142 COLEOPTERA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



joint small, and by the claws being armed with a large basal 

 tooth; the plate of the hind coxtB is very feebly developed. The 

 species are found on flowers. They are small, oval, brown, 

 pubescent insects. The prosternum is not lobed in front, and 

 the coxal cavities are narrowly closed behind, and not completed, 

 as in the next sub-family, by the mesosternum. 



The position of this genus is much disputed. Erichson placed 

 it in Melyridse, with which it seems to have but small affinity; 

 DuVal places it in his family Telmatophilidae, which is composed 

 of heterogeneous elements, having no relation with each other; 

 but by Redtenbacher and Lacordaire it is considered as belong- 

 ing here, though the characters seem to us to warrant its being 

 considered as a separate sub-family. Kiesenvv^etter places it with 

 Nitidulidfe. Diodontolobus does not belong to the family; Dr. 

 Horn states, after examination, that it belongs to the Peltinse, 

 and has since been described as Microi:)eltis Redt. 



Sub-Family II.— DERMESTINJ5 (genuini). 



The tarsi are not lobed beneath, the fourth joint is scarcely 

 smaller than the third, and the ungues are simple. The anterior 

 coxal cavities are widely open behind, and are completed by the 

 mesosternum, which is usually protuberant. The prosternum 

 generally is lobed in front. 



Frontal ocellus distinct. 2. 



No frontal ocellus. Dermestes. 



2. Mesosternum narrow ; middle coxse not widely separated, antenna! 



fossae wanting. 3. 



Mesosternum broad, divided or emarginate, receiving the tip of the 



prosternum: middle coxa? widely separated. 5. 



Mesosternum broad, entire, middle cox?e widely separated. 9. 



3. Prosternum not lobed in front. 4. 

 Prosternum lobed in front. Perimegatoma. 



4. Antennae 11-jointed ; hind coxal plates narrow ; nies(«t(Mnum deeply 



emarginate. Attagenus. 



Antennae 9-jointed ; hind coxal plates wide ; mesosternum narrowlv 



divided. Dearthrus. 



5. Mandibles and labrum not covere<l by prosternum. (J. 

 Mandibles covered, labrum not covered by j^roslernum. 7. 



6. Antennal fossae wanting. Acolpus. 

 Antennal fossae distinct. Trogo derma. 



7. Antennal fossae under lateral margin of prothorax : body pubescent. 8. 

 Antennal fossae u^jon lateral margin of prothorax : body squamose. 



Anthrenus. 



