SCYDMiENIDiE. 
287 
as are 7 species of Silpha, of which S. tetraspilota , Fabr. (fig. 161), is 
not uncommon in the plains. Nodynus nitidus , Ho., Apatetica lebioides , 
Ho., Choleva vestita, Murr. and Aclypea sculpturata , Grouv., are the 
remaining species. Portevin has recently described eleven new species 
(and four new genera) from the collection made by Mons. Harmand at 
Darjeeling. (Ann. Soc. Ent., France, 1904, 1905.) 
Apatetica lebioides , Westw., is described and figured from the 
Himalayas (Cab. Or. Entom. PI. XU, fig. 9). It is in appearance a 
Carabid, and with its ally Pteroloma was formerly placed in the Cara- 
bidoe. 
SCYDMiENIDiE. 
Elytra covering the abdomen, which is six-jointed below. Eyes coarsely 
granulated. Tarsi five-jointed. 
This family includes small, usually winged beetles, of brown colour, 
covered with erect hairs, and in structure closely allied to the last family 
from which they differ in the eyes and the more conical form. They are 
found in ants’ nests, in decaying vegetation, under bark, etc., and are 
probably largely predaceous, though there are few actual records of the 
food. The 14 known Indian species belong to the genera Scydmcenus 
(9), Syndicus (1) and Eumicrus (5); they are of no economic importance 
whatever, are only seldom found and are never abundant. 
P SELAPHIDiE. 
Elytra short; abdomen of five (rarely six) ventral segments ; maxil¬ 
lary palpi large and tarsi three-jointed. 
An extensive family of small beetles, imperfectly known. It differs 
from the next chiefly in the abdomen. The colours are sombre, brown 
predominating. The beetles are known to be predaceous on small forms 
of life, such as mites and in some cases ( Claviger) are myrmecophilous; 
the family is widely spread but little known. Two sub-families are recog¬ 
nised, Pselaphides with many genera, Clavigerides with few. The 
family are of no importance economically and our knowledge of Indian 
forms must remain small until Indian beetles are far more carefully 
collected. 
