J.
C O J f . E O P T E Í R A .
jl!
/ z u / / / . -.
i
ü m é é iM
C O L E O P T E R A .
C E R A P T E R U S M A C L E A I L
G EN E R IC CHA R A C T ER .
Antennee comprefied, pinnated, with th e firil jo in t concave, and placed tranfverfely, and that a t the
extremity large, and rounded a t th e apex: head very fmall, with th e eyes p romineut: thorax flat,
fomewhat heart-Ihaped, truncated, and narrower than the elytra : wing-cafes length o f the abdomen,
and embracing it a t the fides: body oblong.
S P E C IF IC C H A R A C T E R .
Entirely brown, w ith the legs fimple.
C e r a p t e r u s M a c l e a i i : totus brunneus, pedibus limplicibus.
A nondefcript fpecies o f this lingula r genus has been received by our kind friend Mr. Francillon
from New Holland. This is a diminutive, but moft curious creature, and is efpecially remarkable for
the ftrufture o f the antenna:, which la tte r appear to confiderable advantage u nder the lens o f th e opake
microfcope. T h e fmalleft figure in th e plate denotes the natura l fize, and th e two large r ones are de-
figned to ihew its magnified appearance.
In Its general habit this infeft approaches th e Paufus genusj with which the juvenile Entomologift,
attentive only to th e magnitude and club-like form o f the antennje, mig h t eafily confound it. T h e
difference between thofe infefts is, indeed, obvious on more clofe infp eftio n j the Paufus having only two
joints in the antennas, o f w hich th at at th e extremity is by far the larg e ftj while th e antennae o f the true
Cerapterus are furniflied w ith feveral joints, all which are o f a compreffed form, pinnated, and terminated
a t both ex tremities with one larg e r than the reft.
T h e genus Cerapterus i.s defcribed by Swederus, in th e Tranfaftions o f the Swedifli Academy for
th e year 1788,* but does not appear to have been noticed by any other au th o r. T h e defcriptlon given
by Swederus is taken from an in fe ft which he names Cerapterus Latipes, in th e coUeftion o f General
kaps Academiens nya Handlingar. T, IX. fo r ar 1738. p . 203.