CANTHARIDAE Author: John F. Lawrence, 2001. Classification Suborder Polyphaga, Series Elateriformia, Superfamily Elateroidea. Description Antenae with 11 segments, filiform. Antennal insertions exposed. Visible portion of procoxa projecting bellow prosternum with the trochantin at least partly exposed. Procoxal cavity externally open and internally open. Mesocoxae contigous, with mesocoxal cavity laterally open. Tarsal formula 5-5-5. Numberof ventrites 7 or 8 without ventrites connate. Body length 2.5-15 mm. Soft bodied, elongate, often brightly colored. Head not usually concealed. Antennal insertions almost always widely separated. Labrum membranous or not visible. Elytra sometimes shortened, exposing abdominal tergites. Tarsi with lobe on 4. No light organs. Quick identification Cantharidae, by comparison, have more widely separated antennae and the labrum is membranous or concealed (last figure). Note the species with very short elytra exposing abdominal tergites. One of several features distinguishing these from Staphylinidae is the membranous lobe on the 4th tarsomere. Genera occurring in Costa Rica Silinae: Discodon, Photinomorpha, Polemius, Silis... Malthininae: Malthinus, Malthodes. Chauliognathinae: Belotus, Chauliognathus, Diaphron, Malthoichthyurus, Maronius, Trypherus.... © CSIRO Emtomology, 1999 © CSIRO Emtomology, 1999 © CSIRO Emtomology, 1999 © CSIRO Emtomology, 1999 Concealed or membranous labrum Derechos Reservados INBio. Copyrights INBio