94 CoeM. “By Vion EAE 
well defined grooves for the reception of the anterior and middle tarsae. Scutellum simple, 
without carina. Third and fourth tarsal segments with ventral lobes. 
NOTES ON THE GENERIC SYNONYMY. Almost a hundred years ago Candéze 
(1874 : 39) drew attention to the fact that Dzlobitarsus and Anacantha were not 
readily separable. Examination of the available material has shown that the 
three main characteristics used to separate the genera, the appearance of the 
prothorax, the length of the antennae and the antennal grooves vary considerably 
from one species to another. In my opinion the retention of the two genera 
cannot be justified. 
Fleutiaux (1907) : 168) retained the genus Anacantha using the appearance of 
the pronotum as the diagnostic characteristic of the genus. He restricted the 
genus to the type-species and transferred the remaining species at that time 
assigned to the genus (vitticollis (Fairmaire & Germain), marmorata Candéze and — 
fairmaiver Candéze to Adelocera (sensu auctt., nec Latreille = Lacon Castelnau 
of the present work). In view of the known variability of the appearance of the 
prothorax in the Elateridae and the fact that at the present time the known species 
can be assigned to Dilobitarsus or Lacon on the basis of the structure of the tarsi, 
I do not consider Fleutiaux’s action with regard to vitticollis and marmorata was 
justified. A. fairmairvei is unknown to me. However it must be admitted that 
certain species at present assigned to Dzulobitarsus or Lacon on the basis of the 
structure of the tarsi bear a strong resemblance to one another, e.g. L. laticollis 
(Candéze) and D. abbreviatus Candéze. See also the note on the structure of the 
fourth tarsal segment of L. dubius Candéze (p. 63). It seems possible that, as 
more material for study becomes available, the structure of the tarsi will be found 
to vary from one species to another in a manner which precludes this characteristic 
from being used to separate two genera. 
HISTORY OF THE GENUS. The genus was established for a single Central American 
species. In the years which followed a number of species from both Central and 
South America and Africa were assigned to the genus. Schwarz (1902)) established 
the genus Elasmosomus to accommodate the African species. With the exception 
of Fleutiaux, workers have accepted Duzlobitarsus and Elasmosomus as separate 
genera. Fleutiaux (191g : 11) continued to assign African species to Dulobitarsus 
and may have advised Paulian (1947) to do the same when he described fleutiauxa 
(p. 104). For Fleutiaux’s treatment of Dilobitarsus and Elasmosomus in 1941 see 
Dp: 10m 
SEXUAL DIMORPHISM. In swicicollis (Solier) and crux (Philippi) the males differ 
from the females in that the body is more slender, the lateral margins of the 
prothorax straight instead of arcuate and the antennae more strongly serrate and 
longer, attaining the posterior angles of the prothorax. In the remaining species 
known to me these differences are less apparent. 
DISTRIBUTION. Central and South America. A single species, pendleburys 
Fleutiaux from Borneo is also assigned to the genus. 
BIOLOGY AND HABITS. Nothing is known of the life history and habits of 
Dilobitarsus species. 

