CUCUJIDAE. 93 



composed of equal globular joints; the head is strongly con- 

 stricted behind into a neck, and is sculptured with two deep 

 grooves, converging behind ; the thorax is long, has three entire 

 grooves, and two short posterior broader ones (Clinidium), or 

 three deep entire ones, and two finer lateral lines (Rhyssodes) ; 

 the elytra are deeply grooved in Clinidium, coarsely striato-punc- 

 tate in Rhyssodes. 



Eyes lateral, rounded, distinctly granulated. Rhyssodes. 



Eyes superior, narrow, scarcely granulated (sometimes wanting?). 



Clinidium. 



Fam. XX.— CUCUJIDAE. 



Mentum small, subquadrate, usually transverse ; ligula 

 corneous, prominent; palpi short, 3-jointed. 



Maxillae with two lobes ; palpi 4-jointed. 



Antennas inserted at the margin of the front, 11-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 prosternum, widely 

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

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

 closed in the first, fourth, and fifth. 



Mesosternum moderate ; epimera reaching the coxae. 



Metasternum large, quadrate ; episterna long, narrow, co- 

 vered. 



Elytra rounded at tip and covering the abdomen, except 

 in the fourth sub-fami.ly ; usually flat, strongly margined ; 

 scutellum distinct. 



Abdomen with five free ventral segments, equal in length. 



Anterior coxae small, globular, not prominent ; middle 

 coxae small, subtriangular, not prominent; posterior coxae 

 nearly contiguous, transverse, slightly prominent. 



Legs moderate ; tibiae 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 exception 

 (Narthecius), very depressed, and usually of an elongate form. 

 They live under bark. 



