292 FAMILY IX. - SCYDM/ENm/E. 



of the eye coarser. In general form and size they resemble the 

 Pselaphida?, but the elytra are always entire and the tarsi 5- instead 

 of 3-jointed. 



In addition to the characters mentioned, they have the maxillary 

 palpi long, the last joint very small; antermne inserted upon the 

 front, at the inner margin of the eyes, gradually thickened or slight- 

 ly club-shaped toward apex; prosternum not visible between the 

 eoxa3; elytra convex, covering the abdomen, the latter with six free 

 ventral segments ; front coxie conical, prominent, contiguous ; middle 

 ones somewhat distant ; hind ones small, conical or transverse, often 

 widely separated ; tarsi 5-jointed. claws simple. Nearly 700 species 

 are known, about 175 of which are from the United States. These 

 are treated in the following papers : 



LeConte. "Synopsis of the Scydma'nidii? of the United States," 

 in- Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci.. VI. 1852. 149-157. 



Casey. -"Revision of the Scydnm j n.i<.hv of the United States," 

 in Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., IX, 1897, 351-548. 



In his Revision, Casey divided the family into two subfamilies, 

 only one of which, the Scydmtenina?, is represented in Indiana. The 

 principal distinguishing characters given of this subfamily are as 

 follows: Antenna? generally distinctly clavate, usually elbowed. 

 but with the basal joint short or moderate in length ; hind coxae 

 transverse or transversely oval ; metasternum large ; abdomen short ; 

 elytra never striate or with rows of punctures. The subfamily is 

 separated into ten tribes, four of which arc 1 known to be repre- 

 sented in the State, while two others may be. 



KEY TO INDIANA TRIBES OF 



(/. Fourth joint of maxillary palpi awl-shaped, finely aciculate and oblique; 



antenna- widely separated at base. 

 ?>. Prosternum short and deeply sinuate before the cox;x> ; neck short and 



abruptly constricted. 



c. Xeck narrow; eyes in front of middle of head; srutellum wanting. 



Tribe I. EIVONNIXI, p. -!">. 



<<. Xeck wide: eyes basal or sub-basal in position; srutellum always 

 present. Tribe II. SCVD.M.KXINI, p. 301. 



hh. ProsternniH rather long and pubescent before the cnx:e; thorax ob- 

 oval : length less than .8 of a millimetre. 



Tribe III. OPRESINI, p. 302. 

 mi. Fourth joint of maxillary palpi obtuse, never awl-shaped, obscure or 



fused rigidly to the apex of third, sometimes wanting. 

 (I. Hind coxae transverse, extending to the sides of the body; antennae 

 widely separated at base. 



