HYDROPHILIDiE. 
285 
III. First basal joint of posterior tarsi very 
short, rest short and equal .. . . Helophorinoe. 
TV. First basal joint of posterior tarsi elon¬ 
gate .. . • •. . • Sphceridiince. 
Regimbart’s papers (Ann. Soc. Ent., France 1903, p . 52 and 
p. 331), should be consulted for descriptions. The Hydrophilinoe are 
aquatic and eighteen Indian species were listed by Atkinson, 7 having been 
since described. Hydrophilus includes among several species the com¬ 
mon species H. olivaceus , Fabr. ; this may be found in tanks and should 
be handled cautiously on account of the large spine projecting from the 
sternum beyond the hind coxae. The European H. piceus, Linn., is not 
an Indian species properly, though captured in the Himalayas. 
Hydrous has the sternal spine shorter and a double keel. The larger forms 
of these two genera are revised by Regimbart under the same Stethoxus 
and Dibelocelus : (Ann. Soc. Ent., France, 1901, p. 188). Out of forty 
species the seven following are given as ‘ ‘Indian : 5 ’ 
H. senegalensis , Perch. ; H. olivaceus , Fabr. ; H. cashmirensis , 
Redt. ; H. rufoinctus , Bedel.; H. indicus, Bedel. ; H. acuminatus, 
Mots. ; H. piceus , Linn. 
These larger forms can be identified from this paper, but the student 
must remember that the smaller forms are still listed under Hydrophilus. 
Hydrohiinoe. —These include the smaller aquatic beetles which are 
found in water, but which crawl along the bottom near the edge rather 
than swim freely. The females lay eggs in cases fixed to plants or which 
they carry with them. The larvae are predaceous. 
Philhydrus nigriceps, Westw., is common and widespread. Berosus, 
deerescens, Wlk., is a small species found in tanks. Berosus indicus 
Motsch., Brachygaster indica , Muls., and B. metallescens, Muls., are 
recorded. Globaria leachi, Latr., represents this genus. 
Spercheince. —So far as known, these are aquatic, their larvae preda¬ 
ceous in stagnant water. Spercheus is the common genus but none are 
known in India. 
Helophorince. —Not strictly aquatic but living in mud ; Hydrosus 
binodosus, Motsch., H. opacus , Motsch., and H. violaceomicans , Motsch., 
are the recorded representatives of this group. 
