ELATEE.— MEGAPENTHES. 377 



ELATER. 



Elater, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. 12th edit. i. 2, p. 651 (1767); Candeze, Monogr. Elat. ii. p. 436. 



This well-known genus contains a large number of species in the Palsearctic and 

 Nearctic regions, and is also represented in Australia. One Mexican species was 

 described by Dr. Candeze in 1859, and it is the only one known as yet from within 

 our limits. 



l. Elater arctus. (Tab. XVII. fig. l, 6 .) 



Elater arctus, Cand. Monogr. Elat. ii. p. 465 \ 



Hal. Mexico, Jacale, Cordillera de Anahuac in Vera Cruz (Salle x ). 



Three specimens of this species are contained in the Salle collection. The relatively 

 very short thorax gives it a peculiar facies. 



MEGAPENTHES. 



Megapenthes, Kiesenwetter, Naturg. Ins. Deutschl. iv. 2, p. 353 (1858) ; Candeze, Monogr. Elat. 

 ii. p. 491 (part.) ; Cat. Method. Elat. p. 95. 



Dr. Candeze in his catalogue enumerates eighty-seven species of this genus, seventeen 

 of which are American. Fifteen are now recorded from within our limits, all but 

 two of which appear to be new. Of several of these single (female) examples only 

 have been obtained. The species here added agree in the following characters : — front 

 convex, margined, distinctly separated from the anterior margin of the head ; prosternal 

 sutures not channelled in front ; posterior coxal plates abruptly and angularly widened 

 (in some species very broadly) inwards, or (as in M. fusiformis) feebly widened inwards 

 and extending rather broadly to the lateral margin of the body ; tarsi simple, the 

 middle and hind pairs very long and slender in some of the species. M. fusiformis 

 will probably have to be separated from the genus eventually, as it lacks one of the 

 essential characters of the group Elaterini. 



Coxal plates angularly widened inwards, becoming narrower outwards. 



Antennae with the third joint as long as the fourth; hind angles of the 



prothorax bicarinate Species 1-3. 



Antennae with the third joint not or very little longer than the second. 



Hind angles of the prothorax bicarinate Species 4-7. 



Hind angles of the prothorax unicarinate Species 8-14. 



Coxal plates rather broad throughout, feebly widened inwards ; antennae with 



the third joint very short ; hind angles of the prothorax unicarinate . . Species 15. 



1. Megapenthes furvus. 



Elongate, narrow, subparallel, rather convex, shining, thickly pubescent ; black or brownish-black, the head 

 in front and the anterior margin and hind angles of the prothorax ferruginous or obscure ferruginous, 



biol. cente.-ambk., Coleopt., Vol. III. Pt. 1, October 1895. 3 C 



