182 KHYNCHOPHORA. [TrctchypJiloeus. 



TRACHYPHLCEUS, Germar. 



This is a very obscure and difficult genus, containing about fifty 

 species, which are chiefly found _in Europe and Northern and Southern 

 Africa ; the genus is also represented in North America ; its members 

 are short and stout, brown, grey or sandy-coloured insects, which live on 

 and at the roots of low plants ; they are often coated with a crusted 

 covering, which in colour just resembles the ground they are found on, 

 so that they easily escape observation ; they are chiefly found in sandy 

 places near the coast : the following are their most important distinguish- 

 ing characters: form short, obovate, antennas short and thick with a 

 stout scape, inserted near apex of rostrum, scrobes rarely visible from 

 above ; thorax strongly transverse, constricted in front; elytra oval or 

 subglobose, usually with erect scale-like seta3 ; legs short and robust, 

 femora simple, tarsi short. 



About one-third of the European species occur in Britain : it is very 

 hard to tabulate them satisfactorily as some of the characters are not 

 very evident, and it really requires a comparison with authentic speci- 

 mens to name them with any accuracy ; their differences are very easily 

 seen if the insects are placed side by side. 



I. Anterior tibiae without special spines and not 



digitate or produced at apex, 

 i. Second ventral segment of abdomen longer than 



the next two united ; elytra with well marked 



impunctate or almost impunctate striae . . . . T. MYiiMECOPHiLUS, Seidl. 

 ii. Second ventral segment of abdomen shorter than 



or equal to the next two united ; elytra with the 

 striae more or less distinctly punctured. 



1. Sides of thorax obtusely angled ; raised scale- 

 like hairs of elytra very coarse ; second ventral 



segment shorter than the next two united . . T. ARISTATUS, Gyll. 



2. Sides of thorax rounded ; raised scale-like hairs 

 of elytra comparatively fine ; second ventral 



segment equal to the next two united . . . . T. SQUAMULATUS, 01. 



II. Anterior tibise with spines at or near apex or pro- 



duced and digitate at apex. 



i. Size larger ; scrobes plainly visible from above . T. SCABER, L. 

 ii. Size smaller; scrobes scarcely, if at all, visible 

 from above. 



1. Stria? of elytra distinct. 



A. Rostrum furrowed ; thorax with a more or 

 less distinct central furrow, sometimes ob- 

 solete T. SCABUICULUS, L. 



B. Rostrum and thorax even T, LATICOILIS, Boli. 



2. Striae of elytra very faint; upper surface with 



a close crusted covering. 



A. Elytra with a scanty series of small clubbed 

 scale-like setae on each interstice ; anterior 

 tibiae with three pointed teeth, the central one 



forked at apex T. sriNiMANUS, Germ. 



B. Elytra with a series of clubbed scale-like setaj 



