OF SOME KHODESIAN TENEBRIONID.^l. 85 



In liis classic Genera ties Coleoj)t(res Lacordaire ^/w s tlie 

 foUowino- o;eneral description of the larvfc of this t'amilv : — 



* '' Whatever may l)e the form ot the perfect insects, and 

 this form is often short, broad and bloated (ventrue), the 

 larvae are all very elongate, slender, subcylindrical or slightly 

 flattened, and have at the same time a rigid appearance, 

 owing to the horny or leathery shields which cover their 

 segments, both above and beneath. The head, equally 

 corneous, is convex above and the epistome is distinct. The 

 mouth, a little inferior in position, consists of a labrum, two 

 strong mandibles, bifid at their extrennties, two maxilla; 

 (machoires), crooked, free and terminated by a single spinous 

 (spinulose) lobe or armed with a horny hook, and bearing 

 palpi, consisting of three segments ; finally, of a short 

 mentum preceded by a fleshy tongue, somewhat projecting 

 and bearing very small palpi consisting of two segments. 

 The antennse, inserted laterally near the base of the man- 

 dibles, are composed of four segments, of which the two 

 intermediary ones are the longest. Organs of vision are 

 often wanting ; when they occur, their numlier varies from 

 two to five. The prothorax is generally a little longer than 

 the two remaining thoracic segments, which differ but little 

 from the first eight segments of the abdomen. The last 

 abdominal segment is distinguished from those preceding by 

 its form and the projections, consisting frequently of two 

 hooks, with which it is armed. Beneath, it is generally 

 provided with a bifid nipple (mamelon), which is retractile 

 and serves as a fulcrum for the larva during locomotion. The 

 legs, more or less spinous, are composed of five joints, the 

 last of which, representing the tarsus, is short and curved ; 

 the anterior pair are slightly larger and more robust than 

 the others. The nine pairs of stigmata are situated, the 

 first on the anterior edge of the mesothorax, the remainder 

 at some distance from the anterior angles of the first eight 

 abdominal segments.^^ 



The foregoing description, published in 1859, applies 

 generally to all the known soil-inhabiting larvse of Rhodesian 

 * Author's translation. 



