( i8o ) 



CHAPTER X. 



POLYMORPHA (continued} MALACODERMATA. 



THIS is a large group, containing an assemblage of insects difficult of 

 definition. The only families here considered are the Malacodermidae, 

 Cleridae, and Lymexylonidae. 



Family MALACODERMIDAE. 



The general form of malacoderm beetles will be known to many, 

 owing to the fact that the family includes the common so-called firefly 

 (Luciola) of the tropics and sub-tropical regions. It contains numerous 

 forest forms, but their life histories and habits require further close investi- 

 gation before their exact importance can be determined. 



The beetles are easily recognized, owing to the fact that the outer 

 covering of the insect is soft, instead of being hard as 

 Beetle. in most Coleoptera, the elytra having a leathery con- 



sistency and usually fitting but loosely together, the 



insect being elongate and flat in shape, and often dull yellow or brown in 

 colour, although red appears in the family. The head, which is usually 

 hidden beneath the prothorax, bears pectinate antennae (the articulations 

 sometimes modified), the tarsi are five-jointed, and six to eight ventral 

 segments of the abdomen are visible. 



In some instances the females are wingless and have the appearance of 

 broad, flat larvae, or the shape of the beetle with short, ill-developed wings. 



Little appears to be known about the larvae of this family. Members of 



the division or sub-family Lampyrinae are luminous in 



Larva. some cases. The large, flat, leaf-like larva to be found 



in the Himalaya, furnished with a small arc lamp at one 



end of its body, must be known to most foresters serving in that part of India. 

 These larvae are excellently described by Lefroy in Indian Insect Life 

 (pp. 321-322). The so-called "fireflies" seen flitting about amongst trees 

 and shrubs and low jungle, more especially during the monsoon months, 

 are species of Lycinae, by name Diaphanes marginella, Ho., Luciola gorhami, 

 Kits., and L. ovalis, Ho. 



The forest species of this family in some cases feed on the leaves of 

 trees, and perhaps also on the flowers, whilst others are predaceous, and 



