mandibles. — In the coprophagous species, especially the Coprina and the Aphodilnce, these mandibles are hidden under the clypeus on the roof of the buccal cavity ; they are membranaceous, but the basal part is horny, and there is a trace in some of the Aphodiince of a molar tooth at base. 13 14 Tnoisactioiis SoiitJi African Philosojjhical Societi/. [vol. xii. In the CetonincB, Avhere they approach nearer to that ol' the CoprincB, they consist of a membranaceous inner lamella and a more horny lanceolate outer one, with a more or less distinct basal molar tooth. The third form is found in the Iloplini-Sericini section of the Melokvtthiiue, ^Yhere they are wholly corneous, thick externally with the inner edge sharp, and have at the base a very small molar tooth. The fourth form occurs in the Trogince, Hyhosorince, Geotruphue, the remainder of the Mclolonthince, the Butclhue and the Dijnastime. Here the inner edge has no membranaceous lamella, or if there is one, it is generally restricted to the median part, and is not easily seen; the molar tooth is also more developed than in any of the other three sections. Labrum. — Labrum horny or membranaceous, not visil)le when it is membranaceous, and then finely ciliate. Maxillae. — The maxilla? are always robust. In the coprophagous species the upper lobe is semicircular, ciliate and wider than the inner one, which is either without spine, or has one, or more, hooked tooth ; in the others this inner lobe has disappeared, and is replaced bv a hook simple or pluridentate, and penicillate or not. The maxillary palpi have four joints. p.^lpi, — The labial palpi are short and tri-jointed ; but in some species of OntliophcujHS and Aphodius the palpigers are as much developed as the basal joint. Licfula — The ligula is either membranaceous, in which case it is separated from the mentum and is more or less densely ciliate, or it is horny and becomes part of the mentum with which it is fused. In the DynastincB this ligular part is always sloping back- wards from the edge of the mentum, and it is probable that this fusion with the mentum has been brought about by the great development of the palpigers. This is especially noticeable in the Chironince. Whenever the ligula has become fused with the mentum there is in the inner part of the latter two diverging pubescent bands •which ought, I think, to be considered as the paraglossia. These latter are not distinct in the species with free ligula, but they can be said to be represented by the fringe of hairs which are always present. Head. — The head is not very large, and is inserted in the pro- thorax, and occasionally separated from the clypeus by a suture or a carina; the latter is strongly dilated laterally and hides the buccal organs {Coprince, Aphodiince), or it is elongato-quadrate, sub- semicircular or paraboHc, and covers slightly the buccal organs, (MelolonthincB, Biitelime, Cctonince), or lastly, obliquely attenuate 1900.] (.'(ttdhnjnc nf lite Coh'opk'ni of So/itli Africa. 15 laterally, and loavin<^' th(! mandibles iincovei'ed [Cli/roiiixo', Tixxjiiue, [{//hosoriiue, Geotrupime, Orphnince, Dynastimc). Eyes. — The eyes ave lateral, large, divided by a canthus foi'nied by the genae, except, however, in the Troglnce, where they are inserted under a ledge formed by the genae, as in AtcucJins, but not divided. Antennae. — Antenntc inserted in front of the eyes under a ledge, and with joints varying from eight to ten in number ; the apical ones are mobile, lamellate, and form a club consisting generally of three more or less concave and convex joints, but which vary con- siderably in number, shape, and size in the Meloloiitliiiue. Prothorax, Scutellum, and Elytra. — The prothorax varies con- siderably in shape ; the scutellum is wanting in some Coprince, l)ut is present in the other sub-families ; the elytra never overlap the abdomen to any great extent. Abdomen. — The abdomen has six ventral segments, sometimes reduced to five [Trofjiiue), and eight dorsal ones. The penultimate dorsal segment (propygidium) is partly horny like the last one (pygidium), but there are exceptions (Twx, Bolhoccras), and the disposition of the seven pairs of spiracles affords a very good character for the division of the family. Legs. — The legs are adapted for digging, the eggs being deposited in the ground. The anterior are broad or very broad and strongly digitate or dentate outwardly, but the four posterior ones vary greatly ; in some Coprince the anterior tarsi are entirely wanting ; they are, however, five-jointed normally, but in some myrme- cobious Cctonince (Scaptobius, Trichoplus, Placodidiis) some of these joints are fused and vary apparently