Lacrophilina.'\ adephaga. IGl 



species widely distrihuteJ over the world ; they are found both in stag- 

 nant and running water. 



The larva o( Lnccophilus minuttts is figured by Schiodte (vi., PI. vii., Fig. 6): it is 

 elongate, somewhat ovate, much narrowed behind, convex ; the colour is pale with 

 the liead and dorsal scuta yellowish grey with darker spots ; the head is oval ami 

 joined to the thorax by a distinct neck ; the prothorax is trapezoidal, narrowed in 

 front, and transverse, the nieso- and nieta-thorax are very short ; the eighth seg- 

 ment of the abdomen is much produced, and bears two long ciliated cerci ending in 

 long setaj ; the legs are very long, and are terminated by eijual claws. 



IiACCOPHIIiUS, Leacli.')^ 



The species belonging to this genus are easily distinguished from the 

 Noterina by their more oval and depressed shape, and also by having tho 

 prosternal process acute behind, whereas in Noterus it is rounded : the 

 males have the anterior and intermediate tarsi dilated, and, in many 

 cases, both sexes have an organ of slridulation on the surface of the 

 posterior coxae, consisting of fine parallel stria?. 



I. Colour testaceous or greenish testaceous; prosternal 



process short ; size larger. 



i. Base of thorax not or very obtusely advanced in 

 centre; posterior coxa; provided with a stridulatory 

 organ in both sexes L. intekuuI'tus, Fatiz. 



ii. Base of thorax advanced in a sharp angle towards 

 suture of elytra ; posterior coxae without a stridu- 

 latory organ L. OBSCUurs, Panz. 



II. Colour pitch-brown; prosternal process long; size 



smaller; posterior coxa; without a stridulatory organ . L. vakieoatus, Oerm. 



Xi. interruptus, Panz., {minuius, Er., Fab. ; hyalinus, De Geer, 

 Uedel, &c.). Oval, shining, almost smooth ; colour testaceous, head and 

 thorax generally lighter than elytra, which are usually more or less 

 clouded with a darker .shade, and are flecked at sides ami on disc with 

 variable light markings ; when the colour of the elytra is very light, 

 these are less evident ; the thorax is scarcely produced in the centre of 

 base, and is very narrow ; elytra broadest about middle, with apex 

 rounded ; male with the front and middle tarsi only slightly inerassate ; 

 both .sexes with a stridulating file oji posterio coxa*. Long. 4^, 

 lat. 2^ mm. 



Ponds, &c. ; widely distributed and not -.inconnnon, but local in some districts ; 

 Scotland, local. Lowlands, Tweed, Forth, Tay, Solway. 



It. obscurus, Panz. {Injalimix, Munich Cat. et auct.). Smaller than 

 the preceding, which it much resemliles; it is, too, rather more glassy in 

 appearance, with a very slight greeni.sh tinge, and with the lighter si)ots 

 on elytra less marked, as a rule, but in this it is variable ; it may be at 

 once distinguished by its narrower form, more acute angle at the base of 

 the thorax in the middle, the thicker male tarsi, and the absence of a 

 coxal file. Long. 4, lat. 2f mm. 



* More than 100 species of this gei.us are kiinwn, rhu'tly lioiu liic waiiiier regions 

 of botli the Old and New Worlds. 



