23. COLEOPTERA (PARS)

BY

J. BALFOUR-BROWNE (Ed.)

DEPARTMFNT OF FVTMMOLOGY. BRITISH MLSELM (NAT. HIST.)

The of a number of families, collected by the Danish Rennell Expedition of 195! and the British Museum (Natural History) Expedition of 1953, have been studied by specialists in each family. In many cases only very few specimens were obtained of only a few species, none of which are undescribed. The resuh has been that a number of lists recording the occurrence of species on Rennell Island were obtained which did not lend themselves conveniently to publishing as they stood. At the request of Dr. Torben W olff 1 have amalgamated these lists into a single ^ one with the families arranged in their systematic order. Apart from the papers on Cistelidae, Tenebrionidae and Curculionidae, published by F.D.B uck and G.A.K. M a r s h a ll, there remain a small number of families in which determinations have not yet been possible. The species listed below cannot provide much useful information as to the ori­ gins of the fauna of Rennell Island. They are largely species which have an extensive distribution through New Guiriea. the Solomon Islands and Australia. Very much more intensive collecting of beetles on Rennell Island would be required before any information of value concerning the origins of the fauna would be obtainable. This list is compiled from separate lists provided by the following authorities, to whom I am indebted.

Mr. E.B. Britton (London): Cicindelidae, Carabidae, Scarabareidae Mr. W .O .Steel (Maidenhead); Staphylinidae Prof. H.F.S trohecker (Miami): Endomychidae Mr. R .D .Pope (London): Coccinellidae Mr. E .A .J.D uffy (London); Meloidae, Prionidae, Cerambycidae, Lamiidae, Scolytidae, Platypodidae Mr. S.Sh a w (Manchester); Brenthidae Mr. G .E .B r y a n t (London): Chrysomelidae.

I am myself responsible for the Hydrophilidae. Where not otherwise stated all localities are on Rennell Island, British Solomon Is. CICINDELIDAE Cicindela decemguttata Fabricius var. sanguineomacnlata Blanchard

Lavanggu, 12. XI. 51, 3 ex. (Dan. Exp.). Hutuna, 2. XI. 53, 3 ex.; 3. XI 53, 8 ex.; 4. XI. 53, 39 ex.; 13. XI. 53, 1 ex.; 16. XI. 53; 2 ex.; 20. XI. 53, 1 ex.; Tingoa, 9-11. XI. 53, 3 ex. (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Solomon Is., New Britain, Fiji Is.

CARABIDAE PANAGAEINI Trichisia azurea Chaudoir

Lake Te-Nggano, Niupani, 23. X. 51, 1 ex. (Dan. Exp.). The single specimen differs from the typical form in that the pronotum and elytra are black instead of dark metallic blue. Distribution: Eastern Australia.

HARPALINI Trichotichnus nigricans Schauberger

Hutuna, 26-28. XI. 53, 1 ex. (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: .

Pherosophus verticalis Dejean var. australis Castelnau.

Hutuna, 6. XI. 53, 16. XI. 53, 4 ex. (Brit. Exp.). Distributioji: Eastern Australia, New Guinea.

STAPHYLINIDAE OSORllNAE Priochirus (Syncampsochinis) samoensis (Blanchard)

St.: L. 364, Te-Avamanggu - Lavanggu, 16-18. X. 51, 1 ex.; St.: L. 380, Lake Te- Nggano, Niupani, 23. X. 51, 2 ex. (Dan. Exp.). Distribution: Samoa, Fiji, Moluccas, New Guinea, Aru Is., Australia.

Priochirus (Plastus) beccarii (Fauvel)

Guadalcanal, St.: L. 291, 15 miles SB of Honiara, 7. X. 51, 1 ex. (Dan. Exp.). Distribution: New Guinea, Aru Is. STAPHYLININAE Philonthus sp.

St.: L. 352, Lavanggu, under stone, 14. X. 52, I damaged specimen (Dan. Exp.).

AtEOCHARINAE Tinotoma australis Cameron

Kasipa Hill, ca. 300 feet, from flowers of orchid, 1. X. 53, 14 ex. (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: previously recorded only from Rabaul, New Britain, where it was in the flowers of a cactus.

ENDOMYCHIDAE Encymon schwarzbaueri Mader

M a d e r , 1936: Entomologischen Rundschau, 54: 62. A r r o w , 1943: A nn. Mag. Nat. Hist., (11). 10: 129. St r o h e c k e r , 1953: Genera Insectorum, 210: 77. Hutuna, 2. XI. 53, 1 5 (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Solomon Islands.

COCCINELLIDAE EPILACHNINAE Epilachna 28-punctata (FabriciusI

St.: L. 371. Te-Avamanggu - Lavanggu. 18. X. 51, 2 1 Z (Dan. Exp.). Te-Uhungango. 14. X. 53, 1 i; Hutuna 22. XI. 53, 1 J: Hutuna, 20. XI. 53, 1 ? (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Ceylon: ; Ceram; New Guinea; Solomon Is.. Guadalcanal, Fulakora, Bougainville, Tulagi; Samoa, Upolu, Savaii Is.; Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, N.S.W.

