106 



INTRODUCTION. 



Family 34. CUCUJID^E. 



Antennce inserted under the side margin of the forehead, eleven- 

 jointed ; maxillce with two lobes ; anterior and middle coxce small 

 and globular, hind coxae transverse ; metasternum large ; elytra 

 rounded at the apex and usually covering the abdomen ; tarsi all 

 Jive-jointed, or in male 5-5-4, or rarely all four-jointed ; form, as a 

 rule, flat and much depressed. 



The insects forming tins group are variable in their habitat and 

 habits ; the majority live under bark and 

 in the borings of xylophagous insects, and 

 are apparently carnivorous in the larval 

 state ; others are found among grain, in 

 dried fruits, tobacco, etc. (Silvanns and 

 species of Lcernophloeus), while a few 

 species are rnyrmecophilous. Some 450 

 species are known, of which about 75 

 are Indian ; Brontes, Lwmophlosus, Psam- 

 moecus, Cucujus, Nausibius. Hectarthrum, and 

 Prostomis are scantily represented, while 

 Euryplatus and Ochrosanis are peculiar to 

 the region *. 



j^g 5y Hectarthrum composition of the family is at 



depresmm. present unsettled, and it is hard to de- 



termine its true position. Ganglbauer 

 places it between the Nitidulid^e and Erotylidje, while Sharp 

 follows Leconte and Horn in placing it between the Riiysodidte 

 and Cryptophagid.e (Cambridge Natural History, vi, p. 234, 

 1899), although in the ' JBiologia Centrali- Americana ' (Coleopt. ii, 

 pt. 1, 1899, p. 563) he precedes the last named family by the 

 Monotomidje. This latter family is included by Ganglbauer 

 under the Cucujid^e, and the members of the genus Europs are 

 very closely allied to them, but it is best perhaps to retain them as 

 separate for the present. The Helotid^e, which have also been 

 included by some authors, appear to be very distinct. 



The larvae of several genera have been described, but, as might 

 be expected, they differ very much in structure, some being very 

 flat, like the perfect insects, while others are more convex and 

 cylindrical ; the eighth abdominal segment is sometimes (Pediacus) 

 much elongated ; the anal process and cerci are much developed 

 in some species {Brontes, etc.), while in Silvanus there are no 

 processes of any kind, the last segment being quite simple. 



* Grouvelle (Ann. Soe. Ent. France, lxxvii, 1908, pp. 452-494) notices 

 about seventy-five species from India, twenty-five of these belonging to 

 Lcernophloeus, and twelve to Psammoecns. 



