CUPEDID^E. 



513 



C IT P E D 1 1) JRL 



We have already (p. 68) discussed the much disputed question 

 of the position of this family. Its chief characters are as 

 follows : — 



Head small, with strong tubercles, suddenly constricted behind 

 into a very short neck ; eyes lateral, rounded, finely granulate, 

 rather projecting. Mentum small, ligula very small, bilobed ; 

 maxillae with two lobes, the outer one corneous and hooked, the 

 inner small, coriaceous ; maxillary palpi 4-jointed ; labrum trans- 

 verse, very short, truncate and ciliate in front. Antennae inserted 

 on the anterior portion of the front, rather stout, tapering or 

 slightty serrate. Thorax variable ; pronotum separated by sutures 

 from the pleurae of thorax ; anterior coxal cavities small, trans- 

 verse, open behind. Elytra elongate, depressed, more or less 

 parallel-sided, with rows of large square punctures, giving a 

 lattice-like appearance to the sculpture ; epipleuroe narrow, but 

 extending to the apex. Legs rather short, slender and contractile ; 

 anterior coxae small, not prominent, slightly separated; middle 

 coxae contiguous, posterior coxae transverse ; tarsi 5- jointed, spongy 

 beneath. Venter with at most five segments, the first connate 

 with the second. Body as a rule covered with small greyish 

 scales. 



Genus CUPES. 

 Cupes, Fabricius, Syst. El. ii, p. GO. 

 Type, Cupes ccvpitatus, F. 



The characters of the genus are those of the family ; one 

 species only is known from the Indian region. 



290. Cupes clathratus, Sols. 



Cupes clathratus, Solsky, Hor. Soc. Ent. Ross, vii, 1870, p. 370. 

 Cupes ocularis, Pascoe, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (4) x, 1872, p. '319. 



Dull brown or greyish brown. Head transverse, produced 

 squarely before the eyes, bituberculate at base, with the vertex 

 between the raised portions distinctly sulcate longitudinally ; 

 eyes very prominent, the temples behind these well-marked; 

 antennae long and stout, tapering towards apex (reaching to 

 between one-half and two-thirds of the elytra), second joint 

 very short, the rest very slightly and gradually increasing in 

 length, subequal ; head and prothorax with' small light brown 

 scales, which are also present, if not rubbed off, on the elytra; 

 pronotum transverse, very uneven, much depressed on both sides 



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