Elateride. ] SERRICORNIA. 81 
insect Professor Westwood (Classification i. p. 241) makes the following 
observations :—‘‘ These spots emit so strong a light during the night 
(that being the period when they are in motion, reposing by day, when 
they are but seldom observed), that it is easy to read the smallest 
writing by placing several under a glass, or by moving a single insect 
along the lines. They are termed by the natives Cucuyos or Coyouyou, 
and by the Spaniards Cucujo. When the insect is on the wing, two 
additional luminous patches are observed beneath the elytra, the light 
indeed shining cut from beneath the abdominal segments when stretched 
out. Itis said that they are attracted by the light of a flambeau, 
which they follow like moths, a circumstance which also occurs in 
glowworms,” 
The larve of the Elaterida are very well known in many instances, in fact far 
too well, as they are ideutical with the well-known “ wire-worms,”’ which are such 
a pest fo the gardener and the farmer; they differ from those of the Buprestide in 
not having the prothoracic segment dilated, and in the presence of legs; except in 
the disposition of the scuta and the formation of the anal segment they beara strong 
family relation to one another, with the exception of those belonging to a few genera 
such as Cardiophorus, which are very peculiar by reason of the broad membranous 
spaces between the abdominal segments. The following are the chief characteristics 
of the larvae as given by Chapuis and Candéze (Catalogue des Larves des Coléoptéres, 
p- 140):—Head corneous, flat above and below, with the mouth not inferior; 
ocelli absent ; antennas very short, 3-jointed, inserted on the sides of the head near 
the mandibles; labrum not visible; mandibles short, rather strong, simple or 
dentate; maxillary palpi with the internal lobe only slightly developed, external 
lobe 2-jointed, with a short 4-jointed palpus; thoracic and abdominal segments 
closely resembling one another, the prothoracic segment being the longest; legs 
short, contiguous, terminating in a simple claw or hook which takes the place of a 
tarsus ; abdominal segments of the same breadth as the thoracic segments, nine in 
number, the ninth segment variable, being sinuate or dentate at sides, and often split 
up at apex into dentate processes ; the whole body both above and below is almost 
entirely protected by corneous scuta; the colour is, as a rule, reddish-brown or 
yellowish, some species however are blackish-brown or purplish, and very rarely the 
colour is yellowish-white; the larva, as a whole, much resemble those of the 
Tenebrionidx, but may be known’by their flatter head and the shape of the apical 
abdominal segment. Some of these larva are very destructive to plants, and will be 
noticed under their respective genera; others again are wood-feeders, and some, 
such as Elater rhombeus, are positively affirmed to be carnivorous ; Chapuis and 
Candéze, in confirmation of the latter facts, allege that they have found an Elaterid 
larva devouring the larva of a species of Diptera in a decaying mushroom. 
The British genera may be divided as follows ; it will, however, be 
advisable for any student of the genus to make himself acquainted with 
the appearance of the genera by means of type specimens, if possible, as 
many of them are closely related, and the generie differences are not 
always very apparent from descriptions :— 
i. Antenne short, entirely received in strong grooves 
beneath? an <9 oe roa en mer a ee aS o UACON, Lap; 
iI. Antennzs longer, not or not entirely received in 
antennal grooves. 
i. Coxal plates suddenly dilated inwards; eyes more 
or Jess sunk in thorax. 
VOL. IV. G 
