CISTE'LIDES, a family of Coleopterous Insects of the section Heterontera and sub-section Stenelytra. The species have the fol lowing characters :—Claws of the tarsi pectinated beneath ; antenna) with the basal joint free, that is, not covered by a projecting portion of the head ; mandibles with the apex entire.
This family includes the genera hystronichu.s, Cistela, Myeetocharus, Allecula, and some others.
Lystronichus.—Of this genus there are upwards of thirty species known ; their colouring is for the most part brilliant and metallic ; by far the greater portion of them are found in South America. They have the thorax depressed, and with the posterior part as wide as the elytra, or nearly so ; the antennae are filiform, sometimes growing slightly thicker towards the apex.
Cistela.—The characters of this genus are :—Head long and some what pointed in front ; labrum in width and length nearly equal ; antennae rather long, sometimes serrated, or with most of the jointa triangular ; body elongate-ovate ; thorax broader behind than before.
Nearly forty species of this genua are known, most of which inhabit Europe, and four or five are found in this country.
C. Ccraruboides is nearly half an inch in length ; black with ochre coloured elytra, and, like most of the insects of this section, is found in flowers. • C. eulphurea (Alleeula sulphurea of some authors) is about one-third of an inch in length, and its colour is pale-yellow throughout. This
species is more common in this country than the last, and appears to be confined chiefly to the sea-coast, where, like the one above men tioned, it is found in flowers.
3fretocharas.—In this genus the head is short and rounded, and the labrum is transvenre ; the antenrue are shorter and the body Is more elongate than in Ciitela. About ten species are known, most of which Inhabit Europe and North America ; but one is found in England (31 yeeforltarus srardaria); this is about three-aixteenths of an inch in length ; black ; the elytra with two orange-coloured spots at the base; the base of the antenna) and the tibia) and tarsi are yellow.
The larva of this insect, together with those of one or two other species of the Cistelides, are figured in the first volume of the ' Entomological Society's Transactions; where an account of their habits will also be found.
The genus Alluvia (Latreille) may be distinguished from either of the foregoing genera by the species having the penultimate joint of the tarsi bilobed, and the terminal joint of the palpi socuriforin.
Upwards of thirty species of Anemia have been discovered, moat of which inhabit South America.