elatektd.e. — cataphagus. 247 



joint elongate, the second minute ; labrum membranaceous, nearly 

 entire : the palpi thickened towards the apex, with the last joint 

 oblong-ovate, and slightly reniform ; the maxillae bifid ; mandibles 

 unidentate, &c. : — the species inhabit rotten wood. 



tSp. 1. pygmccus. Lineari-ehngatus, ater, griseo-pilosus, antennis tihiis tar- 

 sisque riifescentibus, thoracc sublongiore, elytris evidentius stria t is. (Long. 

 corp. 9.\ lin.) 



El. pygmseus. Fahricius? — Eu. pygma?us. Sieph. Cafal. 121. No. 1227. 



Linear-elongate, black, clothed with a griseous pubescence : with the antenna? 

 externally perfoliated : the head punctured, with an elevated ridge on the 

 vertex: the palpi rufous: antennae black at the base, rufescent at the apex: 

 thorax slightly elongate, punctulate: elytra flat on the back, thickly rugose- 

 punctate, obsoletely striated, the stria? deepest towards the apex: tibia? and 

 tarsi rufescent : femora piceous. 



Of this insect a single specimen is in the collection of N. A. 

 Vigors, Esq., who obtained it from that of Mr. Wilkin : of its 

 locality I am not aware; but I believe it was found in Norfolk. 



Genus CCXXL — Cataphagus* mihi. 



Antenna; rather slender; the basal joint robust, elongate, slightly bent; the 

 second and third slender, equal, each about as long as the fourth, which, 

 with the remainder, is obconic ; the terminal joint being longest and subovate. 

 Mouth deflexed : head retracted, deflexed ; forehead very convex : eyes small : 

 thorax very convex, depressed at the base, the posterior angles forming an 

 elongate robust spiniform process : body oblong, or linear-elongate : elytra 

 convex, slightly acuminated behind: seutellum depressed: 'legs short; fe~ 

 mora slightly incrassated : tibia? slender, simple; tarsi simple. 



This genus may be readily known from the other Elateridae 

 by having the second and third joints of the antennae slender and 

 somewhat elongated, with the terminal joint considerably longer 

 than the preceding, somewhat slender and subacute; the head is 



* Latreille, in his Families Naturelles, employs the term Hemirhipus for a 

 genus, giving Elater lineatus as the type, but without characters, which, how- 

 ever, he has supplied in the new edition of the Regne Animal, whence it ap- 

 pears that E. lineatus of Fabricius, not of Linne, is the insect intended by him. 

 I have therefore been compelled to propose a new appellation for the indigenous 

 genus, from yiara.pa.ya, devoro, in allusion to the destructive propensities of the 

 larvae, called wire worms, of the type C. lineatus, Linn:'. 



Mandibllata. Vol. III. 31st Dec. 1830. s 



