1352 FAMILY LXIV. — MELOID.-R. 



Sviljfamily 1. MELOINAE. 



The meniljers of our single genus of 

 this sul)faniily are known as "oil bee- 

 tles." They are large, clumsy black or 

 bluish forms with short elytra, which do 

 not cover the unwieldy abdomen. They 

 have the tarsal claws cleft, the upper 

 and lower parts equal, and the antenna? 

 of the males are curiously dilated near 



the middle. (Fig. 588.) Being wing- Fig. .588. J/riocsp.?l, male beetle; 2, lan-a; 



less, they are found on the ground or low ^^^^"^ '''' '"'' '' 



herbage, and are more common in late autunni or spring. When 

 disturbed they emit a disagreeable fluid from the joints. 



I. Meloe Linn. 1758. (Gr., "small animal.") 



Three of the 14 species have ])een taken in the State and one 

 other perhaps occurs. 



KEY TO INDIANA SPKCIF.S OF MELOE. 



(t. Thorax not longer than wide. 



h. Color (lull black; thorax with an iniin'ession on basal half of median 



line. 2501). IMl'RESSUS. 



hb. Color blue or blnish-black ; thorax not impressed. 



f. Thorax rather densely punctate: elytra not roughly sculptured. 



NIGER. 



rr. Thorax coarsely and deeply, not densely, punctured ; elytra coarse- 

 ly sculptured; color more decidedly blue and more shining. 



2510. AMERICANOS. 



(la. Thorax kmger than wide, sparsely and irregularly punctate; color deep 

 bluish-black; elytra finely rugose. 2511. angusticollis. 



250i> (8000). Mei.oe impressi's Kirby. Faun. Bor. Ainer., 1837, 241. 



Dull black with a faint bluish tinge. Thorax about as wide as long, 

 widest at apical third, thence feebly narrowed to base; disk coarsely and 

 si)arsely punctured and with an impression ,iust behind the middle. Elytra 

 ratlier densely and shallowly rugose. Length 11-14 nnu. 



Vigo County; rare. May 12. 



M. niger Kirby, blue-l)lack, feebly shinino-, length 12.5-15 mm., 

 is known from Canada. 

 2510 (8013). Meloe Americanos Leach. Linn. Trans., XI, 1815, 251. 



Kluish-black; elytra more decidedly blue in male. Thorax about as 

 wide as long, but slightly narrower than head; rather densely punctate on 

 ai)ical half, much more sparsely si on basal portion. Length 10-24 mm. 



Southern half of State; scarce. April 10-Uecember 25. Noted 

 only in late autumn and early spring. On October 28 I once found 



