NITIDULIBTE. 



103 



Ganglbauer (I. c. iii, p. 437) also regards it as separate ; but on the 

 ground of the epimera reaching the middle coxal cavities and the 

 free trochantius of the anterior coxae, he considers it to be related 

 to the Teogositid^e and NitidulidvE, and assigns it a position 

 between these families. 



The family contains one genus, comprising three or four small 

 obscure pubescent species which are found in flowers, especially 

 of raspberries, to which the larvae sometimes do great damage ; 

 two are found in Europe and two in North America. 



The larva is cylindrical, with scanty long hairs at the sides, 

 depressed in front, with thin corneous plates on the abdominal 

 segments ; the abdomen is terminated by two short and sharp 

 cerci, which are curved outwards, and an anal segment consisting 

 of a cylindrical tubercle which is retractile and assists locomotion. 

 The pupa is very pilose. 



Family 33. NITIDULIDiE. 



Form, size, and characters very variable ; mostly small insects with 

 the last one or two segments of the abdomen exposed, but occasionally 

 ivith the greater part of the abdomen uncovered, and the elytra very 

 short, while in other cases the whole of the abdomen is concealed ; 

 maxilla} usually ivith one lobe only (but bilobed in the Brachypte- 

 riisle) ; antenna? inserted under the margin of the front, eleven- 

 jointed (in Hhizophagus apparently ten-jointed), terminated by a 

 round or oval club) ; prosternum variable ; mesosternum separating 

 the middle coxce, side pieces ivith the epimera large, extending to the 

 coxce : abdomen composed of Jive free ventral segments, the first a 

 little the longest; tarsi with the number of joints variable, usually 

 Jive-jointed, with the fourth joint very small ; anterior coxce trans- 

 verse and separated, not prominent ; intermediate and posterior ptairs 

 transverse, flat and distant, the latter extending almost to the margin 

 of the body. 



This is a large and very interesting family containing, so far as 

 at present known, about 1500 species, 

 which are extremely variable in size, shape, 

 facies, structure and habits. Several of the 

 genera are well known for the difficulty 

 attending the discrimination of their 

 numerous species ; among these may speci- 

 ally be mentioned Meligethes and Camptod-s ; 

 the difficulties, however, to a great extent 

 vanish on a closer examination of the 

 characters. Several of the genera are 

 Fig. 49.— Lordites brachypterous and closely resemble Staphy- 

 picta. linidyE, for which they might easily be 



mistaken ; among these are Halepopeplus, 

 C Ulceus, Orthogramma, Ithyphenes, and Adocimus ; in fact they 



