CUPESIDAE. 199 



Head deflexed, narrowed behind; eyes usually very large; 

 mandibles moderate, labrum and clypeus distinct. 



Prothorax with the lateral margin well defined, side pieces 

 not separate; presternum short; coxal cavities round, con- 

 fluent in our genera, open behind. 



Mesosternum small, flat, side pieces large, attaining widely 

 the coxae. 



Metasternum long, with narrow side pieces ; epimera not 

 visible. 



Elytra nearly as long as the abdomen in our genera, much 

 abbreviated in Atractocerus. 



Abdomen with five free ventral segments in Lymexylon, 

 with six or seven in Atractocerus and Hylocoetus. 



Anterior coxae conical, large, prominent, contiguous in 

 our genera, distant in Atractocerus ; middle coxae also large, 

 conical, contiguous; posterior coxaa transverse, conical, promi- 

 nent internally, contiguous. 



Legs slender, moderately long; tibiae with small terminal 

 spurs; tarsi 5 -jointed, filiform; claws simple. 



This family contains but three genera, of which one, Atracto- 

 cerus, has not yet occurred in our fauna, but may be expected in 

 Arizona or Texas, as I have already seen specimens from Chi- 

 huahua. A species of Lymexylon is very destructive to ship 

 timber in northern Europe, but no danger is to be apprehended 

 from our species, which is very rare. The genus Hylocoetus is 

 remarkable for having a small ocellus at the middle of the front. 



Abdomen with six ventral segments, elytra entire. Hylocoetus. 



Abdomen with five ventral segments, elytra entire. Lymexylon. 



Fam. XLIV.— CUPESIDAE. 



Mentum small, transverse, corneous ; ligula small bilobed ; 

 palpi 3-jointed. 



Maxillae uncovered at the base, but concealed in the deep 

 buccal cavity, with two lobes, the outer one corneous, hooked; 

 palpi 4-jointed, short. 



Antennae inserted upon the front, approximate, rigid, fili- 

 form, moderately elongated, 11-jointed. 



Head porrected, tuberculate, suddenly constricted behind ; 

 eyes round, prominent, very finely granulated; lower surface 

 with the genas large and prominent, forming a deep buccal 

 cavity; mandibles small; labrum very short, truncate. 



