Coleoptera. 33 



24. Front coxae with distinctly separated side-piece (trochantin). (Dascyllus.) 



DASCYLLIDJE 

 Front coxa? without trochantin 25 



25. Posterior coxae at most moderately dilated internally. (Cyphon) (PI. 7, figs. 



127, 129.) (CYPHONIDJE.) HELODnXE 



Posterior coxae very large. (Eucinetus.) EUCINETIDJ2 



26. Tarsi more or less dilated, the first joint not shortened, fourth joint very small; 



elytra usually not extending to the tip of the abdomen. (Carpophilus, 



Omosita, Nitidula) NITIDULIDyE 



Tarsi slender, metatarsus short; elytra entire, never truncate, covering the 

 abdomen. (Tenebridides, Peltis) (PL 7, fig. 135) (TROGOSITIDJE, 

 TEMNOCHILIDM.) OSTOMATIDJE 



27. First and second ventral segments fused or immovably united; antennas 



serrate (pectinate in the male of Xenorhepis; tarsi with membranous lobes 

 beneath; hard-bodied beetles, of more or less metallic color. (Chalcophora, 

 Chrysobothris [C. femorata, Flat-head orchard-borer], Buprestis, Agrilus) 



(PL 5, fig. 93.) BUPRESTDXS; 



All ventral segments free, except in very rare cases 28 



28. Prosternum prolonged behind into a process which is received in the meso- 



sternum v ... 29 



Prosternum without such backwardly directed process 31 



29. Prothorax loosely joined to the mesothorax, freely movable, its hind angles 



usually prolonged backward into teeth; prosternal spine loosely received in 

 a notch in the mesosternum; front coxal cavities contained entirely in 



the prosternum 30 



Prothorax firmly attached, not movable; front coxal cavities closed behind by 

 the mesosternum. (Drapetes, Thr6scus.) THROSCID^E 



30. Labrum visible; prosternum lobed in front; beetles capable of moving the 



prothorax by its basal joint with a sudden clicking motion. Click- beetles, 

 Wireworm beetles. (Alaus, Elater, Melandtus, Drasterius, Limdnius) (PL 



7, fig. 126, 128.) ELATERnXE 



Labrum concealed; prosternum not lobed in front; antennae inserted on the 

 front, somewhat distant from the eyes; not able to leap by the prothoracic 

 joint. (F6rnax, Microrhagus) .EUCNEMHX/E 



31. Hind coxae in contact; body very small, convex, oval or rounded-oval. 



(Phalacrus, Olibrus.) PHALACRHXE 



Hind coxae not in contact, although closely approximate in certain very much 

 flattened species 32 



32. Elytra shortened, leaving two segments of the abdomen uncovered, antennae 



elbowed, very strongly clavate; tibiae compressed, front pair usually toothed. 



(Hister, Saprinus, Hololepta) (PL 7, fig. 141.) .mSTERID^ 



Elytra entire 33 



33. Tibiae dilated and toothed externally; large tropical beetles with strongly 



clubbed antennae. (Syntelia.) SYNTELIID.<E 



Tibiae simple or linear, at most the front pair somewhat dilated 34 



4 



