THE SHORT- WINGED SCAVENGER BEETLES. 



441 



LX. Palaminus Erichs. 1640. (Gr., "hand.") 



Small, slender, subcylindrical species, having the head broader 

 than long, its base truncate immediately behind the eyes ; antennae 

 slender, longer than head and thorax; last joint of maxillary palpi 

 relatively shorter and broader than in Pinophilus. Abdomen cylin- 

 drical, narrower than elytra, its sides not margined. 



846 (2592). Palaminus testaceus Erichs., Gen. Spec. Staph., 1840, 683. 

 Elongate, very slender. Pale reddish-yellow, shin- 

 ing, sparsely clothed with long yellowish hairs; abdo- 

 men reddish-brown ; antennas and legs pale yellow. 

 Head rounded in front, coarsely and sparsely punc- 

 tate. Thorax subquadrate, slightly wider than long, 

 sides rounded into base, which is but slightly nar- 

 rower than apex; disk convex, coarsely and rather 

 sparsely punctate. Elytra slightly wider and twice as 

 long as thorax, rather coarsely, not densely punctate. 

 First four segments of abdomen with coarse overlap- 

 ping, scale-like granules; the fifth and sixth smooth. 

 Last ventral of male with middle lobe curved, bent to 

 one side and obliquely truncate at tip. Length 3.5- 

 4 mm. (Fig. 165.) 



Throughout the State; frequent. April 18- 

 June 21. Taken by sifting ; also on fungi and beneath bark. Their 

 motion is wriggling or vermicular, like that of a worm or snake. 



847 (2597). Palaminus laevalis Lee, N. Sp. N. Amer. Col., I, 1863, 49. 

 Elongate, very slender. Color of testaceus, the head darker and shorter. 



Thorax obcordate, much narrower at base than apex, coarsely and very 

 sparsely punctate. Elytra slightly narrower and not longer than thorax, 

 coarsely, deeply and sparsely punctate ; abdomen as in testaceus, the imbri- 

 cated scales extending to middle of fifth segment. Length 3.2 nun. 



Starke County; rare. May 19. 'Sifted from sphagnum moss. 



Subfamily V. TACHYPORINAE. 



Rather short and broad convex Staphylinids, having the body 

 conical and pointed behind; antennas widely separated at base, in- 

 serted at the sides of the front above the base of mandibles, usually 

 beneath the side margin of the front, sometimes free, but never be- 

 neath a projecting ridge as in the Pa?derinas; head narrower than 

 thorax, its base not constricted but covered by the front of thorax ; 

 front coxae large, conical and prominent, their trochanters very dis- 

 tinct ; spiracles of thorax distinct ; hind coxa? transverse or triangu- 

 lar ; tibiae with numerous spines ; abdomen conical, often bordered 

 and terminated with divergent spines. 



