244 



SERIES II. CLAVICORNIA. 



mentary portions remain, other families of scavengers succeed, 

 namely, the skin-beetles. DermestioV. and the bone-beetles, Necrobii 

 and Nitidulse, which adhere to the dried carcass as long as any 

 vestige of animal matter remains. ' ' 



The following families of this subseries are represented in In- 

 diana : 



KEY TO FAMILIES OF PENTAMEKA CLAVICORNIA. 



a. Ventral segments all free and movable. 

 &. Mentnm large, the palpi distant at base. 



c. Eyes present ; habits aquatic or subaquatic ; mentnm quadrate, its 



hind angles not prolonged ; antennas short, or less than eleven- 

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



Family VI. Hydrophilid.f. p. 247. 

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

 gles prolonged; antennas rather long, eleven -jointed, its outer 

 joints but slightly thicker. Family VII. Leptindlf. p. 271. 



blj. Mentum moderate or small, the palpi close together at base. 



d. Front coxae conical. 



e. Front coxae transversely prolonged at middle, but slightly promi- 

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

 five visible segments, the first not elongated; antennas with the 

 last three joints somewhat but not suddenly enlarged; length 

 less than 3.5 mm. Family XXX. Derodonthlf, p. 670. 



ee. Front eoxas large, prominent, not transversely prolonged at mid- 

 dle. 



/. Hind coxae more or less conical and prominent. 

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

 contiguous; antennas usually with a compact club, but 

 oftentimes nearly filiform (burying and carrion beetles). 



Family VIII. Silphid.e, p. 272. 

 gg. Eyes coarsely granulated ; hind coxas separated; length less 

 than 3 mm. Family IX. Scydvfenid.e. p. 291. 



ff. Hind coxas not prominent. 



li. Antennas long, slender, sometimes hair-like; elytra shorter 

 than abdomen, the latter thick, conical, and pointed, its 

 last ventral elongate ; tarsi long and slender ; length less 

 than 5 mm. Family XIII. Scaphidiid.e. p. 490. 



lilt. Antennas moderate in length, capitate; hind coxas grooved 

 for the reception of the thighs in repose; body usually 

 scaly or pubescent ; elytra entire ; length less than 10 mm. 



Family XXIV. Dermestiike. p. 587. 

 fid, Front coxas not conical, not prominent. 

 L Front coxas rounded or oval. 

 j. Hind coxas not grooved to receive the thighs. 

 7c. Hind coxas contiguous ; body very compact and convex, ely- 

 tra entirely covering it; antennas with a three-jointed club; 

 lengih less than 3 mm. 



Family XIV. Phalackid.f. p. 497. 



