71 
706 . 
TRIPLAX yENEA. 
Order Coleoptera. Fam. Tritomidas. 
Type of the Genus, Silpha russica Linn . 
Triplax Payk., Fab., Curt. — TritomaXaL — Silpha Linn . — Ips Fab. 
Antennce inserted before the eyes on each side of the clypeus, 
as long as the head and thorax, clavate, pubescent, 11 -jointed, 
basal joint oval and stouter than the 7 following, 2nd subglo- 
bose, 3rd and 4th longer obovate, 3 following short ovate, 8th 
a little stouter and more globose, the remainder forming a com- 
pressed club, 9th and 10th joints somewhat cup-shaped, the 
former a little the longest, terminal joint the largest, suborbi- 
cular (6). 
Labrum transverse, semiovate, membranous and emarginate be- 
fore, ciliated and hairy (1). 
Mandibles short, broad and subtrigonate, very convex outside, 
bifid at the apex, somewhat notched beneath, with a small tuft 
of hairs ; the margin membranous below (2). 
Maxillce slender, with a narrow hooked lobe inside, and a 
broader and rounded one outside, both ciliated. Palpi rather 
large, securiform and 4-jointed, basal joint rather long and 
clavate, 2nd and 3rd short, ovate-truncate, 4th large semiorbi- 
cular, attached at the centre, the apex thick (3). 
Mentum short. Labium short, narrowed anteriorly. Palpi 
short stout, slightly securiform, inserted close together near 
the apex of the labium, triarticulate, basal joint small, pyriform- 
truncate, 2nd stout obovate-truncate, 3rd the longest orbicular- 
truncate (4). 
Head rather broad, subtrigonate, rounded before : eyes lateral, placed 
near the base, globose. Thorax transverse, convex, slightly nar- 
rowed before, anterior margin concave , the angles acutish, sides with 
a narrow margin, base bisinuated : scutel transverse-ovate. Elytra 
broader than the thorax, convex, long and elliptical. Wings larger 
than the elytra. Legs short and compressed : thighs short : tibiae, 
considerably dilated towards the apex, which is truncated obliquely : 
tarsi all 5- jointed , 3 basal joints short 2>rd, the broadest and deeply 
emarginate to receive the 4 th which is minute and subglobose, 5th 
long and clavate : claws small and hooked (5f, a hind leg). 
H£nea Fab. — Curt. Guide, Gen. 161. 1. 
In the Author s and other Cabinets. 
Dissimilar as Triplax and Tritoma are in habit, the struc- 
ture of their trophi, antennae, and tarsi is so similar, that no 
doubt can be entertained of their close affinity, and Latreille 
and Dejean have even united them in one genus ; yet Mr, 
Stephens places Triplax with the Engidae, stating that the 
