24-4 SERIES n. — CLAVICORXIA. 



mentary portions remain, other families of scavengers succeed., 

 namely, the skin-beetles. Dermestidse, and the bone-beetiLes, Xecrobii 

 and Xitidulae. which adhere to the dried carcass as long as any 

 vestige of animal matter remains. ' ' 



The following families of this sniiseries are represented in In- 

 diana: 



KEY TO FAMILIES OF PE^'TAS1EK.\ CLAVICOB>"IA. 



a. Ventral segments all free and movable. 

 6. Mentum large, the palpi distant at base. 



c. Eyes present ; habits ;iquatlc or subaquatic ; mentum quadrate, its 

 hind angles not prolonged; antennfe -^hort. rii- less than eleven- 

 jointed; maxillary palpi as long as or longer than the antennse. 



Family VI. HYDBOPHii.iD.i:, p. 247. 

 cc: Eyes wanting ; habits terrestrial ; mentum transverse, its hind an- 

 gles prolonged ; antenn£e rather Ion?, eleven-jointed, its outer 

 joints but slightly thicker. Family VII. Leptixidj, j>. 271. 



66. Mentum moderate or small, the palpi close tosether at base. 

 (7. Front cox^e conical. 



e. Front c-oxje transvei-sely prolonged at middle, but slightly promi- 

 nent; thorax (in our species i serrate at margin; abdomen with 

 Hve visible segments, the first not eh^ngated; antenna? with the 

 last three joints somewhat but not suddenly enlarged; length 

 less than 5.'j mm. Family XXX. Debodontid.e. p. ImO. 



rr. Front cox.L- large, prominent, not transversely prolonged at mid- 

 dle. 

 f. Hind cfix;!:; more or less conical and prominent. 

 g. Eyes finely granulated, sometimes absent ; hind coxie usually 

 contiguous; antermse usually with a compact club, but 

 oftentimes nearly filiform (burying and carrion beetles). 

 Family VIII. Silphidje, p. 272. 

 f/'i. Eyes coarsely granulated; hind coxie seiiarated: length less 

 than 3 mm. Family IX. Sltdm-Exid.e. p. 2!tl. 



ff. Hind C'xie not prominent. 



Ii. Auteume long, slenrlor. simetiim-; hair-like: i-lytra shorter 



than alidonien. the latter thick, conical, and i>ointed. its 



1.1SI vciiti-al elongate: tarsi long and slender: length Ies~ 



tlian .J mm. Family XIII. SrAPHioiiD.E. p. 40(;». 



Iili. Antennae mi derate in length, capitate: hind 'OXje ^rmoved 



for the n.'eption of the thi^rlis in reiMise; bexly usually 



^ealy nr pubes.eut: el.vtra entiie; length li'-s than lir mm. 



Family XXIV. DER\ri;>TiD.E. p. "^7. 



liil. Front coxae not conical, not prominent. 



i. Front coxfe rounded or oval. 



/. Hind ooxfe not grooved to re.nive the thighs. 

 J:. Hind coxre contiguous: bi.dy very compact and convex, ely- 

 tra entirely covering it : antenna? with a three-jointed club ; 

 length less than " ram. 



Family XIV. Phaiacbid.e. p. 407. 



