LARIIDiE (BRUCHIDvE). 



177 



the latter. This is particularly noticeable, for instance, in the 

 pubescent genus Temnaspis, Lac, of which eight species occur in 

 India ; these bear a striking resemblance to small members of the 

 Longicorn group, and are very hard to distinguish from them, except 

 after careful examination. 



The four families here included under this group may be 

 roughly distinguished as follows : — 



Lariidae (Bruchidae), 



[p. 177. 



I. Mentum pedunculate . . 

 IT, Mentum not pedunculate 

 i. 



Antennas short or moderate, not inserted 

 on frontal prominences ; tibial spurs 



usually absent 



ii. Antennas usually long or very long, 

 frequently inserted on frontal promin- 

 ences ; tibial spurs distinct. 



1. Head in front oblique or sub vertical. . 



2. Head in front vertical or bent inwards 



below the thorax Lamiidae, p. 188. 



Chrysomelidae, p. 178. 



Cerambycidae, p. 185. 



Family 90. LARIIDiE (BRUCHIDAE). 



Head free, produced in front, mentum peduncidate ; antennce eleven- 

 jointed, often serrate or pectinate, inserted at the sides of the head in 

 front of and near the eyes ; prothorax margined at the sides ; anterior 

 coxai oval, the cavities closed behind ; intermediate coxae oval ; posterior 

 coxce transverse, almost contiguous or only narrowly separated ; 

 abdomen with five free ventral segments ; elytra truncate, pygidium 

 exposed ; posterior femora more or less thiclcened, tarsi with the first 

 joint elongate, and the claivs broadly toothed at the base. 



In the Munich Catalogue (1873) four hundred and twelve 

 species are enumerated as belonging to this 

 family, and about seven hundred are now 

 known ; a fair number are found in India 

 and Ceylon. Several of the species are cos- 

 mopolitan, as, from their habit of feeding in 

 the larval state on the seeds of leguminous 

 plants, they are largely carried from one 

 country to another in cargoes of peas, 

 beans, etc. They are exceedingly destruc- 

 tive to these, and in tropical climates do 

 great damage to the seeds of Gleditzia, 

 Mimosa, Acacia, Theobroma, etc., while 

 some species attack cocoa-nuts and palm- 

 nuts. The larvae, so far as known, are 

 (Bruchus) scuteHaris. fat and broad small maggots, some of 

 which, at any rate, are provided with very 

 short legs in their earlier stages, but lose them in the later. 

 There is probably (to judge from the species already known) 



N 



