1900.] Catalogue of tlic Cohoptera of South Africa. 369 



Sub-Family APHODIIN^. 



Buccal organs hidden from above by the clypeus ; ligula mem- 

 branaceous, bi-lobate, not always projecting beyond the mentum ; 

 maxillary lobes membranaceous but sometimes horny and dentate ; 

 antennae nine-jointed, club thick, tri-jointed ; body oblong ; elytra 

 covering in nearly all cases the abdomen, which is six-jointed, with 

 the segments sometimes fused {Harmog aster) or hardly free (Liparo- 

 cliirus, Syhax) ; intermediate coxae oblique but not far apart in the 

 posterior part ; metathoracic epimera not visible ; posterior legs with 

 two apical spurs. 



In all the South African species the labrum is hidden. I have 

 placed the genus Aulonocnemis , which has a short labrum and 

 arcuate horny mandibles not projecting beyond the labrum, in the 

 Coprmce, owing to the remoteness of the intermediate coxae, and 

 also other minor characters, and Chiron is sufficiently distinct from 

 the Aphodiince to become the type of a new sub-family. 



The species of AphocliincB mostly live in excrements, and deposit 

 their eggs therein. Some are found in vegetable .mould, or in 

 sandy spots, but the singular Coryphoderus marshalli is found in 

 white ants' nests. The habits of Notolaucus are not known, but. 

 Syhax lives also in dung. 



Key to the Species. 



A^. Lobe of maxillae not dentate inwardly. 



B3. Prothorax neither grooved, carinate, nor foveate. 



C3. Anterior tibiss obliquely truncate inwardly, and bi- 

 dentate outwardly in the male. 



Inner spur of anterior tlbiee set at about the median 



part of the tibia Harmodactylus. 



C-. Anterior tibise obliquely truncate inwardly, and tri- 

 dentate outwardly in both sexes. 

 D4. Apical spur of anterior tibiae long, curving outwardly 

 in both sexes. 



Body oblong, little convex {Apliodms), convex {A7n- 

 mcecms), eighth stria not reaching the base ; inter- 

 vals smooth or convex or sharply carinate [Oxyomtis) ; 

 pygidium covered by the elytra, or not entirely 

 {Colobopterus) Aphodius. 



D3. Apical spur curving inwardly in both sexes. 



Base of genae projecting much at right angles with 



the eye Aphodohiiis. 



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