RIIYSODIDTE. 



501 



RHYSODIDJE. 



The position o£ this family is somewhat doubtful, as it is related 

 to members of most of the great series, and it is certainly rather 

 closely allied to the Colydiidve and Cucujid.e, between which it 

 is placed by Lacordaire, followed by Leconte and Horn. The 

 latter authors believe the family to be, like the Hypocephalldje, 

 Brenthid^; and Cupedid.e, a survival of a very ancient synthetic 

 type. Lacordaire, although he assigns the in the above position, 

 is still of opinion that they have a real analogy with the CarabpDjE 

 in several points, notably the form of the presternum, the seg- 

 mentation of the abdomen, and the shape of the posterior coxae 

 and trochanters. The venation of the wings is Adephagid in 

 general character (cf. Redtenbacher, Ann. k.-k. nat. Hof-Mus. 

 Wien, i, 1886, pp. 211-212, pi. xviii, fig. 103), but there is no 

 areola oblonga as in the Cltpedipve ; this, however, is wanting in 

 the OcusTDELiDiE, although present in the Carabid^e. 



The species live under bark or in the wood of more or less 

 rotten trees ; some have been found in the galleries formed by 

 Passalid larva?, but their life-history is practically unknown. The 

 larva of 11. phillipensis is said to have been once found (Eevue 

 d'Ent. xxii, 1903, p. 91), but I can find no description of it. 



Head abruptly narrowed behind, with a distinct small neck, 

 forehead with two deep sulci, temples and genae well marked ; 

 antennae inserted under the side margin of the forehead, 11-jointed, 

 short and thick, distinctly moniliform. Mentum very large, 

 covering the mouth-parts ; maxillae with two small lobes, the palpi 

 4-jointed. 



Prosternum large, much extended in front of the anterior coxae, 

 coxal cavities closed behind, widely separated. Mesostemum very 

 short, epimera reaching the coxae, which are rather widely sepa- 

 rated. Metastenumi very long, with the epimera invisible and 

 the episterna almost concealed, without a cross-suture before the 

 coxae, and emarginate between them ; the posterior coxae sub- 

 triangular and widely separated. 



Abdomen with six ventral segments, the three anterior ones 

 connate. 



Legs short ; anterior tibiae terminated externally by two curved 

 spines, and internally by a ciliated emargination with a spine ; 

 intermediate and posterior tibiae with a strong apical spine ; tarsi 

 five- jointed. 



In the first part of the new ' Catalogus Ooleopterorum,' edited 

 by Schenkling, the E-iiYSOPiDyE are dealt with by Dr. E. Gestro, 

 and 109 species are enunerated. Of these 08 belong to ffliysodes, 



