NO. II LARVAE OF THE ELATERID BEETLES — GLEN I35 



abdominal segments bear sparse, small punctures, rarely as punctate 

 as in the majority of cupreus larvae. In agreement with cupreus, each 

 mediotergite on the seventh and eighth abdominal segments usually 

 bears 7 or more setae in the posterior transverse row, and the stipes 

 usually have 5 conspicuous setae on the antero-lateroventral aspect. 

 Urogomphi (fig. 14, g) as figured. 



Material used in study. — Examination was made of 29 specimens, 

 including the larval exuviae of 5 reared specimens. The reared adults 

 were identified by W. J. Brown, of Ottawa. All material is in the 

 Canadian national collection. Specimens associated with reared adults 

 are listed below : 



3 ; Spalding, Saskatchewan ; July 9, 1927 ; 1 reared ; N. J. Atkinson. 

 5; Spalding, Saskatchewan; June 19, 1930; 2 reared; R. Glen. 

 13; Naicam, Saskatchewan; July 8, 1930; 2 reared; Albert Johnson. 



LUDIUS APPRESSUS (Randall) 



Figures 14, a, b; 25, b, c, f 



Elater appressus Randall, Boston Journ. Nat. Hist., vol. 2, p. 11, 1838. 

 Corymbites appressus (Randall), LeConte, Trans. Amer. Philos. Soc, new ser., 



vol. 10, p. 446, 1853. 

 Ludius appressus (Randall), Van Dyke, Proc. California Acad. Sci., vol. 20, 



p. 420, 1932. 



The distribution of this rather rare North American species is 

 given by Van Dyke (1932, p. 396) as "Lake States to Nova Scotia 

 and Maine." The only larvae known were collected from decompos- 

 ing litter under spruce in Quebec and New Brunswick. Larvae of 

 this species were observed by R. F. Morris, of Fredericton, New 

 Brunswick, to feed upon the cocoons of the European spruce sawfly, 

 Gilpinia hercyniae (Hartig). One specimen that was reared to ma- 

 turity transformed to the adult stage during August. 



The brief description that follows was first prepared from the badly 

 broken larval skin of the reared specimen. Subsequently it was 

 checked by examination of whole larvae. 



Ludius appressus is not closely allied to any of the known species 

 of Ludius, but the larva bears superficial resemblance to those of the 

 cupreus group. Separation is secured through differences in uro- 

 gomphi (fig. 25, c, /), subnasale (fig, 25, &), and setation of episterna 

 of mesothorax and metathorax. 



Larva brown, unicolorous ; dorsum punctulate or sparsely punctate, 

 pits shallow. Probably attaining or exceeding 20 mm. in length when 



