THE MINUTE BROWN SCAVENGER BEETLES. 659 



KEY TO INDIANA SPECIES OF MELANOPHTHALMA. 



a. Antennal club 2-jointecl ; first and second joints of tarsi subequal ; ely- 

 tra yellowish or reddish-yellow, usually with a median crossbar, and 

 often a basal and apical cloud, piceous ; pubescence short. 



1263. PICTA. 

 aa. Anteuual club 3-jointed ; pubescence longer and more conspicuous. 



b. Second joint of tarsi as long as or slightly longer than the first; 

 male with tips of front tibue provided with a longer, denser and 

 more bristling fringe of hairs. 



c. Claw-joint of front tarsi toothed beneath in the male. 

 (L Tips of elytra slightly sinuate and minutely toothed near the 

 sutural angles, which are slightly prolonged ; length 1.6- 

 1.9 mm. VILLOSA. 



<I(L Tips of elytra not sinuate or finely toothed before the sutural 

 angles, which are not at all produced; eyes large, separated 

 on the front by less than one and one-half times their diame- 

 ter; elytra nearly always darker than thorax. 



1264. DISTINGUENDA. 



cc. Claw-joint of front tarsi not toothed beneath in the male ; pro- 

 sternum swollen before the coxae and armed with a spine at tip 

 in the male; color reddish-yellow throughout. 1265. PUMILA. 

 &&. Second joint of tarsi distinctly shorter than first; front tibia? of male 



with a short acute tooth on inner side beyond the middle. 



e. Thorax scarcely more than half as wide as elytra and with a deep, 



sub-basal transverse impression extending from side to side; 



color brown. 1266. GIBBOSA. 



cc. Thorax distinctly more than half as wide as elytra, the sub-basal 



impression confined to the disk. 



f. Sides of elytra nearly straight behind the middle, their tips dis- 

 tinctly truncate; color pale yellow. 1267. LONGIPENNIS. 

 ff. Sides of elytra curved throughout, their tips feebly or scarcely 



truncate. 



ff. Color usually dull reddish-yellow ; elytra less broadly ovate, 

 widest at middle, relatively longer and more obtuse at apex. 



1268. AMERICANA. 



yg. Color usually dull sooty brown, the thorax often paler ; elytra 

 shorter and more broadly ovate, widest a little before the 

 middle. 1269. CAVICOLLIS. 



1263 (3826). MELANOPHTHALMA PICTA Lee., Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., 



1855, 303. 



Oval, rather robust. Dull reddish-yellow; elytra varying as mentioned 

 in key, rarely fuscous with only a pale spot near base and tip ; pubescence 

 whitish, very fine, soft and indistinct. Thorax slightly wider than head, 

 subquadrate ; sides feebly augulate at middle; surface finely and sparsely 

 but distinctly punctulate and without basal fovea. Elytra one-half wider 

 than thorax, rather short, ovate, the sides curved ; surface finely striate. 

 the stri;e with widely separated fine punctures; intervals minutely punctu- 

 late. Length 1.3 mm. 



Lake and Starke counties; scarce. May ft-Junc 3. Taken by 

 sifting damp leaves. 