in number ; the claws are simple and equal in the Cetonuia>, and also in the Coprince, ApJwdiince, Chironince, Trogiiue, Hijhosorincc, Orphnince and Geo- trupince, which, with the exception of the Cctonince, form the first section of the family (Laparosticti), and in which, with the exception of the Trogince, the ligula is not soldered with the mentum ; they are very variable, and not equal in the Msleimrt^mfce, liutelince, and ^'•^ f^vx^ ,OTfii- Dijnastince, which, with the Cctonince, are included in the second section of the family (Pleurosticti) ; but in both sections there is on the apex of the last tarsal joint, and between the two claws, a slender, rod-like process ending in two setie or penicillate at the tip, {onycliium) and sometimes as long as the claws themselves {Rliizo- platjjs in the Dynastince). Stridulation. — Some species of Coprince, Dynastince, Trogince have organs of stridulation, consisting of transverse raised lines, generally disposed in two rows on the penultimate dorsal segment ; the noise 16 Tranmctions South African Philosoplilcal Society, [vol. xii. is produced by the friction of the abdomen against the inner edge of the elytra. Sexual Characters. — The sexual outer characters are very strongly marked in some of the sub-families. They consist in cephalic and prothoracic horns, tubercles or excavations, especially in many of the Coprina, Gcotrupince, Orphnince, DijnastincB and a small number of Cetonince ; in the other groups the difference is to be found in the shape of the clypeus, the antennal club, the claws, &c., sometimes the two sexes are alike. Although the enormously developed horns on the head and prothorax of some of the males might prove to be weapons of offence, dangerous even to armour-clad insects as some of these are, I am not aware that they have been observed using them in fight ; but I have two examples of Heliocopris gigas, which were found dead on the veld, having their cephalic horns inter- locked; one had turned over in the struggle, and both in death retained this position. It is worthy of note that together with males, in which the sexual characters are exaggerated, are found others, in which these scarcely differ from those of the females ; or, in others again, having the distinctive characters considerably less conspicuous than in the large development ; with this difference there is a corresponding diminution in general size. Habits and Mode of Life. — Some Scarab jeid.e feed on excre- ments, decomposed animal and vegetable matter, many on roots, others on leaves of trees or shrubs ; some prefer the nectar of flowers or the juices, or sap exuding from trees and creepers ; some are suspected of parasitism or commensalism, and the larvae of some Dynastince and Cetonince are now known to feed on the material of which termite mounds are made. The habits of the South African species are mentioned, when known, with the descrip- tion of genera and species. The Scaraba^id fauna in South Africa. — The former abundance of hw game, now. replaced by cattle, has naturally made its influence felt in South Africa, and the Copein^ are especially numerous. Most of the genera are, however, represented elsewhere, and many species are very closely allied to those occurring in the Eastern part of Africa as far as Abyssinia, and even in Senegambia ; some are even identical. In the Sccirahceini, however, there are six genera {Pachysoma, Sccliages, Circellium, Sphengcecus, Odontoloma, Gyronotus), which are restricted to South Africa ; and Circellium is even restricted to the South- Western Districts of the Cape Colony ; while in the Coprini, Epirliinus, Macroclcrcs, Delopleurus, Hctcroclitopus, and Parapinotus are peculiar to South Africa, where also the species 1900.] Cataloijue of flic Coleo^itcra of South Africa. 17 of Coptorrhiita are fairl\' nuinei'ous (ten) ; of this latter jfenus, one representative only is found on the West, and one on the East Coast of Africa. The larjre and widely distributed f^enus Gopris has numerous representatives, two of which — Copris f/lobtdipcimis and Catliaysiioi licros — have a very peculiar facies ; the Oiiitis abound in South Africa, and include the giants of the group (0. paradoxus, Bohemani, &c.) ; while two genera, Tapeiiiopteruii and Neonitis, seem to be restricted to the South African region. Species of OnthopJuKjus are very numerous, but it cannot be said that on the whole the South African species have a special facies. This is also the case with Oaiticellus, of which all the species differ very much from one another ; Drcpanocerus was thought at one time to be restricted to South Africa, but it has been met with in Zanzibar and Abyssinia. In