Coleoptera : general introduction and Cicindelidae and Paussidae

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Identifier: coleopteragenera00fowl (find matches)
Title: Coleoptera : general introduction and Cicindelidae and Paussidae
Year: 1912 (1910s)
Authors: Fowler, W. W. (William Weekes), 1849-1923
Subjects: Tiger beetles Ground beetles Beetles
Publisher: London : Taylor and Francis
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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doretus,of which a very large number occur in the Indian region, aremoderate-sized, more or less elongate and depressed insects, ofblackish, brown, and yellowish colours, and clothed with finegreyish pubescence. Anomala and its allies, Singhala, Mimela,Popilia, etc., are also well represented in the region. The members of the subfamily Dynasten^e are closely alliedto the Kuteletsve, from which they are distinguished by the equalclaws of the tarsi, and also by having the labrum (which is, almostwithout exception, visible in the last-mentioned family) concealed SCAKAEJEI D^E. 213 beneath the clypeus, the margin only being visible in certaincases. The subfamily is remarkable for the size of many of its mem-bers, some of which are amongst the largest of the Coleoptera,and also for the extraordinary horns and prominences on the headand prothorax of many of the males. Dynastes hercules reaches160 mm. (almost six inches) in length, and the species of Mecjasomaare even more massive than this.
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Fig. 95.—Xylotrupes gideon male (natural size), with outline of female (a), andoutlines of anterior part of males of maximum (b), intermediate (c),and minimum (d) development. The formation of the horns and excrescences is most remarkable,and their significance is not known; they do not appear to beused for any work, fossorial or otherwise, as they show no marksof being worn, and they are certainly not used for fighting, asthey are very seldom broken or mutilated ; in fact they seem tobe an encumbrance rather than an advantage. Darwin (Descentof Man, 1st edition, i, p. 371), after discussing the question, saysthat the conclusion which best agrees with the fact of the hornshaving been so immensely, yet not fixedly, developed—as shown 214 INTRODUCTION. by their extreme variability in the same species, and by theirextensive diversity in closely allied species —is that they have been acquired as ornaments. This view will at first appearextremely improbable, but we shall hereafter fi

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