oLJ 



590. 



PYROCHROA COCCINEA. 



The Cardinal Beetle. 



Order Coleoptera. Fam. Pyrochroidae. 



Type of the Genus, Pyrochroa rubens Fab. 

 Pyrochroa Geoff., Fab., Lat., GylL, Curt. — Cantharis Linn. 



Antenna inserted before the eyes, rather short, pectinated in- 

 ternally in the males, 11-jointed, basal joint elongate- ovate, 

 2nd short obovate, 3rd and 4th large somewhat obtrigonate, 

 the remainder of similar shape, vdxh the internal apex consider- 

 ably produced in the males (6), apical joint the longest, slightly 

 clavate and cun'ed. 



Labrum transverse, semiorbicular, slightly emarginate and ci- 

 liated with hairs and bristles (1). 



Mandibles broad, narrowed, curved and bifid at the apex, A^ith 

 a leathery ciliated lobe on the inside (2). 



Maxilla small, the internal lobe a little falcate and cilated, the 

 other larger, ovate and very pubescent. Palpi porrected, rather 

 large, pubescent and 4-jouited, basal joint smaU, truncated ob- 

 liquely, 2nd long stout clavate and pilose, 3rd shorter and 

 hatchet-shaped, 4th as large as the 2nd compressed, somewhat 

 ovate-conic, narrowed at the base (3). 



Mentum lunate. Lip rather elongated, subcordate, deeply cleft 

 and pubescent. Palpi short and slender, attached to large glo- 

 bose scapes at the base of the lip, composed of 3 oblong joints, 

 basal one a little the longest, 3rd rather the shortest, slightly 

 obtrigonate, being truncated (4). 

 Depressed. Head, trigonate, with a short narrow neck : eyes lateral, 

 oblique, kidney -shaped. Thorax transverse-ovate : scutellum small 

 and subtrigonate. Elytra very long and broad, a little dilated be- 

 yond the middle, the apex rounded. Wings very ample. Legs mo- 

 derate ; tibiae slightly clavate, spurs very minute : tarsi .5, 5 and 

 4-Jointed, basal joint rather the longest in the hinder pair (of), 2nd 

 and 3rd obtrigonate, 4th cup-shaped and bilobed, oth elongated, 

 slender and clavate : claws simple and curved (5, afore leg). 



CoccixEA Linn. — Curt. Guide, Gen. 279. 2. 



Shining black ; upper side of thorax and elytra intense scarlet 

 and densely pubescent ; a curved ferruginous mark between 

 the eyes. 



In the Author's and other Cabinets. 



From Ahrens' observations published in Silbermann's Revue, 

 we learn that the larvae of P. coccinea are found under the 

 bark of Birch-trees and in the trunks of decayincj Oaks ; some 

 are full grown in April, whilst others have not attained halt 