the Aphodiin.e, only the genera Hariiiodactylua and Drcpanocanthus are known, so far, to be peculiar to South Africa ; there is none among the HybosobiDxE, GEOTRUPID.E, and Trogin.t:, and only one, Ilijstrichocauthus, in the Okphnin^. In the DvNASTiN^ the adaptation of several species to a mode of existence connected with white ants {Ternies, spp.) accounts for the comparatively large number, nineteen genera and forty-eight species. But of these only nine genera are restricted, so far as I know, to South Africa. They are : P^ntodontoschcma, Hyboschema, Orsilochus, CaUisteiiioii us, Homoeomorplius, Pscudocyphonistes, Syrichthus, Syrichthodoutiis, Venedus. It is in the Melolonthinm: that the South African Scarabaeid fauna is especially rich, not only in genera, but also in species. The group Pachycnemides, with eight genera, is peculiarly South African, being restricted to the Cape Colony with the exception of a few EriestJiis, three species of which are found in Natal and in the Transvaal, and the true Hopliiii are exceedingly numerous and have a facies espe- cially their own. The purely South African genera are Diclielus, Encyopliaiies, Diaplochclus, Platychclus, Mitropliorus, Monoclielus, Gymnoloma, Goniaspictius, Dicranocncmus, Nanniscus, CylicJinus, AnisocJielus, Scelophysa, Lepisia, Harpina, Tugela, Microdoris, &c. ; the genus Hoplia, which is spread on most of the regions of the globe, has also a few representatives (three) in South Africa. A few species, however (four), belonging to the genera EriestJiis, Diclielus,. MonocJielus, have beeii recorded — three from East Africa ar,d one from Loanda. Many of the species are evenly distributed from Natal to Namaqualand, but I have not yet seen any from Damara- and Ovampo-land. Their time of appearance is very short. They are found buried in the corolla of flowers, especially in Compositcey 2 18 Transactions South African Pliilosopltical Socictij. [vol. xii. sometimes in incredible numbers. The true Scricidcs, as represented iDy Triodonta, Serica, OmalopUa, Trochalus, and Plcophiilla, are very numerous, but only the last genus is peculiar to South Africa. Ahlahera, with fairly numerous species, BfsMOiitk, Ablaberoides, and Tulbaghia are indigenous. The true MelolontJiini are not numerous, and only two genera are purely South African, but in the Macro- ■phyllini five genera having a very peculiar facies are not found elsewhere; they are Sparrmannia, Sebaris, Onochata, Macroplnjlla, Encylophylla ; and in the Pachypodini, Acliloa, Paraclitopa, Clitopa, j^danomerus, &c., can be considered as South African genera. The sub-family Eutelin.e is only represented by the genera Anomala, Popilia, Phcenomeris, and Adoretus, none of which are restricted to South Africa. But the Cetonin.e are very numerous in genera and species, and some of the purely South African foi'ms are very peculiar ; such are Hypsclogenia, with a most variable species ; Ischnostoma, with five ; Hcteroclita, numbering two ; Bhinocoeta, also with two species living in cattle enclosures, Xiplioscelis, Anoplochilus, Odontorltina, &c. In the tribe CremastocJtiUni, of which several genera are known to be myrmecobious, Gcnnchus, Scaptobius, Trichoplus, Nyassinius, Placodidus, are, so far as we know, restricted to the South African fauna ; and among the Trichini, Agcnius and Stcgopterus are also South African. A full table of the distribution of the genera will be found appended to this part of the Catalogue. Classification. — Sharp has slightly altered Lacordaire's arrange- ments, which excluded the sub-family Melolonthina from the Lapaeosticti, and he divides the Family according to the disposi- tion of the spiracles on the abdomen as follows : — . . ( Coprina, Laparosticti \ ^,^17 n ■ ^ y MeloiontkincB. iRutelince, Pleurosticti - Dynastina, { CetonincR. This arrangement throws, however, the Chironince, Orphnince, Hybosorince, and Geotrupina, which are certainly not coprophagous insects, and the Trogince, which are still less so, among the true CoprincB and ApJiodiince, whereas their truest affinity lies with the DijnastincB, which, however, are pleurostictic ; and in spite of the slight difference in the position of the spiracles, I prefer to leave the Mclolonthime in the pleurostictic division, as proposed by Lacordaire and other authors. 1900.] Catalojuc of the Colcoptcra of SoiUk Africa. 19 FIRST DIVISION. Abdominal spiuaclcs placed on the connective membrane of the dorsal and ventral segments Scauab.iciu.i; Lai'.veosticti. an A-. Ligula membraeeoas, free. B-'. Abdomen consisting of six ventral segments. C-. Mandibles hidden by the clypeus. D-. Posterior tibite with one apical spur Co^n-ince. %J D'. Posterior tibiiu with two apical spurs. Antennaj nine-jointed ipJiodiince.