THE SHINING FLOWER BEETLES. 



497 



of elytra, scarcely punctate. Elytra distinctly but sparsely punctate, the 

 punctures finest toward the base ; sutural stria deep, a little curved. Length 

 1.8 mm. 



Southern half of State ; frequent. May 1-September 20. 



Scaphiomicrus flavescens Casey, pale brownish-yellow, length 

 .9 mm., was described from Michigan. 



Family XIV. PHALACRIDJE. 



The Shining Flower Beetles. 



To this family belong a small number of oval or rounded-oval, 

 convex, shining beetles, having the body very compact • antennae in- 

 serted under or at the sides of a slight frontal margin, 11- jointed, 

 the last three joints forming an oval club ; thorax with 

 the side pieces not distinct ; presternum prolonged, en- 

 tering the emarginate mesosternum behind, the coxal 

 cavities open; metasternum large, produced in front; 

 scutellum large, triangular; elytra rounded at tip and 

 entirely covering the abdomen, which has five free 

 ventral segments. (Fig. 178.) The front coxae are 

 rather small and globular: middle coxae transverse, 

 separated by the sternum; hind coxae contiguous, Y- F j g ' 17 f- v olibrus 



° ' oicolor. A European 



transverse and flat; tarsi 5- jointed, the fourth joint gg^ 68 - (After 

 usually small and obscure. 



From the Scaphidiidae the members of this family may be known 

 by their broadly rounded instead of truncate elytra and by the 

 smaller and less prominent front coxae. They are less than 3 mm. 

 in length and live principally on flowers, the larvae living in the 

 heads of flowers, especially those of Compositae. The adults may 

 be taken in summer by beating or in autumn and spring by sifting. 

 Some species, however, occur only beneath bark. The name of the 

 family is based upon that of the oldest genus. Phalacrus, a word 

 meaning bald-headed and suggested probably by the rounded shin- 

 ing aspect of these beetles. 



The principal literature relating to the family is as follows: 



LeConte. — "Synopsis of the Phalacridie of the United States," 

 in Proc. Phil. Acad. Nat. Sci., VIII, 1856, 15-17. 



Casey. — "Synopsis of Phalacridae, " in Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci.. 

 V, 1890, S9-144. 



About 300 species of the family are known. 47 of which, dis- 

 tributed among ten genera, being listed from the United States. 



