264 FA:\Ill,^ \ i. — hydkoi'hiliu^. 



XVI. Creniphilus Mots. 1845. (Gr., "notch or bay + loving.") 



Very small, convex elliptical or oblong beetles, having the punc- 

 tures of elytra confused, thorax without a basal marginal line, and 

 also without the rows of large coarse punctures usually seen in the 

 species of Hydrohius. They usually occur in numbers amongst the 

 decaying aquatic plants along the margins of pools and lakes. 

 Three species have been taken in Indiana, while two others should 

 occur. 



KEY TO INDIANA SPECIKS OJ-' CKENUMIILIS. 



(/. Form obloug, fully twice as long as wide; tarsi slender, the hind pair 

 fully as long as the tibiae; elytra distinctly narrowed almost from 

 humeri to tips; color piceous, shining, the side margins of both thorax 

 and elytra pale. suturalis. 



aa. Form broadly oval, not much longer tlian wide, very convex ; tarsi 

 stouter, the hind pair shorter tlian the tibiie. 

 h. Prosternum distinctly earinate. 



c. Elytra distinctly punctate; anteume eight-jointed. 



514. SUBCUPREUS. 



cc. Elytra very indistinctly punctate; antennae nine-jointed. 



515. DESPECTUS. 



hh. Prostenium absolutely simple. 



d. Black with a bronzed tinge; surface distinctly punctured; hind 



femora strigose lengthwise and sparsely punctate. digestus. 



(Id. Dull piceous without tinge of bronze; surface indistinctly punc- 

 tate; hind femora densely punctulate and i)ubescent. 



516. INEUSCATl'S. 



C. sutiiralis Lee, length 1.5-2 mm., and C. digestus Lee, 2.5- 

 3.5 nun. in length, are both said to occur from Canada southward 

 to Georgia and Ncav I\Texico. 



514 (1657). Creniphilus subcupreus Say, Journ. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., V, 



1825, 189; ibid. II, 2!K5. 

 Elliptical, convex. Above piceous, distinctly ]»ronzed, the margins of 

 elytra often paJer toward apex; beneath dark veddish-piceous. the tai*si 

 paler. Thorax and elytra equally, not closely punctate. Length 1.5 2 mm. 



Common along the margins of lakes in the northern part of the 

 State ; less so in the southern counties. April 23-August 26. 



515 (1658). Creniphieus despectus Lee, New Sp. N. Amer. Col., 1863, 25. 

 Closely resembles suhcupreus:, but smaller and transversely more con- 

 vex. Surface more distinctl.v brassy, alutaceous with minute ])unctures. 

 sparsely placed. Length 1.5 mm. 



Marshall and Putnam counties; scarce. April 17-October 17. 



516 (1655). Creniphilus infi scatcs Mots., Bull. Mosc, III, 1857, 177. 

 Oval, very convex. Piceous or dark fuscous, the margins of thorax 



and elytra paler. Antennie nine-jointed, the club darker. Thorax very 



