Introduction 7 



Meloidea. This new siiperfamily includes Meloidse, divided into 

 three subfamilies (after erecting a new family Tetraonycidae), and 

 Rhipiphoridae. ''Probably the Strepsiptera are to be classified 

 in the Coleoptera and close to the Rhipiphorida^" is added in a 

 footnote. 



Mordelloidea. This series, which was proposed by us with great 

 hesitation, is reduced to the family Mordellidse, and to its^ main 

 genera Tomoxia, Mordella, and Mordellistena. Even these in the 

 larval stage are related to several of the melandryid genera. 



Cerambycoidea. This series is restricted by its larval characters 

 to the family Cerambycidae, divided into subfamilies Prioninse, Cer- 

 ambycinae, Aseminap, Lepturina^, Lamiinae and Disteniinae. The 

 Chrysomelidae are regarded as a superfamily. 



Bostrichoidea. This series, comprising Ptinidae, Anobiidap, Bos- 

 trichida?, Psoida^, and Lyctidae, differs from the existing classifica- 

 tion only by the removal of the families Ciidae and Sphindid«. 



Chrysomeloidea. Larval studies indicate the necessity of separat- 

 ing the Bruchidae and Chrysomelidae, as a superfamily, and of divid- 

 ing the latter into many families. Some have heretofore been recog- 

 nized as subfamilies, others are the result of recent studies, and 

 many are again subdivided; it is even stated that "when better 

 studied, the classification of the entire family Galerucidae will un- 

 questionably be changed." The families indicated by larval studies 

 are Bruchidae, Sagridae; Orsodacnidae, Donaciida^, Camptosomatidae, 

 Eumolpidae, Crioceridae, Chrysomelidfe, Galerucidae (divided into 

 Galerucinae, Diabroticinae, and Halticinas), Hispidae, and Cassididae. 



Platystomoidea. In the division of the Rhynchophora by larval 

 characters the family Platystomidae becomes a superfamily divided 

 into two subfamilies Brachytarsinae and Choraginae. 



Curculionoidea. The remainder of the Rhynchophora are divided 

 into Brentidae, Proterhinida^, Attelabidae, Apionidae, Curculionidae 

 (with Lissorhoptrinae as a subfamily), Calendridff, Platypodida^, and 

 Scolytida^. In regard to the latter it is stated that "the larvai of the 

 Curculionidae and Scolytidae cannot be separated. ' ' Belidae larva? are 

 unknown. 



Finally the conspectus by Dr. Boving ends with the superfamily 

 Lymexyloidea for LymexylidiB and Telegeusidae, the larva of the 

 latter being unknoA\Ti. As far as known the larva of this superfamily 

 approaches in important characters those of Oedemeridae and 

 Calopidae, "but also greatly resembles the larval form of the ancient 

 suborder Archostemata." "The systematic position of this series 

 is uncertain." 



As a final summary of this important contribution to the classi- 

 fication of the Coleoptera we note with satisfaction that, in its main 



