:>(54 FAMILY XI. STAPHYLINID^. 



KEY TO INDIANA SPECIES OF ALEOCHARA. 



a. Form rather broad and stout, rarely parallel ; mesosternum without 



trace of carina at any point. 



ft. Sixth dorsal segment of abdomen simple and subtruncate at apex in 

 both sexes. 

 c. Antenna? stout and spindle-shaped, not reaching base of thorax, the 



joints strongly transverse ; thorax wholly black. 



</. Elytra wholly black; thorax finely and sparsely punctate; length 



5-7.5 mm. 693. LATA. 



dd. Elytra in great part red; thorax coarsely and roughly punctate; 



length 4 mm. 694. RUBRIPES. 



c<: Antenme more slender, reaching middle of elytra, the joints less 



transverse : thorax wholly black ; elytra red, the base and sides 



narrowly black. 695. PLEURALIS. 



lih. Sixth dorsal segment of abdomen with a number of sharp, triangular 



teeth at apex in male, simple in female; thorax with sides dull red; 



elytra in great part red. 696. LUSTRICA. 



mi. Form more slender, linear, parallel; mesosternum cariuate. 



e. Color in great part black or piceous ; first three dorsal segments of 



abdomen impressed at base. 



/- Thorax finely and evenly punctate over its entire silrface; elytra 



wholly piceous. 697. SCULPTIVENTRIS. 



ff. Thorax unevenly punctate, the punctures at middle of disk in two 



uneven rows, the space between the rows smooth. 

 //. Dorsal segments of abdomen coarsely punctate, especially so in 

 the basal impressions; elytra each with a large, well defined, 

 rounded, dull yellow spot at inner angle near suture. 



698. BIMACULATA. 



//.'/. Dorsal segments of abdomen finely and more densely punctate; 

 elytra each indefinitely dull reddish at apex near suture. 



699. BIPUSTULATA. 



t'c. Color pale reddish-brown; first four dorsal segments of abdomen im- 

 pressed at base. 700. LUCIFUGA. 



693 (2053). ALEOCHARA LATA Grvh., Col. Mirr. I'.runsv.. 1802. 186. 



Very stout and broad. Deep black, shining, 

 sparsely clothed with grayish pubescence; tarsi 

 reddish-brown. Thorax two-thirds wider than 

 long, strongly rounded at base; sides feebly 

 curved, converging toward apex, disk minutely 

 ;iml sparsely punctate. Elytra slightly wider 

 and about as long as thorax; coarsely, closely 

 and roughly punctate. Abdomen at base as wide 

 as elytra, thence feebly but distinctly narrowed 

 to apex, marked with coarse, sparse, oval punc- 

 tures. Length 5-7.5 mm. (Fig. 15<>. i 



Southern half of State, frequent. March 

 24 September 25. Occurs beneath carrion. 



Fig. 156. Ljne shows natural size. 



(Original.) Mating April 29. 



