362 STAPHYLiNiDiE. [Oxi/teUncs. 



A. Thorax with a central longitudinal furrow only; 



elytra dehiscent at apex Platystethus, MannTi, 



B, Thorax with three more or less distinct longi- 



tudinal furrows j elytra not dehiscent at apex Oxytelus, Grav. 

 2. Intermediate coxse contiguous. 



A. Elytra finely bordered at sides ; anterior tibise 



with two rows of spines Bledids, Mannh. 



B. Elytra not bordered at sides; anterior tibiaj 



with one row of spines. 



a. Mandibles short, toothed ; last joint of maxil- 



lary palpi small, subulate Haplodeeus, StepTi. 



b. Mandibles long, simple ; last joint of maxil- 



lary palpi large, as long as the two preced- 

 ing together, acuminate CompsochiluS, Kraatz. 



ii. Anterior tibiaj not formed for digging, finely ciliate 

 or pubescent. 



1. Last joint of maxillary palpi very small, subulate. 



A. Elytra not truncate obliquely or dehiscent; 



body somewhat convex, scutellum hidden . . TeogOPHLCEUS, Mannh. 



B. Elytra obliquely truncate and dehiscent at 



sutural angles ; scutellum visible Thinobius, Kies. 



2. Last joint of maxillary palpi as long as the preceding Ancyeophoeus, Kraatz. 

 II. All the tarsi 5-jointed. 



i. Anterior tibiae formed for digging, spinose. 



1. Reflexed margin of thorax sinuate in middle and 



strongly and angularly dilated behind anterior 

 coxa3 ; maxillary palpi not elongate and rather 

 thick CoPEOPniLUS, Latr. 



2. Reflexed margin of thorax angularly dilated in 



middle ; maxillary palpi elongate and slender . ACEOGNATHUS, Ur. 

 ii. Anterior tibiae not formed for digging, pubescent. 

 - _ 1^ Antennae short with three last joints forming a 

 club, and the first two joints thickened ; size 



small SyNTOMitTM, Er. 



2. Antennae rather long, gradually thickened, second 

 joint not thicker than the following ; size com- 

 paratively large Deleastee, Er. 



BIiEDruS, Mannerheim. 



This genus appears to be widely spread over the world, and in all pro- 

 bability is much more generally distributed than is at present known ; as 

 now constituted it contains about 150 species, the majority of which 

 occur in Europe and the temperate regions of ISTorth America ; several 

 have been described from Chili, and the genus is represented in India 

 and Ceylon, Japan, Arabia, the Australian region, the Amazon and other 

 districts of tropical South America,* and also in Siberia. 



The genus Bledius is somewhat closely related to Oxytelus by reason 

 of its three-jointed tarsi and other characteristics; it may, however, be easily 

 distinguished by having simply a central furrow or an impunctate line on 



* Only seven or eight species, all inconspicuous, occur in South America. 



