272 MANDIBULATA. COLEOPTERA. 



Family LXIX.— STENID.E, Mac Lcay. 



Head exserted, generally united by a distinct neck to the thorax, the latter 

 mostly rounded or cordate^ frequently globose, or depressed, and longitudi- 

 nally sculptured. Antennas moderate, filiform, or gradually increasing in 

 thickness from the base to the apex : palpi various ; maxillary longer than 

 the head, with the terminal joint minute or elongate ; or shorter, with the 

 terminal joint distinct : lahrum entire, or slightly denticulated in front, very 

 rarely bilobed : mandibles powerful, strongly denticulated within : ei/es 

 large, globose, or small and orbicular : body elongate, slender, sometimes 

 immarginate : legs slender ; tibia simple or spinose on their outer edge ; tarsi 

 either pentamerous, or three or four-articulate. 



This family is probably divisible into two, corresponding very 

 nearly with the primary divisions of the subjoined table, — in which 

 the leading external characters of the genera are concisely noticed, — 

 the first group having the tarsi five-jointed, and the apical joint of 

 the maxillary palpi minute or elongate ; and the second having the 

 tarsi three or fovir-jointed, with the terminal joint of the palpi dis- 

 tinct. In the first group, again, the mandibles are generally very 

 powerful, being strongly denticulated within, and acute at their 

 apex ; the eyes are also in some genera remarkably large and pro- 

 minent ; and these insects are usually found in damp places on the 

 borders of rivers, while those of the second division frequent either 

 sandy estuaries of the ocean, or inhabit dung and putrid fungi, though 

 most of them prefer sandy situations. 



Tarsi 5-articulati : (StenidjE.) 



Tibia anteriores baud externe denticulatee. 

 Pa^pi filiformes. 



Oculi mediocres, aut parvi. 

 Tarsi articulate 4to integro. 

 Palpi articulo ultimo minuto. 

 Thorax subquadratus. 

 Zo6r2<m antice denticulatum : . • 521. Medok. 

 integrum: . . . 522. SuNius. 

 Thorax antice attenuatus : . . . 524. Ru&ilus. 

 Palpi articulo ultimo elongate- subulato : . 536. T.enosoma. 

 Tarsi articulo 4to bifido. 



r/iO?aa? subdepressus : .... 523. Astenus. 

 valde-convexus : . . - 525. P^derus. 



