682. 

 DERMESTES LARDARIUS. 



Order Coleoptera. Fam. Dermestidae. 



Type of the Genus, Dermestes lardarius Linn. 



Dermestes Linn., Fab., Lat., Gyll., Curt. 



AntenntE inserted before the eyes on each side of the clypeus, a 

 little longer than the head, capitate, pilose, 11 -jointed, basal 

 joint rather stout, subpyriform, 5 following slender, subglobose, 

 7th and 8th somewhat saucer-shaped, tlie latter the broadest, 

 the remainder forming a broad compressed club, most produced 

 on the inside, 9th joint the largest, semiorbicular, 10th nearly 

 as large and similar in form, 11th smaller and somewhat orbi- 

 cular-ovate (6). 



Labrum projecting from under the clypeus, with a broad short 

 membrane at the base, transverse, emarginate in the centre, pu- 

 bescent and hairy (1). 



Mandibles short and thick, broad and emarginate at the apex, 

 forming 2 short acute teeth, pubescent and membranous inside 

 (2). 



Maxilla terminated by a longish, densely pubescent lobe, with 

 a smaller one inside, furnished with a strong short hook. Palpi 

 short filiform and 4-jointed, basal joint short, 2nd and 3rd some- 

 what obconic-truncate, with a few bristles outside, 4th longer 

 elliptical and truncated (3). 



Mentum oblong, rounded and pilose before. Labium rather large 



and cordate, the margin ciliated. Palpi triarticulate, attached 



to large scapes at the base of the lip, basal joint small oval, 2nd 



stouter, obovate-truncate, the apex bristly, 3rd joint the longest, 



incurved, ovate (4). 



Head nutant, small and ovate ; clypeus narroived : eyes small globose 



and prominent. Thorax semiovate, convex, anterior margin concave, 



posterior convex or slightly bisiniiated, sides with a fine margin : 



antepectus not advancing to the mouth : scutel rather moderate, tri- 



gonate. Elytra elliptical, convex, thrice as long as the thorax. Wings 



ample. Legs moderate, anterior the shortest : thighs thickish : tibiae 



compressed, with short rigid bristles outside, apex truncated, with a 



short curved tooth at the interior angle of the anterior, the others 



with small spurs: tarsi slender, 5-jointed, very pubescent beneath, 



the 4 basal joints short in all the feet, 5th longer and clavate : claws 



strong, curved and forming a tooth at the base (5, afore leg). 



Laedarius Linn. — Curt. Guide, Gen. 291. 3. 



Brownish-black, clothed with short depressed pubescence, thickly 

 and minutely punctured : antennse castaneous, club ferruginous, 

 hairs on the face ochreous : thorax with ochreous spots formed 

 of hairs, basal half of elytra castaneous, densely clothed with 

 ochreous pubescence, leaving the base and a transverse line of 

 spots naked and castaneous : legs piceous. 



In the Author s and other Cabinets. 



In more southern latitudes the larvae of these insects commit 

 great ravages amongst the dried skins of animals, anatomical 



