L'44 SERIES II. CLAVICORNIA. 



mentary portions remain, other families of scavengers succeed; 

 namely, the skin-beetles, Dermestida\ and the bone-beetles, Necrobii 

 and Nitidulae, which adhere to the dried carcass as long as any 

 vestige of animal matter remains." 



The following families of this snbseries are represented in In- 

 diana : 



KEY TO FAMILIES OF PENTAMEKA CLAVICORNIA. 



a. Ventral segments all free and movable. 

 It. Mentuui large, the palpi distant at base. 



c. Eyes present; habits aquatic or subaquatie ; meiitiim quadrate, its 

 hind angles not prolonged ; antenna; short, or less than eleveu- 

 juinted; maxillary palpi as long as or longer than the antenna;. 



Family VI. HYDROPHILID.E. p. 247. 



cc. Eyes wanting; habits terrestrial; nientum transverse, its hind an- 

 gles prolonged; antenna? rather long, eleven-jointed, its outer 

 joints but slightly thicker. Family VII. LEPTINID.E, p. 271. 



bl>. Mentuni moderate or small, the palpi close together at base. 

 (J. Front coxae conical. 



e. Front coxae transversely prolonged at middle, but slightly promi- 

 nent; thorax (in our species) serrate at margin; abdomen with 

 five visible segments, the first not elongated ; antennae with the 

 last three joints somewhat but not suddenly enlarged; length 

 less iliau 3.5 mm. Family XXX. DERODONTIMS, p. 070. 



ce. Front coxae large, prominent, not transversely prolonged at mid- 

 dle. 



/. Hind coxae more or less conical and prominent. 

 g. Eyes finely granulated, sometimes absent ; hind coxae usually 

 contiguous; antennae usually with a compact club, but 

 oftentimes nearly filiform (burying and carrion beetles). 



Family VIII. SILPHID.E, p. 272. 



{/;/. Eyes coarsely granulated ; hind coxae separated ; length less 

 than 3 mm. Family IX. SCYDM.ENIDJE, p. 291. 



//. Hind coxa? not prominent. 



//. Antennae long, slender, sometimes hair-like; elytra shorter 

 than abdomen, the latter thick, conical, and pointed, its 

 last ventral elongate; tarsi long and slender; length less 

 than 5 mm. Family XIII. SCAPHIDIID.E, p. 400. 



////. Antennae moderate in length, capitate: hind coxae grooved 

 for the reception of the thighs in repose; body usually 

 scaly or pubescent; elytra entire; length less than 10 mm. 



Family XXIV. DERMESTID/E. p. 587. 

 '//. Front CHX.-P not conical, not prominent. 

 /. Front coxae rounded or oval. 

 j. Hind c<ixa> not grooved to receive the thighs. 

 /,-. Hind coxae contiguous : body very compact and convex, ely- 

 tra entirely covering it ; antenna? with a three-jointed club; 

 length less than .. mm. 



Family XIV. PIIAI,ACUID.K, p. 107. 