COCCINELLIN AE Cryptolaemus sp. nr. montrouzieri Mulsant

St.: L. 385, Lake-Te-Nggano, Niupani. 23. X. 51. 1 i (Dan. Exp.). The single example collected by the Danish Expedition does not match exactly any of the known species of Crvptolaemus. The comprised a small group of very closely related entities and it is unwise to add to their number on the basis of a single female specimen. The recorded distribution of the genus (other than localities where C. montrouzieri Muls. has been introduced for the purpose of biological control) is: - New Zezland; Tasmania; Australia; New Guinea; Dorey; Batchian; New Caledonia; Saleyer; Macassar; Gilolo. HYDROPHILIDAE SPHAERIDIINAE Coelostoma (s. str.) fabricii (MacLeay)

Hutuna, 20-24. X. 53, 2 ex.; 13. XI. 53, 1 ex.; Niupani, 22. XI. 53, 2 ex. (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Described from New Caledonia and, under the name mastersii MacLeay, from Queensland; it occurs also from to New Guinea and the New Hebrides but there are no records from the Solomon Islands. The species was also described, under the name extraneum Sharp, from Hawaii. It also occurs down the east coast of Australia to Tasmania.

MELOIDAE Zonitis lutea McLeay ? (Provisional determination)

Te-Uhungango, 14. X. 53, 1 ?, 2. XI. 53, 1 ^ (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Australia.

LUCANIDAE Cyclommatus speciosus Boileau

Hutuna, 21. XI. 53, 1 small 3 (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: New Guinea; Solomon Is. (Bougainville).

Cyclommatus sp.

Hutuna, 3. XI. 53, 1 small J (Brit. Exp.). This species differs from C. speciosus in having the head, pronotum and elytra very strongly punctured, the punctures being circular and very sharply defined. C. kaupi Deyrolle, C. speciosus Boileau and this specimen form a series displaying increasing strength of puncturation and increasing shininess of the dorsal surface. It may possibly be C. trifurcatus Mollenkamp, which is not recognisable from de­ scription, but has head, pronotum and elytra strongly punctured.

Aegus sp.

Lavanggu, 21. X. 51, 2 9$ (Dan. Exp.).

SCARABAEIDAE APHODIINAE Ataenius sp.

Te-Uhungango, 14. X. 53, 1 ex. (Brit. Exp.). This species is fairly closely related to A. australis Harold. PRIONIDAE Olethrius tyrranus Thomson

Hutuna, XI. 53, 1 ? (Brit. Exp.). Distribution; New Guinea, Solomons, New Hebrides, New Caledonia, Fiji.

CERAMBYCIDAE Aeolesthes ampliata Gahan

Hutuna, 4. XI. 53, 1 13. XI. 53, 2 ?; 25-28. X. 53, 2 3. XI. 53, 1 ?; 17. XI. 53. 2 ^ ; 21. X. 53, 2 ? (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Bismarck, Solomons.

Ceresium unicolor Fabricius

Hutuna, 20-24. X. 53, 3 13. XI. 53, 1 ^ (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Oceania.

LAMllDAE Heteroclytomorpha inaequalis Aurivillius

Hutuna, 27. XI. 53, 1 cf, 1 ? (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Admiralty Is.

Dihammus strandiellus Breuning

Hutuna, 21. XI. 53, I ? (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Solomons.

Prosoplus maculosus Pascoe

Lake Te-Nggano, Niupani, 24. X. 51, 1 o (Dan. Exp.). Hutuna, 8. XI. 53, I 22. XI. 53, I S-, 3. XI. 53, 1 ? (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Timor.

SCOLYTIDAE Xyleborus perforans Wollaston.

Hutuna, 20-24. X. 53, 6 $; 26-28. X. 53. 3 ?; Tingoa, 9-11. XI. 53, 1 ? (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Very widely distributed.

Dactylipalpus transversus Chapman

Hutuna, 16. XI. 53, I o (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Malacca, Ternate, Java, Singapore, Nicobars, New Guinea. I PLATYPODIDAE Platypus jansoni Chapman

Lavanggu, 12. X. 51, 1 $ (Dan. Exp.). Hutuna, 8. XI. 53, 1 3. XI. 53, 1 3; 26-28. X. 53, 1

BRENTHIDAE Miolispa simulans Senna

Miolispa simulans Senna, 1895, Ann. Soc. ent. Belg. 39: 362. Lavanggu, 15. X. 51, 1 2 (Dan. Exp.). This specimen compares well with R. K le in e 's description of this species (1919, Stettin, ent. Ztg. 80: 299-302 (o. 2 New Guinea and Molluccas.)). The only material of M. simulans in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) collections is a single male from New Guinea determined by R. K le iv e which does not agree as closely with his own description of this species as does the present specimen.

Elytracantha pogonocerus Montrouzier

Elytracantha pogonocerus Montrouzier, 1855, Ann. Soc. Agr. Lyon, (2) 7: 37. Hutuna, 29-31. IX. 53, 17. XI. 53, 3 ? (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: New Guinea, Gilolo.

CHRYSOMELIDAE . HALTICINAE Nesohaltica leveri Baly

Tingoa, 9. XI. 53, 1 ex. (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Solomon Is.

GALERUCINAE Aulacophora similis Olivier

Te-Uhungango: 26-28. XI. 53, 1 ex. (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Malaya to Australia and .

Aulacophora qnadrimaculata Fabricius

Te-Uhungango, 26-28. XI. 53, I ex.; Hutuna, 2. XI. 53, I ex., dark var. (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: N. Australia, Fiji, Samoa. Monolepta semiviolacea Fauvel

Lake Te-Nggano, Niupani, 22. X. 51, 28 ex. (Dan. Exp.). Hutuna, 22. XI. 53, 10 ex. (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: Solomon Is., New Caledonia.

CASSIDINAE Aspidomorpha australasiae Boisduval, var.

Hutuna, 3. XI. 53, 1 ex.; 22. XI. 53, 1 ex. (Brit. Exp.). Te-Maingga, 16. X. 51, 1 ex. (Dan. Exp.). Distribution: New Guinea, Australia.

Metriona papuana Spaeth Hutuna, 20. XI. 53, 3 ex. (Brit. Exp.). Distribution: New Guinea, Solomon Is.