THE TUMBLING FLOWER BEETLES. 



V. GLTPODES Lee. 1862. (Gr., "slippery + foot.") 



Rather large fuscous species, covered with dense silky brown 

 pubescence; scute! him rounded, triangular; hind tibia 1 carinate 

 along the dorsal line and furnished with a Jong oblique ridge on 

 outer surface, this connected with the dorsal ridge near tip ; first 

 joint of hind tarsi with two oblique ridges. (Fig. 576, No. 10.) 

 One of the two known species has been taken in the State. 



2432 (7793). GLIPODES SERICANS Melsh., Journ. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., II, 

 1845, 312. 



Dark reddish-brown, densely clothed with silky yellowish pubescence; 

 elytra usually darker than head or thorax. Labial palpi with last joint 

 emarginate. Maxillary palpi of male with under side clothed with a dense 

 brush of fine, soft hairs, the last joint bearing at base an outer jointed and 

 forked appendage as long as the joint itself. Length 6-8 mm. 



Posey County; rare. June 14. Occurs in the "Middle and 

 Southern States." 



VI. MORDELLISTENA Costa. 1855. (L., "bite + narrow.") 



A large genus of small, linear or wedge-shaped forms, having 

 the scutellum rounded, triangular; anal style long and slender; 

 hind tibia? with a subapical short transverse ridge* and from one 

 to five oblique ridges on the outer face ; hind tarsi with from one to 

 five oblique ridges on first joint and often one to three on second 

 and third joints. The beetles are often brightly and prettily varie- 

 gated and occur on flowers of various plants. 



Fig. 576- Xo. 9, Mordella discoidea; 10, hind tibia and tarsus of Glipodes; 11, antenna of Mordellistena; 12, 

 maxillary palpus of same; 13, front tarsus of same; 14, tarsal claw of same; 15, hind tibia and tarsus of Mordel- 

 listena bicinclella; Hi, elytra of same; 17, hind tibia and tarsus of M. arida. (After Smith.) 



On account of its large size, the genus is separated primarily 

 into six groups, based upon the number and arrangement of the 

 1-ibial ridges. These are as follows : 



*This is not taken into account in the separation of the Groups below. 



