Anatomy of the Male Genital Tuhe in Coleoptera. 625 



of the families combined with Tenebrionidae to form the 

 '■ Heteromera" must be separated. The comparatively 

 small families, Cistelidae (Alleculidae of many recent 

 writers), Lagriidae and Rhysopaussidae, are really allied 

 to the huge group Tenebrionidae. Of this latter complex 

 it will be noticed that we have examined but few forms. 

 Taking Pediris as a central one we find the tegmen con- 

 sisting of an elongate tubular basal-piece, chitinous on 

 the dorsal aspect, with well marked and separate lateral 

 lobes, making lateral and dorsal protection of the elongate 

 median lobe. In the more specialised Tenebrionidae (e.g. 

 Eleodes and Blajys) the lateral lobes are soldered together, 

 and the median lobe is reduced in extent. In certain 

 cases (Cossyphtis) the median lobe is reduced to a nearly 

 or quite membranous condition, and in Cistelidae and 

 Lagriidae there is a similar reduction. In the type of 

 the Nosoderma-group we have examined (Zopherosis) there 

 exists a distinction from Pediris that we must treat as of 

 considerable importance, inasmuch as the chitinisation of 

 the tegmen occurs on the ventral aspect, the lateral lobes 

 being united in that position. This suggests that a com- 

 plete sundering of the Tenebrionidae will be found neces- 

 sary. Stenosis agrees with Zopherosis in this respect. It 

 would be well worth examining Adelostoma and allies to 

 ascertain whether there is a real affinity between the 

 Stenosis and Zopherosis forms, but we have not been able to 

 carry our investigations of the Tenebrionid forms farther 

 than the inadequate extent that will be found in our 

 anatomical section. 



As regards the families of " Heteromera " other than 

 those mentioned above, we have already said that we 

 have failed at present to connect them with the Tenebri- 

 onidae ; and we have assigned them tentatively positions 

 in the Cucujoidea. Whether the Tenebrionidae really 

 link on as further differentiations thereof (cf. Melandryidae 

 and Pythidae) we are not prepared to express an opinion. 

 We have left Monommidae in the Tenebrionid division 

 (along with the Stenosis- Zopherosis forms), but it appears 

 to be really very isolated. 



We may conclude our brief remarks on the Tenebri- 

 onidae alliance by referring the reader to what w^e have 

 said elsewhere as to the " simple trilobed form of aedeagus," 

 and adding that there is not here a great departure 

 therefrom. 



