170 NATURAL HISTORY OP 



ELATER DISTINCTUS. 

 PLATE VII. FIG. 5. 



Prricalus distinctus, Herbst. Pericalus acuminatus, Dc 

 jean. Cat. 



This handsome species is of a reddish chestnut 

 colour, very glossy, and almost free from pubescence. 

 The head, which is excavated in the middle, and 

 the two lower joints of the antennae, are reddish, the 

 remaining joints of the latter dusky. The thorax 

 is deeply punctured, especially towards the sides 

 and has a black streak down the middle. The ely- 

 tra are rather convex, and taper to the hinder ex- 

 tremity, where they are produced into a kind of 

 spine ; the surface marked with straight punctured 

 lines, a dark-brown band along the middle of each 

 elytron, and another on each side of the sutural line. 

 The under side and legs are chestnut red. 



Found in South America, and often observed, 

 according to M.* Lacordaire, along with several of 

 the species already described, resting on the stems 

 of trees. 



