NO. II LARVAE OF THE ELATERID BEETLES GLEN 5 



worm pests. The most important recent papers concerning species of 

 the tribe Lepturoidini are those of Graf (1914), Ilyslop (1915a), 

 Lane (1925, 1931, 1935), King (1928), King, Arnason, and Glen 

 (1933), Strickland (1935, 1939), Stone (1941), and Glen, King, and 

 Arnason (1943). 



The first century of work has merely introduced this field of re- 

 search. Fine progress has been made toward the establishment of 

 characters for subfamilies and for most of the tribes within them. In 

 general, genera and species are poorly defined. This is true particu- 

 larly of the tribe Lepturoidini, which has been incompletely studied 

 in Europe and almost totally neglected in America. Most of the com- 

 parative morphology has been too superficial or too limited in scope to 

 reveal the basic relationships. As a result, all available larval keys 

 to genera and to species have little more than local value ; they do not 

 adequately define the genera and species that they include. However, 

 a basis for better comparative work is resulting from the excellent 

 detailed morpohological studies of recent years, and more adequate 

 characterization of genera and species should be possible in the 

 near future. 



The outstanding taxonomic studies are those of Schiodte, Beling, 

 Henriksen, and Hyslop, while the best work on morphology has 

 been done by Roberts, Hyslop and Boving, and Lanchester. These 

 contributions are discussed separately along with important con- 

 temporary works. 



Schiodte, J. C., 1870: As a pioneer effort this is a most re- 

 markable contribution and must be ranked among the classics of sci- 

 ence. Broad, comparative, detailed studies are illustrated with well- 

 selected figures, and conclusions are presented in a systematic con- 

 spectus. In some of his descriptions (e.g., Alaus myops (Fabricius), 

 p. 500) and in certain figures the author achieves great excellence. 

 However, many descriptions lack important details, and several fig- 

 ures overemphasize sculpture to a disturbing degree. In the sys- 

 tematic conspectus we find the first attempt to provide separating 

 characters for genera and for related species. While this conspec- 

 tus does not meet our needs today it served as a basis for progress 

 and parts of it are fundamentally sound. The descriptions include 

 14 species of the tribe Lepturoidini, of which 6 are Ludius, but the 

 genera of this tribe are not characterized. Horst (1922, p. 21) 

 criticizes Schiodte, and with some justification, for not stipulating 

 clearly the reliability of the identification of the material used. 



Ferris, Edguard, 1877 : Very good larval descriptions are found 

 in this work, but most of the illustrations are so small and sketchy 



