SPH^ERITES. NECROPHORUS. 1 1 3 



Fam. 18. SILPHIDiE Leach. 



cxlv. Sph^erites Body ovate : elytra wide, obliquely truncate at the tip : 

 abdomen with apex exposed : head angulated, deeply inserted in tho., which 

 is transverse, deeply notched in front, and waved behind : ant. short, basal 

 joint large; club solid, 4-jointed, ovate, obtuse: mand. deflexed, tip sharply 

 2-dentate : labrum rounded : maxillae with an inner horny tooth. 



cxlvi. Necrophorus Body elongate : elytra abruptly truncate, with a deep 

 marginal groove : abdomen with the apex exposed : head with a distinct 

 neck : tho. rather orbiculate, rounded behind : ant. short, slender at the 

 base, terminated by an abrupt, ovate, 4-jointed perfoliate club : maxilla 

 unarmed : £ with ante?: tarsi dilated. 



cxlvii. Necrodes Body elongate-oval : elytra obliquely truncate at tip, with 

 3 dorsal ridges : abdomen with tip slightly exposed : head with a distinct 

 neck : tho. orbicular : ant. rather long, gradually terminating in an elon- 

 gate 3-jointed club : maxilla with a claw : $ with poster, thighs thick and 

 sometimes toothed ; anter. and interm. tarsi dilated. 



cxlviii. Oiceoptoma Body oval, flattish : elytra not truncate at the apex, 

 ridged, of ^ sometimes with a notch at the tip : palpi with apical joint 

 slender : tho. nearly semicircular : head small : ant. slender at the base, 

 terminated by an abrupt 4-jointed club : $ with anter. tarsi dilated. 



cxlix. Silpha Body oval, slightly convex : elytra entire, ridged : tho. semi- 

 circular, mostly truncate in front : head small : palpi with apical joint 

 slender : ant. gradually increasing from base to apex, the 4 terminal joints 

 forming an obtuse club : $ with anter. tarsi dilated. 



cl. Phosphuga Body oval or somewhat orbicular : elytra entire, ridged : 

 tho. semicircular, abruptly truncate behind : head narrow : palpi with 

 apical joint rather slender : ant. slender, gradually increasing to the apex, 

 the 3 terminal joints forming an obtuse club : c? with anter. tarsi dilated. 



(cli. Agyrtes Body ovate, convex : elytra entire : tho. narrowed in front : 

 max. palpi with apical joint robust : ant. short, 4 terminal joints forming 

 a slight club : thighs compressed; tibia spinose and ciliated.) 



(clii. Peltis Body ovate : elytra entire, flat, ridged : max. palpi somewhat 

 clavate : ant. as long as the thorax, basal joint dilated ; 3 terminal joints 

 large, perfoliated, remote.) 



145 Sph^erites Duftschmid. 



899 glabratus Duft. i. 206. — Ste. M. v. 406. — His. glabratus Stu. D. 

 F. i. pi. xx. — Rounded, ovate ; black : above brassy-black, with a green- 

 ish tinge, very glossy and glabrous ; head and thorax very delicately 

 punctured ; elytra regularly and rather finely punctate striate ; legs pitchy- 

 black. (L. 2 1.) Scotland: 7. 



146 Necrophorus Fabrieius. 



900 germanicus L. ii. 569. — Cur. ii. pi. 71. — Ste. M. iii. 16 Black; 



forehead with a 3-angular tawny-yellow spot; outer margin of the elytra 

 broadly rusty-red ; club 'of the antennas deep black. (L. 13-16^ 1, ) 

 Carcases, Moushold Heath, Norwich ; banks of Thames above Windsor ; 

 Lord Abingdon's woods, near Oxford : 3-6. 



901 Humator Oliv. ii. 8. pi. 1. f. 2 Ste. M. iii. 17 Black, the outer 



margin of the elytra concolorous, or slightly fuscous ; club of antennas 

 orange. Elytra when not quite mature with a reddish spot towards the 

 apex, forming the Ne. bimaculatus Ent. Tr. (Har.) i. pi. 2. fig. sup, 

 (L. 8-14 1.) Common, everywhere, in carcases, fungi, &c. : 3-7. 



902 Sepultor Gyll. iv. 308. — Ste. M. iii. 17. pi. xvi. f. 1. — Black : thorax 

 considerably dilated in front, the margin densely clothed with a bright golden- 



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