. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. POLYMORPHA DASCILLIDAE 255 Coleoptera, the body being elongate and vermiform, the elytra reduced to small, functionless appendages, while the wings are ample, not folded, but traversed by strong longitudinal nervures, and with only one or two transverse nervures. Owing to the destruction of our forests the two British Lymexylonidae—L. navale and Hylecoetus dermestoides—are now very rarely met with. Fam. 58. Dascillidae.—Smcdl or moderate-sized beetles, with rather Jiimsy integuments, antennae either serrate, filiform, or cren made flabellate hy long ap
. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology. POLYMORPHA DASCILLIDAE 255 Coleoptera, the body being elongate and vermiform, the elytra reduced to small, functionless appendages, while the wings are ample, not folded, but traversed by strong longitudinal nervures, and with only one or two transverse nervures. Owing to the destruction of our forests the two British Lymexylonidae—L. navale and Hylecoetus dermestoides—are now very rarely met with. Fam. 58. Dascillidae.—Smcdl or moderate-sized beetles, with rather Jiimsy integuments, antennae either serrate, filiform, or cren made flabellate hy long appen- dages ; front coxae elongate, greatly exserted ; abdomen ivith five mobile ventral segments ; tarsi five-jointed. This is one of the most neglected and least known of all the families of Coleoptera, and one of the most difficult to classify ; though always placed amongst the Serricornia, it is more nearly allied to Parnidae and Byrrhidae, that are placed in Clavicornia, than it is to any of the ^,^^ izi. - Hydrooyphon deflexicoiiis. ordinary families of Serricornia. It Britain. A, Larva (after Toumier) ; is probable that careful study will > ™ = • show that it is not natural as at present constituted, and that the old families, Dascillidae and Cyphonidae, now comprised in it, will have to be separated. Only about 400 species are at present known; but as nearly 100 of these have been detected in Xew Zealand, and 17 in Britain, doubtless the numbers in other parts of the world will prove very considerable, these Insects having been neglected on account of their unattractive exterior, and fragile structure. The few larvae known are of three or four kinds. That of Dascillus cervinus is subterranean, and is believed to live on roots; in forni it is somewhat like a Lamelli- corn larva, but is straight, and has a large head. Those of the Cyphonides are aquatic, and are remarkable for possessing antennae consisting of a great many joints (Fig. 132, A). Tournier descri
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1895
