SCYDMjENID JE* — SILPHID.E. 



83 



The members of this family might be included under the 

 SiLPHiDiE, from which they only differ 

 in one or two unimportant structural 

 characters. In their general form, 

 f'acies and size, however, they constitute 

 a very distinct group, which, like the 

 PselaphtdvE, seems always to have 

 attracted the notice of Coleopterists. 

 About seven hundred species are known, 

 which are very widely distributed 

 throughout the world. As a rule they 

 are very homogeneous in appearance, 

 but Euthia, Cephennium, and the large 

 and aberrant species of Clidicus and 

 Mastigus are very different from the 

 typical forms. The species of the 

 latter genus very closely resemble large 

 ants, and many of the members of the 

 family are myrmecophilous. Very 

 little is known, however, of their life- 

 history, but they appear, in some cases 

 at all events, to feed on Acari, which 

 mg.M.~-Scydin<Bnnstarsatus. are ^nndant in their habitats; many 

 Larva greatly magnified, species are found m decaying grass, 

 (After Meinert and Gangl- hot-beds and dead leaves, and many 

 bauer.) also occur in moss at the roots of trees, 



etc. 



Not many Indian species appear to have been described, but 

 they are probably veiy numerous ; the genera Scydmcenus, 

 Eumicrus, and Cephennium are represented, while JSyndicus and 

 Erineus (with one species each) have only been recorded from 

 India and Ceylon. The family contains at present about thirty 

 genera. 



Family 15. SILPHID/E. 



Size extremely variable fJ^-30 mm.); " mentum usually a 

 transverse plate, having in front a membranous hypoglottis, which 

 bears the exposed labial palpi, and immediately behind them the 

 so-called bilobed ligula" (Sharp); antennce inserted under the margin 

 of the front, thickened toward the apex or more often clav ate ; eyes 

 finely granulate, sometimes iv anting ; anterior coxae large, conical 

 and contiguous; visible abdominal segments usually Jive, but some- 

 times four, six, or even seven ; apex of abdomen often exposed, ; 

 tarsi usually, but not always, o-jointed. 



This family contains a large number of species (about 900) 

 that are well known in the Palsearctic region, notably the 

 " burying-beetles " {Necrophorus), and the roving c arrion beetles 

 (Silpha). The Lioolnte (Anisotominje) have sometimes been 



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