CUCUJIDAE. 131 



Fam. XXV.— CUCUJIDAE. 



Mentum small, subquadrate, nsnally transverse; ligula 

 corneous, prominent; palpi short, 3-jointed. 



Maxillas with two lobes; palpi 4:-jointed. 



Antenna? inserted at the margin of the front, ll-jointed, 

 sometimes long and slender, sometimes with the outer joints 

 slightly enlarged, the first joint usually elongated. 



Prothorax with the side pieces not separate from the upper 

 piece; coxal cavities separated by the prosteroum, widely 

 open behind, with a fissure externally leading to the epi- 

 sternal suture in the second and third sub-families, entirely 

 closed in the first, fourth, and fifth. 



Mesosternum moderate; epimera reaching the coxai. 



Metasternum large, quadrate; episterna long, narrow, 

 covered. 



Elytra rounded at tip and covering the abdomen, except 

 in the fourth sub-family; usually flat, strongly margined; 

 scutellum distinct. 



Abdomen with five free ventral segments, equal in length. 



Anterior coxos small, globular, not prominent; middle 

 cox£e small, subtriangular, not prominent; posterior coxae 

 nearly contiguous, transverse, slightly prominent. 



Legs moderate; tibia) slender, with two small terminal 

 spurs; tarsi with the first joint usually small, sometimes 5- 

 jointed in both sexes; the posterior tarsi sometimes 4-jointed 

 in the males. 



The species which constitute this family are, with one excep- 

 tion (Narthecius), very depressed, and usually of an elongate 

 form. They live under bark. 



Monotonia, included in this family by DnVal, 1ms been sepa- 

 rated with some otlier genera as a distinct family. 



This family divides into five sub-families, of which the second 

 is considered by DuYal as forming a distinct family. The sole 

 character, the concealment of the maxilla by corneous plates, does 

 not appear of sufficient importance to warrant such a conclusion, 

 and we therefore follow the example of Erichson and Lacordaire 

 in considering it as a member of the present family. 



Anterior coxal cavities closed behind ; tarsi not lobed beneath, with the 



fourth joint small. Sii.vanin.«. 



Anterior coxal cavities open behind; 



Maxillre covered by corneous plates. Passandrina;. 



Maxillae exposed. CucojiNiB. 



