ANTIIICIDAE. 409 



Fam. LXIX.— anthicidae. 



Mentum trapezoidal, narrower in front, supported by a 

 broad gular process; ligula large, prominent ; labial palpi 

 8 -join ted. 



Maxillie with large, exposed base, and two flattened, ciliate 

 lobes; palpi 4 jointed. 



Plead somewhat inclined, strongly c<jnstricted behind the 

 eyes; neck slender, front somewhat prolonged, labrum 

 prominent; mandibles not extending beyond the labrum, 

 truncate or emarginate at tip. 



Antennie inserted at the sides of the front, immediately 

 before the ej-es, 11-jointed, nearly filiform, very rarely fla- 

 bellate. 



Prothorax narrower than the elytra at base, lateral suture 

 wanting; anterior coxal cavities open behind, confluent. 



Mesosternum pointed behind, usually ver}^ slightly sepa- 

 rating the cox;e, rarely the coxal cavities are confluent; side 

 pieces extending to the cavities; metasternum long, side 

 pieces narrow. 



Elytra covering the abdomen, rounded behind; epipleune 

 very narrow. 



Abdomen with five free ventral segments, rarely six. 



Legs modei'ate ; anterior coxie conical, prominent, con- 

 tiguous; middle ones subconical, with distinct trochantin, 

 nearly or quite contigu-ous ; hind ones transverse, nearlv 

 contiguous in the first three tribes^ more distinctly separated 

 in the fourth tribe; tibial spurs small; anterior and middle 

 tarsi 5-jointed ; hind tarsi 4-jointed ; the penultimate joint 

 of all generally emarginate; claws simple, except in Nema- 

 toplus, Pedilus, and Macratria. 



This family contains the Anthicites and Pedilides of Lacordaire, 

 excluding Scraptia, whicli appears to be more related to tht; 

 .Mchmdryida!. The family is thus rendered very homog-eneoii.s, 

 and divides into four natural triljes: — 



Eyi^s more or less eniargiiiate ; hind coxic approximate; 



Head constricted far bcliind tlie finely granulated eyes. Picdiijni. 



Head constricted just behind the coarsely granulated eyes. XYLOpiui.iaii. 

 Eyes elliptical, entire?, rather coarsely granulated ; 



Hind coxae approximate. Macratriim. 



Hind coxie somewhat distant. Aatuicim. 



