276 



FAMILY VIII. SILPHIDiE. 



The antennas are 11 -jointed and never elongate, the terminal joint 

 being flattened and oval at tip ; elytra more or less costate. but not 

 striate, the lateral margins reflexed. 



KEY TO INDIANA SPECIES OF SILPHA. 



a. Eyes large, prominent; form elongate; hind femora much stouter in 

 males. 539. subinamensis. 



ad. Eyes not prominent; form oval; hind femora similar in both sexes. 

 1). Labrum broadly emarginate ; third joint of antennae as long or longer 

 than the second. 



c. Thorax entirely black. 540. in^qualis. 



cc. Thorax with black disk and reddish-yellow margin. 



541. NOVEBOEACENSIS. 



Labrum deeply emarginate; third joint of antennae shorter than sec- 

 ond; form broadly oval. 542. Americana. 



*539 (1704). Silpha subinamensis Fab., Syst. Ent, 179S. 72. 



Moderately elongate, depressed. Black or piceous; elytra with narrow 

 subapical orange red cross-bar, often broken into spots, sometimes entirely 

 wanting. Thorax transversely oval, broadly flattened behind. Elytra gradu- 

 ally broader behind, apex obliquely truncate ; disk flat with three distinct 

 costae. Length 15-24 mm. 



Throughout the State; frequent. Hibernates as imago beneath 

 logs close to carrion. January 19-December 18. 



*540 (1708). Silpha in^equalis Fab., Spec. Ins., I, 1781, 87, 



Fig. 136. a, larva; d, same, natural size; /, g, h, mandible, 

 labium and maxilla of larva; i, j. anal process and antenna? of 

 same; m, one of the lateral processes more highly magnified; 

 b, pupa; e, same, natural size; I, anal process of same; c, 

 beetle; k, front tarsus of same. (After Riley.) 



Oval, slightly oblong, depressed. 

 Black, opaque. Thorax twice as 

 wide as long, narrowed in front, 

 base with a broad truncate lobe 

 at middle ; elytra very little long- 

 er than wide, rounded at -apex, 

 the disk with three costse, the 

 outer and . most distinct shorter 

 and terminating in a slight tuber- 

 cle one-third from apex. Length 

 10-14 mm. (Fig. 136.) 



Throughout the State ; com- 

 mon. Hibernates in different 



stages ; gregarious. January 16-November 4. 



