LeConte.] BRENTHID^. 323 



Family VII. BRENTHID^E. 



Mouth organs very different, according to genus and sex; maxillae, ligula 

 and palpi concealed in the species of the first sub-family in our fauna by the 

 mentum, which in the <$ is transverse and concave, in the 9 narrow and 

 convex. Mandibles in $ curved, flattened, pointed, more or less toothed 

 on the inner edge; in the 9 stout, small, pincer-shaped, toothed on the 

 apical edge. Maxillae exposed in Cyladida in both sexes, mentum oblong, 

 and supported on a short gular peduncle, which is wanting in true Bren- 

 thidcc; mandibles short, pincer-shaped. 



Antennae inserted in lateral foveae at a greater or less distance in front of 

 the eyes, according to genus and sex; not geniculate, 11 -jointed in true 

 Brenthidce, 10-jointed in Cyladidce; outer joints finely pubescent and sen- 

 sitive; basal joint stouter and a little longer than the second. 



Head elongated, constricted behind, except in Cylas ; eyes rounded, 

 small, not granulated; labrum wanting. 



Prothorax very elongate, truncate before and behind, without trace of 

 postocular lobes; turned into a peduncle behind, with a broad basal bead; 

 prosternum very long in front of the coxae; prosternal sutures entirely oblit- 

 erated; coxae separate in Brenthidce, conical, prominent, and contiguous in 

 Cylas ; in both the median suture behind the coxae is very evident. 



Mesosternum moderately long, side pieces diagonally divided, epimera 

 pointed in front, not attaining the base of the prothorax; coxae rounded, 

 separate (Brenthidce), nearly contiguous (Cylas). 



Metasternum very long, episterna narrow ; hind coxae transverse oval, 

 separated. 



Elytra elongate, covering entirely the pygidium, with a fold on the inner 

 surface close to the margin, which commences near the base, and diverges 

 obliquely near the tip, and extends to the sutural edge in Brenthidce, and 

 nearly there in Cylas. Wings well developed. 



Abdomen with five ventral segments, of which the first and second are 

 very long, and united by an indistinct suture; third and fourth short, fifth a 

 little longer, flat, rounded behind; sutures straight. Dorsal segments mem- 

 branous, except the last, which is corneous; anal segment of tf rather 

 large, rounded. The acute edge of the ventral segments and of the meta- 

 thorax is prominent and fits, as usual, into the elytral groove. 



Legs not slender, moderate in length; thighs clavate, front tibiae sinuate, 

 and obliquely grooved on the inner side in Brenthidce, and armed with a 

 hook on the outer tip, and a spine on the inner; middle and hind tibiae 

 truncate at tip, with two small fixed spurs. In Cylas the tibia? are all 

 slender, straight and not mucronate at tip. Tarsi spongy pubescent be- 

 neath, with the third joint bilobed. Claws large, simple and divergent, 

 except in Cylas, where they are small and connate at base. 



This highly specialized family is the last of those in which the male is 

 provided with an additional dorsal segment. The mouth organs vary to a 

 greater degree than they do in Curculionidie, though usually the mentum is 