^^ \ C. ^Mandibles not hidden by the clypeus. c\ Antenme nine-jointed Chlronincc. WT3 '•'-'. AntenntB ten-jointed. '/-'. Abdominal segments free Ovphnina:. ^^'^ d'. Abdominal segments, excc[)t ihe apical one, soldered.. Hubosoriiuc. Y'f '^ c'. AntenniB eleven-jointed (icotrupiiui-. fTV A'. Ligula horny, almost fused with the mcntum. !)'. Al)donicn consisting of five ventral segments TrogintC. H-^[ SECOND DIVISION.- Abdominal spiracles placed partly on the connecting membrane, partly on the ventral segments Scarab.i'.ida-: Pleurosticti. A. Abdominal spiracles placed almost in a line, but only the basal three on the connecting membrane, the terminal one not usually covered by the wing-cases Mclolonthince . A. Abdominal spiracles on two lines, the basal three on the con- necting membrane, the others, very diverging, on the ventral segments. a-. Claws of the tarsi unequal, labrum distinct, free . . BiitcUnce. (0. Claws of the tarsi equal, labrum not visible. /;-'. r^Iandibles projecting beyond the clypeus, front coxae transverse, deeply sunk in the cotyloid cavities .. Dijnastincc.i ^/ Ij'. IMandibles hidden l)\- the clypeus, front coxne not very transverse, and projecting from the cavities . . . . Cctunincc. With the exception of the GlaphyrincB, all the suh-families arc represented in South Africa. I have created a new sub-family for the reception of the genus Chiron, which can certainly not be included in the Apliodiiiue, and I have placed the Dyiiastincd after the Orphnlnce, with which they have manifest afifinities. 20 Transactions South African Pliilosophical Society. [vol. xii. All the descriptions of genera and species have been made from the specimens, with extremely few exceptions, and these are mentioned. Genital armature of the male. — I have found that an examination of the genital armature of the males cannot be dispensed with in the specific study of the Scarahceidce. In many cases it is well-nigh impossible to make out certain species without comparing these genital organs. In certain groups, they are quite different in shape in species of which the distinctive characters could otherwise be ascertained only with difficulty and described with still greater difficulty. But whereas in certain genera this character is of the greatest importance, in others the difference in shape is almost 7;//, or is not so marked as other external characters. I have had many of these genital armatures figured, and I am quite sure that they will prove not only useful, but even indispensable. In many cases they bring forcibly to the mind the impossibility for the males of certain species to successfully mate with the females of very closely allied species. Generically the shape of these organs does not seem to have the same importance. I have been able to compare, through the courtesy of Professor Chr. Aurivilius, my material with Boheman's and Fjihroeus' types and co-types ; I have also examined some species from the Harold Collection now in the possession of Mons. Rene Oberthilr, in Eennes, France ; Mr. R. Oberthilr has kindly consented to compare some of my examples with the types in his collection; to Professor H. Kolbe, of the Berlin Museum, I am indebted for the loan of some of King's co-types, and for valuable information regarding other species, and to Professor Bouvier of the Paris Museum for all the South African types of Blanchard. Mr. 0. E. Janson, of London, has helped me occasionally with his advice ; Mr. C. O. Waterhouse, of the British Museum, has very kindly compared some of my examples with some of his types ; and the late Dr. Candeze had placed at my disposal his collection of the Hoplini collected by Drege, named b}- Dejean, and described by Burmeister, and in which most of the species are represented. Moreover, I have had a large quantity of material at my disposal from nearly all parts of South Africa. For this material, which has taken me twenty-two years to bring together, I am indebted to many correspondents, whose names are always given in the introductory pages of the various parts of this Catalogue as its publication proceeds. To Messrs. A. W. Eriksson, G. A. K. Marshall, C. N. Barker, A. E. Haviland, F. C. Selous, G. Alston, the sons of the traveller 1900. J Cataloyue of the Coleoptcva of South Africa. 21 C. J. Aiidersson, Alex. Eoss, Eev. F. Kolbe, Eev. J. A. O'Neil, I ani especially indebted for invaluable information, as well as for tlie accumulation of material. But there are many othei- correspondents who have also helped, and to those I tender my very best thanks, and may this Catalogue, in which I have endeavoured to brin