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Our to this jenus belonging species is by Thomson transferred from 

 the genus Homalota Mannh. It is closely related to Spipeda plana , and like 

 this, on account of 4-jointed fore- and middle-tarsi and 5-Jointed hind 

 tarsi, belonjs to division Bolitocharina . Thectura is especially separated 

 from Epipeda b y, immarginate temples and genae and by shorter maxillary 

 palpi, of which the third Joint is very strongly thickened, the fourth 

 fine and oviform; legs shorter and more robust. 



Only 1 species is found in North and Middle Europe, which like Spipeda 

 plana live under bark of trunks and stubs of deciduous and pinaceous trees, 

 which are attacked by bark- and bast-borer, it and its larvae supposedly 

 feed on the young of the borer. 



1. T. cuspidata Erichs. 



(Srichs. Kaf. Mk. Br. I, 690; den. Spec. Staph. 96; Kraat? Ins. E. II, ^ 

 253; Thorns. Skand. Col. II, 286; Sharp Pev. Brit. Horn. 168; Muls. et Fey Bre- 

 vip. 1875, 328; Ganglb. Kaf. M. II, 292). 



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A very small, very flat, elongate, narrow and evenly broad species, 



easily identified by the shape, and by the peculiarly developed sixth free 

 dorsal joint of abdomen. 



Black, very finely haired, dully glistening; elytra and abdominal tip 

 brown; antennae brownish, their base, the mouth-parts and legs brownish 

 yellow. In teneral animals the body is brownish, and only the head and 

 next-last abdominal joints entirely black. 



Head as broad as pronotum, rather square with parallel sides, rounded 

 off corners posteriorly, and small, slightly convex eyes, distinctly but 

 not densely punctated, together with pronotum and elytra the surface is 



-4M- 



