2 Introduction 



Tillyard's Insects of Australia and Now Zealand reviews the classi- 

 fication with special reference to the phylogeny, and recent dis- 

 coveries in fossil insects. Forbes' studies in venation and wing 

 folding patterns afford an independent view of relationships. 

 Finally and most important we have included, though not published 

 until 1931, "An Illustrated Synopsis of the principal Larval Forms 

 of the order Coleoptera" by Boving and Craighead. By the publi- 

 cation in this paper of the results of the studies of many years, it 

 becomes possible to compare the existing classification of adult 

 beetles with one based entirely upon their immature stages. 



Happily for the permanence of our classification there is now 

 a more substantial agreement between the two than when MacLeay 

 in "Horaj Entomological" (1819-1821) attempted to make such a 

 comparison. Dr. Boving's statement of this fact is "As a rule the 

 classification of the larvre agrees with the commonly recognized 

 classification of the imagines, and particularly well with the one 

 followed in Leng's catalogue." The division of the order into sub- 

 orders Adephaga and Polyphaga, and the subdivision of the sub- 

 orders into superfamilies, grouped into series, is found in both 

 systems. The differences consist in the composition of the sub- 

 orders, and of their subdivisions, in which the knowledge of larval 

 relationships affords valuable evidence, heretofore lacking. A brief 

 statement of some of tliese differences follows. 



AECHOSTEMATA 



The families Cupesida> and Micromalthidfe, the anomalous 

 chai-acters of which have heretofore been recognized, are ranked as 

 a third suborder by Boving. He says "I cannot see how we can 

 escape giving to this group the rank of a suborder, the Archostemata 

 of Kolbe, as it can be joined neither with the Adephaga nor the 

 Polyphaga." Forbes, from studies of wing folding pattern, grouped 

 these families under the same name. Tillyard, though he placed 

 Cupesidfe in Adephaga, described it as "an annectent group between 

 the Adephaga and Polyphaga." There is thus a substantial agree- 

 ment on the division into three suborders; and in future catalogues 

 the first should be on phylogenetic grounds, the Archostemata. 



ADEPHAGA 



The family Rhysodida? is transferred by Dr. Boving from 

 Polyphaga to Adephaga. "The larva of Clinidium," he says, " . . . . 

 can without reservation Ix' placed in the suborder Adephaga." 

 The superfamilies C'araboidea and Gyrinoidea are sustained by 

 characters of their larva', which also afford important help in 

 arranging in natural sequence the subfamilies and tribes of 

 Carabida; and Dytiscidje. On the basis of larval ohai'acters 

 Cicindelidaj, Cai-abida', Omophronidas, Haliplida>, Hygrobiidae, 

 Noteridas, Dytiscidaj, and Amphizoidaj, are entitled to rank as 



