Two new species of the genus Elater 

 (Ampedus). 



Bertram G. Rye. 



Elater (Ampedus) aster n. sp. 



Elongate, parallelsided, head and thorax black, the latter 

 strongly and thickly 'punctured throughout^ slightly rounded in 

 front and straight from middle to hind angles, clothed with 

 long black hair. Elytra bright scarlet red, with apex broadly, 

 and suture narrowly, black, strice moderately strongly punc- 

 tured, finer towards apex, interstices flat, very finely punctu- 

 red in rows, clothed with short black hair; underside black; 

 legs black, tarsi brown. Length 11 mm. 



This species most nearly resembles E. cardinalis Schiødte 

 [coccinatus Rye) on account of its elongate form and its 

 thickly punctured and parallelsided thorax, but can be easily 

 distinguished from that species by the brighter and lighter 

 colour of the elytra and also by the apex and suture being 

 black. From E. sanguinolentus Schrank [ephippium 01.), the 

 immaculate form of which it in some respects resembles, it 

 may be at once separated by the shape and form of the 

 thorax, above mentioned, together with the strong black apex 

 of the elytra. 



This species is represented at present by some five spe- 

 cimens, of which 1 possess the only authentic Danish example, 

 taken in company with E. Hjorti and E. sanguinolentus on 

 hawthorn bloom in June at Jægerspris, Sjælland. It appa- 

 rently is a northern or Scandinavian species as the other 



