864 FAMILY XLIII. PTINTD.E. 



Subfamily I. PTININAE, 



Our members of this subfamily are small-sized species having 

 the antennjE inserted on the front and more or less approximate at 

 base, rather long and moderately stout, filiform or feebly serrate, 

 11-jointed. Head and thorax small, the latter without side mar- 

 gins, the disk frequentty swollen or tuberculate. Elytra much 

 wider than thorax, usually oval or globose. Legs long, not con- 

 tractile, with trochanters in the axils of the thighs ; tibise with two 

 small or minute terminal spurs ; tarsal claws simple, strongly di- 

 vergent. Representatives of but two of the eight genera have as 

 yet been taken in Indiana, though those of one other should occur. 



KEY TO INDIANA GENEKA OE PTININ^. 



a. Elytra not punctured, polished, widely embracing the abdomen at the 

 sides; ventral surface about one-third the width of elytra. 

 6. I-Iead and thorax entirely glabrous; eyes subfrontal ; ventral seg- 

 ments four. GiBBIUM. 



66. Head and thorax densely covered with small scales and scale-like 

 hairs ; eyes on sides of head ; thorax tuberculate ; ventral segments 

 five. I. Mezium. 



Off. Elytra with rows of punctures, pubescent, much less widely embracing 

 the abdomen, parallel in males, oval in some females; ventral sur- 

 face nearly equal in width to elytra ; eyes large ; thorax strongly con- 

 stricted behind. II. Ptinus. 



Gibhium p^ylloides Czemp., upper surface glabrous, under sur- 

 face with dense short, yellomsh hairs, occurs in houses from Vir- 

 ginia to California. 



I. jMezium C'artis. 1828. 



Small species having the eyes very small, elliptical, fiat and 

 widely separated; entire surface except the elytra densely clothed 

 with pale yellow scales and scale-like hairs; elji;ra smooth, much 

 inflated, highly polished ; last antennal joint but little longer than 

 tenth, oval, pointed; ventral surface greatly contracted, segments 

 one to four short; fifth equal to all the preceding united. One 

 species occurs throughout the United States. 



1649 (5236). Mezium americanum Lap., Hist. Nat. des Ooleop I 1837 

 297. 



Oval, the elytra subglubose. Dull yellow ; elytra piceous, shining Tho- 

 rax subcyllndrical, sulcate on middle of disk, sides with obtuse tubercles 

 Elytra very smooth, highly polished. Length 2.5-3 mm. 



Marion Oonntv; rare. June '2(i. \ sin-le specimen from box 

 which had contauied dried insects. Occurs in houses, where it is 

 said to breed in all soi'ts of driod animal substances. 



