18 C. MM. FS von HAY EK 
Fabricius) is in 1844 (p. 139) when he published what amounts to a revision of 
Cryptohypnus. 
As the comparison with FE. vipario provides a clue to the size of E. ovalis it is 
necessary to discover whether at that time there was a generally accepted interpre- 
tation of E. ripario. In 1824 the only published descriptions of E. riparius were 
those of Fabricius (1792 : 232 and 1801 : 243, referring to 1792), Paykull (1800 : 41, 
referring to Fabricius, 1792) and Gyllenhal (1808 : 402, referring to Fabricius, 
1801). The E. riparius figured by Panzer (1796) with a reference to Fabricius 
(1792) was redescribed as mvularis by Gyllenhal (1808: 403). Schenkling 
(1925 : 202) lists both species under Hypnoidus. The specimens standing under 
these names in the BMNH, IRSNB, Brussels and MNHN, Paris indicate that 
there is a general agreement concerning the identity of these two species, which 
range in size between 4-7 mm and 7:5 mm. 
In his second, shorter description of ovalis, Germar (1840: 261) refers to his 
work of 1824. He gives the length as a little over 2 lines (about 5-5 mm, see p. II) 
and remarks that the deep femoral and tibial grooves of the prothorax have sharply 
defined margins. Germar does not otherwise amplify his original description. 
He does, however, include ovalis in Lacon (sensu Germar not Castelnau, 1836, 
see p. 14) so that it is not unreasonable to assume that ovalis possesses the 
characteristics of his interpretation of that genus. Germar (1840 : 260) redefined 
Lacon, transferring all the originally included species (see p. 53) to other genera. 
According to Germar the characteristics of the genus Lacon are as follows:— 
Short serrate antennae in which the 2nd and 3rd segments are small and the 12th more or 
less invisible.1 The median portion of the prosternum is strongly protruberant and separated 
from the lateral portions by grooves which extend the whole length of the sternite. [By this 
Germar presumably means from the anterior margin of the prosternum to a point immediately 
in front of the anterior coxae. In his description of L. caliginosus Boisduval, Germar comments 
that this species differs from the others in the genus in that these grooves extend only a little 
over half way.] Transverse grooves for the accommodation of the anterior femora are present 
at the base of the lateral portion of the underside of the prothorax [propleurae] and, in some 
species, oblique grooves for the reception of the anterior tarsi. 
No known species possess this combination of characters and also the grooves 
for the accommodation of the anterior tarsi mentioned in the description of ovalis. 
The species which bear the closest resemblance to the description of ovalis are those 
belonging to the genus Opatelus Candéze, 1857. In these Brazilian and Bolivian 
species the antennal groove ends close to the anterior coxae, the distance between 
the end of the groove and the coxa being equal to the diameter of the coxae. 
When examined under a hand lens the groove appears to attain the coxa. Opatelus 
species have lobed tarsi, but this is not very obvious under a hand lens. 
It is however unlikely that Germar had a South American species before him 
when he described ovalis. As Germar’s first description of ovalis refers to Knoch, 
1 The antennae are presumably 11-segmented. In his description of mustelinus, Germar states that 
the 12th antennal segment is visible. In this species (see p. 188) the apical third of the eleventh segment 
is marked off from the rest of the segment by a constriction. This may have led Germar to believe that 
the antennae were 12-segmented. The same is true of Agrypuus notodenta Latreille (see p. 256), which 
according to Germar (1840 : 251, 252) has 12-segmented antennae. 
