189 

 morphological differences were found, including genitalia, 



between any taxa listed in the above synonymy. 



Color patterns seem to correlate with specific 

 geographic ranges and led to the description of various 

 taxa: I. subcylindricus Lacordaire, I. graphicus Lacordaire, 

 I. chiasticus Boyle, I. quadripunctatus var. alabamae 

 Schaeffer, I. quadripunctatus var. antedivisa Mader. A 

 study of specimens from localities at the edges of their 

 distribution uncovered many intermediates; occasionally with 

 several forms from the same population. All but one of the 

 color pattern differences proved to be clinal in nature, 

 therefore not deserving nomenclatural status. Based on this 

 information (see also the subspecies accounts), all but I. 

 chiasticus Boyle, which is lowered to subspecific rank, are 

 synonymized under I. quadripunctatus (Olivier) . 



The year Olivier published the description of Erotylus 

 quadripunctatus has usually been cited as 1791. Blackwelder 

 (1949, 1957) stated that part 2 of Olivier' s Encyclopedie 

 Methodique was printed in 1792, which I follow. 



Biology . Many authors have published bits of 

 information on the biology of this species, but little is 

 actually known. The biological notes presented here are 

 based on information published on material from eastern 

 United States and will probably apply to all populations. 



Data from published catalogs or faunal studies give 

 little insight into the beetle's habits: in summer on fungi 

 (Blatchley 1910) , winter beneath rubbish (Dillon & Dillon 



