496 INSECTA MADERENSIA. 



Genus 168. TENEBRIO. 



Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. edit. vi. (1748). 



Corpus magnum, lineari-elongatum : fronte ad latera leviter elevate, ad apicem depressa truncata (sed 

 vix emarginatil) : prothorace subquadrato, ad angulos (praesertim posticos) acuto : metastemo 

 postice bifido : alis amplis. Antenna et mandibula fere ut in Calcari. Labrum transversum, 

 apice truncatum integrum dense cdiatum. Maxilla bilobae, lobis valde pubescentibus ; externa 

 magno lato ; intemu paulo minore, apice unco magno acuto instracto. Palpi subfiliformes ; 

 maanllares articulo primo parvo, secundo et tertio majoribus crassioribus (hoc minore), ultimo 

 subsecuiiformi vix incrassato ; labiales articulis primo et secundo subrequalibus (boc paulo cras- 

 siore), ultimo subsecuriformi. Mentum subquadratum basi angustatum, apice integrum, angulis 

 anticis acutis. Ligula membranacea, antice pilosa vix emarginata. Pedes validi elongati : femo- 

 ribus anticis incrassatis : tibiis anticis curvatis, ad apicem internum leviter productis : tarsis 

 heteromeris. 



The large, elongated and parallel bodies of the members of the present genus, 

 in conjunction with thoii- subquadrate prothorax (which, if anything, is a little 

 wider at the base than anteriorly, and has aU its angles well-defined), and the 

 incrassated thighs and curved tibise of their two fi'ont legs, A\'ill be quite suffi- 

 cient, apart fi-om the modifications of their oral organs (which do not however 

 display any very remarkable peculiarities of structiu-e), to distinguish them from 

 the remainder of the family to which they belong. The habits of Tenebrio, Kke 

 those of Cerandria and Alphitobins, are essentiaUy farinaceous, the species being 

 particularly abundant in the vicinity of bakehouses and mills, — or even in stables, 

 and other places where bran and meal are accustomed to be kept. In the larva 

 state they are at times very injurious, and have obtained the name of meal-icorms ; 

 and when the nature of their food is taken into account, the fact of their having 

 become so widely distributed over the world as to be almost cosmopolitan, is at 

 once intelligible. 



377. Tenebrio molitor. 

 T. niger subnitidus creberrime punctulatus, prothorace subconvexo transvcrso-subquadrato, elytris 



obscure punctato-striatis, antennis pedibusque rufo-piceis, pedibus anticis brevibus robustis. 

 Long. Corp. lin. 7-8. 



Tenebrio molitor, LLmi. Fna Suec. 815 (17G1). 



, Fab. Ent. Syst. i. Ill (1792). 



, Gyll. Ins. Suec. ii. 590 (1810). 



, Steph. 777. Brit. Ent. x. 8 (1832). 



Habitat in domibus pistrinisque circa Funchal, passim : insectum fere totius orbis terraruni civis, 

 inter farinas dispersum, atque hoc modo in insulas Maderenses ab alienis sine dubio invcctum. 



T. black or pitchy-black, slightly shining, and very closely and finely punctulated all over. Prothorax 

 rather convex ; transverse-quadrate, with the sides rounded ; and with an obhque abbreviated 



