292 FAMILY IX. SCYDMyENlD.'l':. 



of the eye coarser. In general form and size they resemble the 

 Pselaphidu'. bnt the elytra are always entire and the tarsi 5- instead 

 of 3-jointed. 



In addition to the charaeters mentioned, they have the maxillary 

 palpi long, the last joint very small; antennre inserted upon the 

 front, at the inner margin of the eyes, gradually thickened or slight- 

 ly club-shaped toward apex; prostcrnum not visible between the 

 coxa3; elytra convex, covering the abdomen, the latter with six free 

 ventral segments ; front cox* conical, prominent, contiguous; middle 

 ones somewhat distant ; hind ones small, conical or transverse, often 

 widely separated; tarsi 5- jointed, claws simple. Nearly 700 species 

 are known, about 175 of which are from the United States. These 

 are treated in the follo^\'ing papers : 



LeConte. — "Synopsis of the Scydma^nidip of the T^'nited States," 

 in Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci.. VI. 1852. 149-157. 



Casey. — ^" Revision of the Scydmamida^ of the Ignited States." 

 in Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci.. IX, 1897. 351-548. 



In his Revision, Casey divided the family into two subfamilies, 

 only one of which, the Scydm;enina3, is represented in Indiana. The 

 I)rincipal distinguishing characters given of this subfamily are as 

 follows : Antenna; generally distinctly clavate, usually elbowed. 

 l)ut Avitli the basal joint short or moderate in length; hind coxa^ 

 transverse or transversely oval; metasternum large: al)d()men short; 

 elytra never striate or with rows of punctures. The subfamily is 

 separated into ten tribes, four of which are known to be repre- 

 sented in the State, while two othci's may be. 



KEY TO INDIANA TRIBES OF SCYDM.^NIN^. 



(I. Fourth .iiuiit of maxillar.v palpi awl-shaped, finely nciculiite and obliiiuc; 

 antenna' widel.v separated at base. 

 h. I'rdsternuni short and di»e|»l.v sinuate befure the eox;e ; neck short and 

 abrupt 1 J- constricted. 

 c. Neck narrow; eyes in front of middle of head: scuti'lluni wanting. 



Tribe 1. El coxNNINi. p;' 293. 



cr. Neck wide; e.ves basal or sub-basal in ])ositiiin ; scutellinn always 



present. Tribe II. Scydm.enini, p. 301. 



hi). I'l-oslci-inun i-a11ier Imul,' and puliescent before the co,\;e ; thora.x ob- 



oval: len.i,'tli less llian .s of a iiiilliinetre. 



Tribe III. Opkesini, p. 302. 

 (III. F(iui-lli Jiiint of niaxillai-y jialpi (ililuse. never awl-shaped, obscure or 

 fused ri.i.ndly to I lie apex of third, sometimes wantim,'. 

 (I. Iliiid coxa' transverse, extending to the sides of the bod.v ; antennae 

 w idely sejiarated at base. 



