SphindidiB.'] SBRRICORNIA. 203 



SPHINDIDJE. 



This small family, which only contains three or four genera and a very 

 few species, is one of the most difficult to locate with any certainty ; the 

 tarsi, in the females at least, are heteromerous, and in some respects it bears 

 a relation to certain Tenebrionidae, and may very probably be finally 

 classed with the Heteromera ; its affinities, however, with the Cissida) 

 and Bostrichidaj are so great that further consideration is necessary 

 before relegating it to that group ; in the catalogue of Heyden, Reitter, 

 ami Weise it is placed with Aspiiliphorus as a tribe of the Bostrichidiu, 

 and just before the Lyctidae ; in one or two points, such as the elongate 

 first ventral segment of the abdomen, Spldndus appears to agree with 

 Lyctus, but Aspidiphorus appears rather to belong to the Byrrhidae ; 

 Perris, however, has pointed out that the larvae of SpMndvt and Aspidi- 

 phonis are very closely related, the difference being chiefly one of colour, 

 the former having the thorax black with a central whitish line, and the 

 other segments ornamented with a transverse band interrupted in middle, 

 and the latter having the head alone black, the thorax reddish, and the 

 of the body dull white or livid. 



Dr. Horn says that the affinities of the family seem to be equally 

 divt-rgent in a Clavicorn and Serricorn direction, and that it seems mostly 

 related to the Cissidie ; perhaps the best position that can be assigned 

 to it is between the Cissidae and Lyctidae. The following are some of 

 the chief characters that distinguish the family : Head short, prolonged 

 in front, antenna; 10-jointed, with the first two joints enlarged and the 

 last three forming a rather strong club, maxillae with two narrow ciliate 

 lobes ; thorax margined at sides ; anterior coxal cavities closed ; elytra 

 covering abdomen ; abdomen with five free ventral segments, the first 

 being longer than those that succeed it ; legs moderate, tibiae arcuate, 

 tarsi shorter than tibiae, 5-jointed in the male, anterior and middle pair 

 5-jointed and posterior pair 4-jointed in the female,* the last joint 

 being as long as the others united. The species belonging to the family 

 are very small, and live on small black powdery fungi that grow on 

 trees. 



SPHXNDTTS, Chevrolat. 



This genus contains three species, two of which occur in Europe, and 

 the third inhabits North America ; our single species is extremely local, 

 and has only been met with in a few localities. 



8. dublua, Gyll. Oblong, convex, somewhat depressed on disc, 

 black, with the antennae and legs ferruginous or reddish-testaceous ; 

 head broad, produced before eyes, which are prominent, lim-ly and 



* It is possible that, as far as this character is concerned, the sexes should be 

 reversed (cf. Rhi~i>phagus) ; Dr. iloru gives the tarsi of hoth sexes as heteromerous. 



