626 Mr. D. Sharp and Mr. F. Muir on the Comparative 

 MONOMMIDAE TENEBRIONIDAE 



I— RHYSOPAUSSIDAE 



STENOSIS 1 / lAPRiinAF 



ZOPHEROSIS" ^*'''""'*^ 



/ CISTELIDAE 



FAMILIES OF TENEBRIONOIDEA. 



(7) Staphylinoidea, or Brachelytra. 



In this division the family Staphylinidae is of the first 

 importance, because of the great number and diversity of 

 its forms. This family is characterised by the existence 

 of a highly developed median lobe, by the absence of a 

 basal sclerite, the lateral lobes being diversified in form. 

 In the Xantholinus group we are in presence of one of 

 the most highly specialised forms of Coleoptera. In the 

 Omaliini we find an approximation to Silphidae. The 

 Silphidae are in fact the most primitive of the families 

 placed in this division. 



The Silphidae proper differ much from the other 

 forms of the family we have examined. In Bathyscia 

 and Liodcs (= Anisotoma humeralis of the European 

 catalogue) there is a very large median foramen, basally 

 placed, and a median lobe elongate and tubular in form ; 

 there is a basal-piece separated from the median lobe, 

 and well marked lateral lobes closely connected with 

 the basal-piece, and thus forming a well marked tegmen. 

 But in Silphidae (S. ohscura) the median lobe is bulbous, 

 rather than tubular, with a small median foramen (often 

 placed distally), a small basal-piece, with well marked 

 lateral lobes forming thus a complete tegmen. This 

 supports the division of Silphidae into two families. 



The Silphinae show relationship with Staphylinidae; 

 but if we consider Bathysciinae as more primitive 

 than Silphinae, then the affinity of StaphyHnidae with 

 Silphidae s.l. is of an indirect nature. If, however, we con- 

 sider (as is frequently done) Bathysciinae and Silphinae 



