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Show 518 INSECTA. MEilYX, Lat. Is distinguished from the following subgenera by the maxill pal pi-always salient-which are terminated by a larger joint in ~~y form of a reversed triangle( 1 ). e DASYOERus, Brong. Although the tarsi of the Dasyceri present but three joints, the are connected with this family by other affinities. The two firs~ joints of their antcnnre are globular, the following ones very small capillal'Y and pilose, and the three last also pilose and globular: The head is triangular and distinct from the thorax. The maxillary pal pi are salient, small and subulate. The thorax and the elytra are sulcated. The abdomen is almost globular(2 ). LATRIDius, Herbst.-Tenebrio, Lin.-Dermestes, Fab. Where the palpi are very short and subulate; the head and thorax are narrower than the abdomen; the first joint of the antenn~ is very stout and globular, and the following ones, to the tenth inclusively, are almost obconical, glabrous, or simply pubescent; the last is larger than the preceding ones and ovoid. The thorax is wider than it is long or almost isometrical, and the abdomen, square or almost oval(3). SILVANus, Lat. Gyll.-Dermestes, Fab. Where the body is nearly linear or almost forms a parellelopiped; the thorax, longer than it is broad, is as wide as the anterior part of the abdomen; the first joints of the antennre are nearly equal, almost turbiniform, and the last is' nearly globulaq the pal pi are almost filiform, and the anterior extremity of the head is somewhat elou· gated into a sort of triangula.r and obtuse snout( 4). Sometimes the mandibles are entirely exposed, salient and robust. The body is generally elongated, narrow and depressed. Theseln· sects form the genus . TROGOSlTA, Oliv. Fab.-Platycerus, Geoff. In some, the antennre are shortet· than the thorax, or at most of an (1) Lat., Gener. Crust. et Insect., lll, p. 17, and I, xi, 1. (2) See Dumeril, Diet. des Sc. Nat., where this l'nsect is well figured, and Arrh., Faun. Insect. Eur., IV, 5. (3) See Lat., Ibid., and Gyllenh., Insect. Suec., I, iv, 123. (4) See Lat. and Gyllenh., op. cit. t:OLi~OPT.EfiA. 519 equal length, and terminated by a compt·cssecl and somewhat set·rated club, formed by the three or four last joints. The ligula is entire. TROGOSITA, Fab. In Trogosita pt•oper·, the mandibles are shorter than the head and . crossed; the ligula, almost square, is not prolonged between the palpi, and the maxillre have but a single lobe. T. mauritanicus; Tenebrio mauritanicus, L.; Oliv., Col. ii, 19, i, 2. About four lines in length; blackish above; light brown beneath; elytra stl'iate. Found in nuts, bread, and under the bark of trees. Its larva, known in Provence by the name of Cadelle, attacks grain( 1 ). PRosToMIS, Lat.-Megagnathus, Meg.-Trogosita, Fab. Where the mandibles are longer than the head, and project parallel to each other; the ligula is narrow, elongated and extended between the palpi, and there are two lobes to the maxillre. The body is long, narrow and almost linear(2). The antennre of the others are as long as the body, and of equal thickness, as far as the tenth joint inclusively; the following and last one is larger, in the form of a reversed triangle, and obliquely truncated at the end. The ligula is bifid. They form the PASSANDRA, Dalm. Schrenh.(3) FAMILY III. PLATYSOMA. Our third family of the Tetramera approaches the second, so far as relates to the internal anatomy, the tarsi, and habits; but the antenm:e are of equal thickness throughout, or more (1) For the other species, see Oliv., Ibid. (2) 1'rogosita rnandibularis, :f'ab. Sturm, in his Faun. Insect. Germ., has figured it wen, and the parts of the mouth also. (J) Scha:nh., Synon. Insect., I, 3, App., p. 146, vi, 3. These Insects evidently form the passage from this family to the following one. They even only differ from the Platysoma in their antenna:. For some other genera of the Tctramera, such as Litophilm, .ll.gathidium, and Clype&ter, see the family of the Clavipalpi. |