MELYBIDJE. — CLEltlDiE. 



139 



member of this family, and the fact that Motschulsky, who 

 described it, could have referred it to the Ptixjdje, tends to raise 

 considerable doubt with regard to the correctness of other of his 

 generic determinations. 



The family is chiefly found in temperate countries, very few 

 species having been recorded from the Indian region. The 

 following genera, however, are among those represented in India 

 and Ceylon : — Collops, Lams, MalacJiius, Carpliurus, Danaccea, 

 Pdecophorus, Idgia, and Melyris. 



Family C>1. CLEB1D./E. 



Form more or less elongate ; head prominent, with the eyes often 

 emarginate ; antennm inserted at the sides of the front, usually 

 eleven-jointed, simple, serrate, pectinate or with a distinct club ; 

 labial palpi, as a rule, dilated and securiform; pro sternum short, 

 anterior coxal cavities open or closed behind ; anterior coxce 

 prominent, contiguous :,r very slightly sepaircted : elytra usually 

 covering abdomen ; ahlomen with jive or six free ventral segments ; 

 legs slender, often elongate, tarsi five- jointed, with the first joint in 

 some genera very indistinct and covered by the second, and the 

 fourth joint in others very small and indistinct, joints two to four 

 as a rule furnished ivith membranous appendages beneath. 



The insects belong' ng to this family are very variable in size, 

 form and coloration, the latter being often very striking. About 

 1000 species are known, the greater number 

 of which are found in tropical countries, only 

 about fifty species occurring in Europe. The 

 family is evidently well represented in India, 

 the following being some of the genera which 

 occur : — Cladiscus, Tillus, Opilo, T'illicerus, 

 Thanasimus, Clerus, Stigmatium, Ommadius, 

 Lemidia, Tenerus, Necrobia, and Opetiopsela- 

 phus. When the family has been thoroughly 

 worked it is probable that the number of the 

 species in the region will be increased twenty- 

 or thirty-fold, as compared with those 

 described up to the present. 



The larvae of the Clerics; are elongate, 

 usually of a reddish, reddish-brown or 

 pinkish colour, or somewhat variegated, with 

 rather thick pubescence. The larvse of Trichodes were called " red- 

 worms " by Swammerdam, who first described their habits ; they 

 are furnished above with chitinous plates on the thoracic segments, 

 and the last segment is chitinous and bears at its apex two 

 projecting points, and a short anal appendage ; there are five ocelli 

 on each side of the head. These krvse are parasitic and derour 



Fig. 61. 



Om madias tricinct as. 



