100 COLEOPTERA OF NORTH AMERICA. 



authors seem, from the form of the body and difference in posi- 

 tion of the antennae, almost entitled to rank as distinct genera. 



Body pubescent ; antennse very approximate, or somewhat distant. 



Atomaria. 

 Body ovate, convex, glabrous ; antennse somewhat distant. Epistemus. 



Fam. xxil— derodontidae. 



Mentum small, trapezoidal ; ligula corneous, with distinct 

 paraglossae; labial palpi 8-jointed, with the last joint oval. 



Maxillae exposed at the base ; inner lobe corneous, hooked 

 at the end, and ciliate near the tip ; outer lobe equal in size, 

 ciliate at tip; maxillary palpi 4-jointed, cylindrical, last joint 

 elongate oval. 



Head suddenly but not strongly constricted behind; eyes 

 small, rounded, prominent, finely granulated; labrum trans- 

 verse, rounded, separated from the front by a transverse 

 membranous epistoma; mandibles short, curved, acute, with 

 a tooth very near the apex. 



Antennae inserted before the eyes, upon the sides of the 

 front, 11 -jointed, first and second joints thicker than the fol- 

 lowing, 9 — 11 not suddenly larger. 



Prothorax with the side pieces not separate, the margin 

 strongly toothed; coxal cavities confluent, closed behind. 



Mesosternum short, scarcely separating the middle coxae; 

 side pieces diagonally divided. 



Metasternum large, side pieces narrow. 



Elytra entirely covering the abdomen, with ten rows of 

 large quadrate punctures, besides a marginal series and a 

 short one near the scutellum. 



Abdomen with five free equal ventral segments. 



Coxae, anterior, transverse, conical, prominent, contiguous; 

 middle, oval, oblique, slightly prominent; posterior, trans- 

 Verse, slightly separated, dilated internally, forming a small 

 plate, which protects the insertion of the thigh. 



Legs moderate; tibiae not dilated, with small terminal 

 spurs; tarsi 5-jointed, clothed beneath with long hairs, the 

 fourth joint somewhat smaller than the preceding ; claws 

 simple. 



This family contains only the genus Derodontus, represented 

 by two species — Crypiophagus maculatus Mels., from the At- 



