THE RHIPIPHORID BEETLES. 1365 



mersed in the thomx; eyes large, usually very finely granulated; 

 mandibles not emarginate at tip: maxilla 1 with the upper lobe often 

 filiform; antenna 1 11-jointed (10-jointed in certain females); tho- 

 rax as wide as the elytra at base, much narrowed in front; abdomen 

 with a variable number of free ventral segments ; front coxae large, 

 conical, without trochantins, the cavities open behind ; hind COXIP 

 transverse, lamellate, contiguous; claws pectinate or toothed, rarely 

 simple. 



Only about twenty-five species of the family are known from 

 North America. These are treated in the following works: 



LeContc. "Notas on the species of Myodilcs inhabiting the 

 United States," in Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1865, 96-98. 



Horn. "Notes on the species of Rhipiphorus of the United 

 States," in Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc., V, 1875, 121-125. 



Lc(.f>nte. "Synoptical table of Myodites, with descriptions," 

 i)t Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc, VIII, 1880, 210-212. 



Horn. "Synoptic table of Myodites," in Trans. Amer. Ent. 

 Soc., XIX, 1892, 48. 



By LeConte and Horn the family is separated into four tribes, 

 represented by five genera. Members of but two genera have as yet 

 been taken in the State, though single species of each of two others 

 probably occur. 



KEY TO INDIANA GENERA OF RIIIPIPIIORirLE. 



ft. Elytra as long as the abdomen, not separated toward apex; eyes oval, 

 feebly emarginate. PKLECOTOMA. 



an. Ely Ira shorter than the abdomen. 

 1>. Mouth organs perfect. 



c. Scutellum covered by a lobe of the base of thorax; elytra not much 

 shorter than abdomen; middle coxa 1 almost contiguous. 



I. RHIPIPHORUS. 



cc. Scutellum not covered by the thorax; elytra very small; middle 

 coxie widely separated. II. MYODITES. 



lilt. Mouth organs atrophied; female larviform. without elytra and wings 

 (species parasitic upon the croton bug. Blotclla f/crittanica L.) 



RHIPIDIUS. 



PELECOTOMAFisch. 1809. ( Gr., " ax 4 to cut like. ") 



The single species of this genus, P. fiai'ipcs Melsh., occurs in the 

 eastern United States and has been taken at Cincinnati. It is 

 black, with antennae, palpi and legs yellowish, length 4.5 mm. 



I. RHIPIPHORUS Fab. 1792. (Gr, "a fan + bearing.") 



Rather small, wedge-shaped forms having the antenna* bipecti- 

 nate in males, serrate in females; elytra pointed behind and sepa- 



