670 



FAMILY XXX. DERODONTIDxE. 



1285 (3871). Bacteidium steiolatum Reitt., Verhand. des Nat. Vereins 

 in Brunn., XII, 1872, 14. 



Moderately elongate, subdepressed. Uniform piceous or dark reddish- 

 brown, antennae and legs paler. Thorax slightly wider than long, sides 

 feebly curved and gradually narrowed behind the middle; disk rather 

 coarsely but not densely punctured, punctures of the middle forming a 

 vague U-shaped mark. Elytra slightly convex, surface striate, the striae 

 at sides replaced by sparse punctures, those on disk with fine, not closely 

 placed punctures ; intervals finely wrinkled. Length 2 mm. 



Putnam, Posey and Jennings counties; scarce. April 13-No- 

 Yember 20. Darker than the preceding, elytra more convex and 

 with the stria? on sides semi-obsolete. 



Family XXX. DBKODONTIDiE. 



The Tooth-necked Fungus Beetles. 



This is a very small family comprising only three known North 

 American species. They are small brown or dull brownish-yellow 

 beetles, in our species having the head deeply impressed, and with 

 a small, smooth tubercle on the inner side of each eye. This at first 

 sight resembles a large ocellus or simple eye. The name of the 

 typical genus, Derodonius, is derived from two Greek words mean- 

 ing "neck" and "toothed," and was applied to these beetles on 

 account of their having the thorax much narrower than the elytra, 

 resembling a neck, and with the lateral margins strongly toothed. 



From allied families they are chiefly distinguished by having 

 the front and hind coxa? transverse ; the former conical, somewhat 

 prominent and contiguous ; the latter slightly separated and dilated 

 on the inner side to form a small plate which protects the insertion 

 of the thigh. In addition they have the head suddenly but not 

 strongly constricted behind, the antenna? 11-jointed, inserted before 

 the eyes upon the side of the front, joints nine to eleven somewhat 

 larger than those preceding, except the first and second, which are 

 thicker ; abdomen with five free, equal ventral segments ; tarsi 5- 

 jointed, clothed beneath with long, gray hairs, the fourth joint 

 somewhat smaller than those preceding. 



Two genera comprise the family. One of these, 



I. Derodontus Lee, 1861. (Gr., "neck + tooth") 



is represented in the eastern United States and Indiana by the 

 single species: 



