176 



INTRODUCTION". 



Division 5. PHYTOPHAGA. 



There has been considerable doubt as regards the constitution 

 of this group, which is here regarded as including the Lariid^e 

 (Bruchid^), Cerambycid^e and Lamiid^e (Longicornia), and 

 Chrysomelid^e. These families vary much in size, shape, and 

 coloration, but are all plant-feeders, as the name implies. 

 The members of the group, as at present known, are very 

 numerous and must amount to nearly 40,000; this, however, 

 probably represents only a fraction or the species at present 

 existing on the globe. 



The following are the chief characteristics of the united group, 

 as here denned ; it is possible that the Ehynxhophora ought to 

 be included, but we have followed most authors in treating them 

 as separate, for convenience' sake, rather than because they are 

 manifestly distinct : — Antenna? usually simple, filiform or monili- 

 form, rarely serrate or irregular ; gular suture distinct ; pronotum 

 with distinct margins ; wings of the Cantharid type (Type III. 

 pp. 41, 42), the characteristic venation, however, being variable 

 and sometimes more or less breaking down ; tarsi 5-jointed, but 

 apparently 4-jointed, the fourth joint being very small and in- 

 serted into and received by the third joint (which is deeply 

 bilobed) at its base*, the first three joints usually thickly 

 pubescent beneath. The follicles of the testes are said to be 

 roundish and stalked, but the characters drawn from the testes 

 appear to be untrustworthy, as they have recently been found to 

 be quite different in Timarcha from those of the allied genera. 

 Six Malpighian tubes are present. The larvae are eruciform 

 (never campodeiform) with the legs moderate, short, very short, 

 rudimentary or absent. The nervous system in the Chryso- 

 melidje and CerambycidvE is variable, but appears to consist of 

 three thoracic ganglia and four or five abdominal ganglia ; in 

 ChjtJira, Chri/somela, and Adimonia it seems to be more con- 

 centrated, and in the Lariidj<; (Bruchid^e) it is still more 

 concentrated and approaches the structure of the nervous system 

 of the Bhykchopiiora, thus forming further proof that the last- 

 mentioned family forms a transition between the two great groups. 



The Lariid.e (BiiuciiiDiE) are distinguished from the other 

 members of the Phytophaga by having the mentum supported on a 

 peduncle and the head shortly and flatly produced ; it is, however, 

 impossible to separate the Chrysomelid^e and Cerambychle on 

 any definite characters ; the eyes are usually entire in the former 

 family and more or less surround the antennae in the latter, and 

 the CHRYSOMELiDiE are, as a rule, bare and shining, while the 

 Cerambycid^e are pubescent and dull, but many exceptions occur, 

 and certain genera of the former might easily be mistaken for 



* Almost the only, if not the only, exception, appears to be the genus 

 H&monia. 



