﻿278 



COLEOPTERA 



phorous series, with which it lias, however, no direct connection. 

 On the other hand, it is so closely connected with Chrysomelidae 

 that it is not possible to indicate good characters to distinguish 

 the two at present. The Australian genus Carpophagus, and the 

 large South American species of Caryoborus appear to be quite 

 indistinguishable as families, though Lacordaire and Chapuis 

 placed one in Bruchidae, the other in Chrysomelidae. The 

 definition we have given applies, therefore, to the majority of the 

 family, but not to the aberrant forms just mentioned. The 

 European genus Urodon appears to belong to Anthribidae, not to 

 Bruchidae. The family Bruchidae is called Mylabridae by some. 

 Fam. 78. Chrysomelidae. — -Antennae moderately long ; eyes 

 moderately large, usually not at all surrounding the insertion of the 

 antennae ; upper surface usually bare, frequently brightly coloured 

 and shining. This enormous family comprises about 18,000 

 species of beetles, in which the form and details of structure 

 are very varied. No satisfactory character for distinguishing 

 5 Chrysomelidae from Cerambycidae has 



yet been discovered, although the two 

 families are certainly distinct and 

 natural. Most of the Chrysomelidae 

 live on foliage ; few of them are more 

 than half an inch long, whereas the 

 Cerambycidae are wood - feeders and 

 usually of more elongate form and larger 

 size. The potato beetle, or Colorado beetle, 

 that occasioned so much destruction in 

 North America some thirty years ago, and 

 the introduction of which into Europe 

 was anticipated with much dread, is a 

 good example of the Chrysomelidae. The 

 turnip flea, a tiny hopping beetle, is 

 among the smallest forms of the family, 



Fig. 142. — Doryphora 

 lineata, the potato 



decern- 

 beetle. 



North America, a imago ; and ig ft meml)er f another very exten- 



B, hind -tarsus. 3, third 

 joint ; 4, true fourth joint ; 

 5, so-called fourth joint. 



sive subdivision of Chrysomelidae, viz. 



Halticides. The term Phytophaga is 

 by many naturalists limited to Chrysomelidae, the Cerambycidae 

 being excluded. The classification of the family is but little 

 advanced, but the enormous number of species of Chrysomelidae 

 are placed in four divisions, viz. : — 



