THE SHORT-WINGED SCAVENGE!! BEETLES. 



375 



Throughout the State ; frequent. April 6- July 19. Occurs on 

 decaying fungi and carrion. 



XXXII. Staphylinus Linn. 1758. (Gr., "a kind of insect.") 



Usually large, robust species, having the middle coxal cavities 

 always separated, sometimes very narrowly, by the mesosternum ; 

 head as wide as or wider than thorax ; abdomen more or less taper- 

 ing; color brown or dull black. Of the 22 species listed from the 

 United States the following are known from or probably occur in 

 Indiana : 



KEY TO INDIANA SPECIES OF STAPHYLINUS. 



a. Head suborbicular, its hind angles rounded ; sides of thorax behind the 

 middle sinuate ; scutellum pubescent, not velvety. 

 I). Constriction of neck not deeply impressed above; abdomen entirely 

 black, its segments beneath densely punctured and with golden 

 pubescence along their front margins. 717. badipes. 



6&. Constriction of neck deep above and with golden pubescence; abdo- 

 men beneath very sparsely punctate. erythropterus. 

 aa. Head usually suhtri angular, suddenly narrowed behind, its hind angles 

 obtusely prominent; sides of thorax curved behind the middle, never 

 sinuate; scutellum velvety. 

 c. Thorax densely and regularly punctured over the entire surface, ex- 

 cept at times a smooth median line. 

 d. Front half of abdominal segments beneath densely and finely punc- 

 tate and clothed with golden pubescence. 



e. Abdominal segments above with golden pubescence at base and 



sides ; elytra uniform reddish-brown. 718. vulpinus. 



ee. Abdominal segments above with double row of dark velvety 

 spots at middle ; elytra brown with elongate fuscous spots. 



719. maculosus. 



dd. Front half of abdominal segments beneath not or but little more 

 densely punctate than apical half and without golden pubes- 

 cence. 



f. Thorax subopaque, very densely punctate, the pubescence very 



evident. 



g. Elytra brownish or piceous ; tip of abdomen always paler. 

 h. Eyes normal ; femora piceous ; thorax without smooth me- 

 dian line. 720. mysticus. 

 hh. Eyes large, two-thirds the length of head ; femora pale yel- 

 lowish above, piceous beneath. femoratus. 

 go. Elytra black, sometimes with golden spot ; abdomen wholly 

 black. 



I. Abdomen above with a double row of small velvety spots; 



elytra entirely black, simply punctate. 721. tomentosus. 

 it. Abdomen above without velvety spots; elytra usually with 

 a large golden pubescent spot, roughly punctate. 



722. fossator. 



