84 STAPHYLINID^. 



PROTEINUS, Latreille. 



P. limbatus, Makl. (Bull. Soc. Imp. Nat. Mosc, 1852, ii. 323). 

 P.crenulat'us, Pand. (Mat. Cat. Gren., 1867, 169). P.mdklini, Fauv. (Bull. 

 Soc. Ent. Fr., 1868, 494). Allied to F. brachyptems, F., but blacker, 

 and more shining, with the base of the antenna? darker, and the thorax 

 narrower ; in the male the basal joint of the anterior tarsus is dilated 

 and elongate, as long as the other four joints taken together; the 

 middle tiloia is slightly curved, and its inner margin is armed along the 

 anterior edge with a series of distinct crenulations. Dr. Sharp, who 

 hasi-ecently introduced the species as British (Ent. Mo. Mag. xlv. (2Ser. 

 XX.) 1909, 268), says that it differs from its allies, inasmuch as the male 

 patella is formed by the elongation of the basal joint, whereas in P. hrevi- 

 collis the basal two joints are involved, and in P. hrcicliyjiterus the 

 patella is altogether smaller. The greatly elongated first joint of the 

 anterior tarsus is the principal distinguishing character. L. 1^ mm. 



Nethy Bridge, Scotland ; two specimens in 1906, and two in 1907. 

 The nomenclature of the species is doubtful. T have followed the 

 latest European catalogue, but probably the name should stand as 

 P. creymlatus, as the characters of the typical P. limhatus appear not to 

 have been satisfactorily defined. 



MICROPEPLUS, Latreille. 



I have previously (Vol. ii., p. 217) included the Micropeplidse under 

 the Clavicornia, and placed them between the Histeridse iOnthopMlus) 

 and Nitidulida^, and I still think that it is doubtful whether their 

 affinities are not rather towards the last-named family than to the 

 Staphylinidpe ; as, however, they are placed under the Staphylinidse by 

 Ganglbauer, Sharp, and other leading authorities, it is best to retain 

 them in this position. The larva of Micropeplus is very peculiar, but, 

 as Ganglbauer points out, it bears an analogy to that of Syntomiuvi, and 

 the formation of the ninth segment agrees rather with that of a Staphy- 

 linid than a Nitidulid larva. The formation of the anterior coxaj agrees 

 with that of Proteinus, and the antennfe, with their knobbed three- 

 jointed club (which has chiefly brought about the idea that the genus 

 should be placed with the Nitidulida^), are not considered by Ganglbauer 

 to differ fundamentally from those of the other Staphylinidfe, except in 

 the fact that the three vertical joints are soldered together in this 

 formation. It must, however, be admitted that the general appearance 

 is rather Nitidulid than Staphylinid. 



The members of the genus are almost entirely of northern distribu- 

 tion in both hemispheres ; and Dr. Sharp, in describing one from 

 Guatemala, expresses his surprise at a species having been discovered so 

 far south. 



M. cselatus, Er. (Kiif. Mark. Brand., i. G47 ; Gen. Spec. Staph. 

 912). Closely allied to M. porcatus, F., but shorter, broader, more 

 convex, and more shining, and further distinguished by having the head 



