MELANDRYIDAE. 247 



cavities; metasternum large; side pieces narrow; epimera 

 visible. 



Elytra rounded behind, covering the abdomen; epipleurae 

 not very wide, extending to the apex. 



Abdomen with five free segments ; the first elongated, the 

 5th marked with a curved submarginal furrow in our genus. 



Legs moderate, strongly contractile ; anterior coxae dis- 

 tant, scarcely visible, rounded; middle coxae fiat, widely 

 separated; hind ones flat, transverse, widely separated ; middle 

 thighs suddenly contracted at the base; tibiae slender, com- 

 pressed ; tarsi not dilated, slightly pubescent beneath ; ante- 

 rior and middle ones 5-jointed, hind ones 4-jointed; claws 

 small, simple ; first joint of hind tarsi long. 



This family consists of small, black, oval flattened insects, re- 

 sembling in appearance Triplax of the Erotylidse. It appears 

 to constitute a very distinct type, without well-marked affinities 

 with any other family. It contains but two genera : Monomma 

 confined to the Eastern, Hyporhagus to the Western Continent. 

 Of the latter genus one species is found in the Atlantic, and a 

 second in the Pacific district. Both are described by Mr. Thom- 

 son in his beautiful monograph (Annales de la Societe Entom. 

 de France, 1860). 



Fam. LIL— MELANDRYIDAE. 



Mentum transverse, trapezoidal, generally narrower in 

 front, supported on a large gular process ; ligula prominent ; 

 labial palpi 3 -jointed. 



Maxillaa with two flattened ciliate lobes ; palpi 4-jointed, 

 frequently very long and much dilated. 



Head usually deflexed, generally not constricted behind ; 

 received into the thorax not as far as the eyes; suddenly 

 constricted behind in Scraptia; eyes emarginate or entire, 

 and not finely granulated ; clypeus often subcoriaceous ; la- 

 brum prominent ; mandibles short. 



Antennae 11-jointed in our genera (10-jointed in the for- 

 eign genus Conopalpus) ; generally filiform ; sometimes 

 thicker externally, inserted under very small oblique frontal 

 ridges. 



Prothorax as wide behind as the base of the elytra (except 

 in Stenotrachelus), with the lateral suture always distinct ; 

 anterior coxal cavities open behind, frequently confluent. 



