Jiineigoo.] CaSEY : On NoRTH AMERICAN COLEOPTERA. 13i^> 



the claws unmodified, the sternal side pieces very wide and the hind 

 coxae lamellate and transversely excavated. The antenna are ex- 

 tremely varied in structure and may or may not be received within 

 protecting pits or excavations, and the legs may be free or strongly 

 retractile. In considering the depression for the protection of the 

 antennae, a distinction should be drawn between a large and vaguely 

 limited concavity of the hypomera — or inflexed side of the prothorax — 

 as in Dermestes, and a closely circumscribed and sharply defined pit ; 

 the former characterizes most of the genera in some form, and be- 

 comes a true protective fossa in a few genera, but the latter only oc- 

 curs in Anthfc/iiis. 



The genus Trixagus (^Byfiinis I-at.), is evidently allied to the 

 Dermestidae, but differs in so many radical characters, such as the 

 closed anterior acetabula, lobed tarsi, dentate claws, narrow sternal 

 side pieces and structure of the mesosternum, that the position as- 

 signed it by Reitter as a distinct family is probably as satisfactory as 

 any, and I have therefore not considered it in the following revision. 

 As thus restricted, the American Dermestid;e may be assigned to five 

 distinct tribes characterized as follows : — 



Head without ocellus ; anterior coxte large, contiguous, the presternum not visible 

 between them, the mesosternum between the coxae moderately wide, ogival and 

 not sulcate ; antenna; ii-jointed, with a 3-jointed club, similar in the sexes and 

 not received within sharply circumscribed pits ; hypomera concave anteriorly ; 

 epipleuroe strongly defined, wide and inflexed toward base ; body clothed with 

 short hairs Dermestini 



Head with a single ocellus 2 



2 — Prosternum visible between the coxre ; metacoxal lamina not extending to the sides 

 cf the body 3 



Prosternum not visible between the coxa; ; metacoxal lamina extending to the sides of 

 the body 5 



3— Metacoxal plate extending laterally half way across the parapleurae ; prosternal 

 process impinging upon the exposed surface of the mesosternum between the 

 coxae ; epipleurae well developed toward base ; legs in great part free ; body 

 clothed with short hairs Attagemni 



Metacoxal plate only extending laterally to and abutting against — squarely in Trino- 

 dini, obliquely in Anthrenini — the inner boundary of the parapleural 4 



4 — Epipleuree subobsolete ; lateral margin of the prothorax entire as usual ; antennal 

 club received within deep fossse at the apical thoracic angles ; body compact, 

 clothed with decumbent scales, the legs all vety closely retractile ; coxae large ; 

 scutellum very minute Anthrenini 



Epipleurse narrow but strongly delimited and inflexed toward base ; lateral thoracic 

 margins obliterated at apex ; legs and antennre perfectly free, excepting, as usual, 



