

INSECTA. 525 



Comp. KLUG Ueber zwei neue Kafergattungen, WIEGM ANN'S Archiv f. 

 NaturgescJi. 1838. s. 67 70. 



Rhipicera LATR., KIRBY. 

 Sandalus KNOCH. 

 CalUrhipis LATR. 

 Anelastes KlRBY. 



Cebrio OLIV., FABR. (in part). Mandibles entire, with apex 

 simple, exsert, decussating. Palps filiform, labial with last joint 

 obconical, truncated. Antennae distant, longer than thorax (in fe- 

 males shorter, thick). Thorax broader posteriorly, with angles 

 produced. Prosternum mucronate posteriorly. 



Sp. Cebrio gigas FABK., DUMEBIL Cons. gen. s. 1. Ins. PL 8, fig. i, PANZER 

 Deutschl. Ins, Heft 5, Tab. 10; in south of Europe. The female lives under 

 ground, and continues there at pairing time, protruding the abdomen alone, 

 so that the male does not see her. AUDOUIN et BKULLB Hist. not. des Ins. 



VI. 1837, pp. 221, 222. 



Physodactylus FISCHER. 



II. Prosternum produced anteriorly as far as the mouth or be- 

 yond the mouth, mucronate posteriorly. Elytra hard. (Sternoxi 

 LATR., Macrosterni WESTW.) 



Elater L. Antennas setaceous, serrate or pectinate. Mandibles 

 emarginate at the apex or bidentate. Palps with last joint larger, 

 obtrigonal, truncated. Mucro of prosternum received in a cavity of 

 mesosternum. Body elongate, with thorax oblong, narrower ante- 

 riorly, of the breadth of elytra posteriorly, with angles produced, 

 acuminate. Tarsi slender. 



Spring -beetles. When these animals are touched, they retract their feet 

 considerably. Since the feet are very short, these beetles, when laid on 

 their back, are not able to reach the ground, and so could not right them- 

 selves again, if they could not by throwing {hemselves upwards attempt to 

 regain their feet. The animal, lying on its back, bends the thorax towards 

 the back or downwards, and thus causes the style of the prothorax to 

 emerge from the cavity in which it lies when at rest. Then bending the 

 body suddenly, so that the point again shoots into the cavity, the insect 

 with the back part of the thorax forcibly strikes the ground, and is thrown 

 upwards by the rebound. 



The larvae live under the bark of trees, in decaying wood, or under 

 ground, where they gnaw roots. They have an elongate cylindrical body 

 with six feet and a very hard horny skin. 



