Nitidiilina.'] clavicornia. 22r) 



NITIDTJLINA. 



This tribe contains tlie majority of the European genera and species 

 which belong to the family, two of the genera, Epurica and Mdigethes, 

 being of considerable extent in point of numbers ; its members are 

 distinguished from those of the preceding tribe by having the abdomen 

 entirely or almost entirely covered by the elytra, and from the Cychra- 

 mina, to which they bear a close relation, by having the thorax fitting 

 closely to the base of the elytra and not covering it. With the exception 

 of Stelidota, Ipidia, and Xenostrongylus, all the European genera are 

 represented in Britain. 



I. Prosternum depressed beliind auterior coxsd, not pro- 



duced. 

 i. Antenual grooves convergent, tlie convergence varying 

 in degree. 



1, All the tarsi more or less dilated ; disc of thorax 



without impressions. 



A. Labrum bilolied ; abdomen of male with an extra 



dorsal segment. 



a. Thorax widely margined. 



a*. Posterior legs approaching one another . . Epuejja, JUr. 



b*. Posterior legs considerably separated , . . Omosiphoea, liei/'er. 



b. Thorax with hardly perceptible margins . . . MiCKUaULA,* Reitier. 



B. Labrum only feebly emargiuate ; abdomen of male 



without extra segment Nitidtjia, F. 



2. Tarsi not dilated ; disc of thorax with impressions . Soronia, Er. 

 ii. Anteunal grooves parallel, or nearly so. 



1. First joint of antennse very strongly dilated; man- 

 dibles bifid at apex Ampuotis, Er. 



2. First joint of antenuEe moderately thickened ; man- 

 dibles not bifid, but with a strong tooth about a third 



from apex Omosita, Er. 



II. Prosternum produced behind. 



i. Head without, or with very indistinct, antennal grooves; 

 tarsi dilated. 



1. All the tibias simple Peia, Kirbt/. 



2. Front tibiaa simple; hinder pairs of tibiae furnished 



with spines Thalycea, Er. 



ii. Head with distinct antennal grooves. 



1. Tarsi not dilated; front tibiaj simple, produced into 



a strong point externally at apex Pocadius, Er, 



2. Tarsi all dilated; front tibias more or less strongly 



and very variably toothed externally Meligethes, Kirly. 



EPURSA, Erichson. 



This genus comprises about seventy species, Avhich are widely distri- 

 buted ; the majority occur in cold and temperate regions, but represen- 

 tatives have been recorded from Madagascar and South Africa, Ceylon, 

 Tahiti, Chili, Java, &c. ; more than thirty are found in Europe, of which 



* Previously Micruria; cf. Wiener, Ent. Zeitung, iii. 209 (August, 1881) 

 VOL. HI. Q 



