6 Introduction 



Byrrhoidea includes only the family Byrrhid^e. Two series, 

 Dascilloidea and Cleroidea, are descended directly from the 

 Byrrhoidea ; Dryopoidea can be derived through the Ptilodactylidse ; 

 Elateroidea, through the Eurypogonidre ; Cantharoidea and Scara- 

 b^eoidea from other dascilloid or dryopoid families. 



With the Cleroidea may be associated Mordelloidea, Bostricho- 

 idea, and the so-called phytophagous assemblage. The series 

 Meloidea may also belong here but Dr. Boving adds that there are 

 some reasons for considering the possibility that it might be related 

 to the Cantharoidea. 



The composition of the series thus hypothetically derived from 

 Byrrhoidea differs in some cases from that heretofore assumed and 

 will be discussed below. 



Dascilloidea. The Eucinetidse are removed to Cucujoidea, other 

 families to Dryopoidea, as stated below. The Nosodendridse and 

 HeteroceridEe are added, making four families, viz: Dascillidse, 

 Heteroceridae, Helodidae, Nosodendridae. 



Dryopoidea. This series includes new families Ptilodactylidse and 

 Eurypogonidse, taken from Dascilloidea; Psephenidje, divided into 

 subfamilies Psephenina^ and Eubrianacinae of which the latter is 

 taken from Dascilloidea ; Chelonariidae ; Dryopidse, divided into sub- 

 families Larinae, Pelonomina? and Helminae. 



In the rearrangement of the families of Byrrhoidea, Dascilloidea, 

 and Dryopoidea, discussed in detail by Dr. Boving in his paper of 

 1929 in the Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society, the 

 value of larval characters in determining relationships is strikingly 

 exhibited. 



Cantharoidea. The Melyrida;, Cleridae, and Corynetidas are re- 

 moved to a new series Cleroidea. The family Brachypsectridae, 

 following Blair, is considered valid on larval characters, but is 

 included here, rather than in Dascillidae. The Cantharidae are divided 

 into subfamilies Malthinae, Chauliognathinae, Malthodinae, and 

 Cantharinae. 



Elateroidea. The differences here from existing classification are 

 slighter than in some preceding series. Plastoceridae are included in 

 Cebrionidae, and Drapetes is removed from Throscidae to the sub- 

 family Oestodinae of Elateridae. Sandalidae is treated as a family, 

 quite distinct on larval characters from Khipiceridae. 



Scarabaeoidea. This superfamily is unchanged, but the larval 

 characters accentuate its subdivisions into families and subfamilies. 



Cleroidea. The families included in this new superfamily are 

 Dermestidae, Melyridae, Ciidae, Ostomatidae, Cleridae, Catogenidae (?), 

 and BothrideridaB ( ?). The relationship of the last two is regarded as 

 problematical. As to some of the other families, the larval char- 

 acters suggest the need of many subfamilies. 



