RECLASSIFICATION OF SUBFAMILY AGRYPNINAE II5 
(1838 : 26) had properly designated murinus Linnaeus as the type-species of Agrypnus 
Eschscholtz that it became apparent that the correct interpretation of Agrypnus 
is entirely different from that of earlier workers. 
NOTES ON THE GENERA AND SUBGENERA NEWLY PLACED IN SYNONYMY WITH 
Agrypnus. 
Mecynocanthus Hope. M. unicolor Hope, the type-species of this monobasic 
genus is discussed on p. 225. Apart from the locality (‘India oriental’), which 
is probably erroneous, this species does not differ significantly from Centrostethus 
cuspidatus (Klug) (see below). 
Tylotarsus Germar. The genus was erected for cinctipes, a Madagascan species 
with lobed fourth tarsal segments. Schwarz (1898a: 129) redefined the genus, 
restricting it to species with lobed fourth tarsal segments in which the margins 
of the mesosternal groove are horizontal posteriorly and steeply declivous anteriorly 
and the anterior angles of the prothorax produced but not sharply pointed as in 
Centrostethus. Examination of the Madagascan material available has shown 
that development of the anterior angles of the prothorax varies from one species 
to another and bears no constant relationship to the shape of the mesosternal 
groove. Schwarz (1903a@ : 359) comments that the shape of the mesosternal groove 
of T. angularis Schwarz lies between that found in the type-species of Tylotarsus 
and Lobotarsus. 
Myrmodes Candéze. The genus is characterized by the sloping humeri of the 
elytra. This characteristic is associated with the reduction in length of the wings 
and is found, though in a less extreme form, in the Australian Agrypnus octavus 
(Candéze) and the South African Agrypnus pretoriensis (Cobos) (= paenulatus 
Boheman)). The latter species was used as a basis for the erection of the genus 
Archontoides. In each case reduction of the humeri is accompanied by a reduction 
in length of the metasternum and the scutellum. Other transitional forms between 
Agrypnus and Myrmodes are known. In certain South African (e.g. muscerda 
(Candéze)) and Australian (e.g. divaricatus (Candéze)) species, the wings, metasternum 
and scutellum are reduced in length, but the humeri are normal. 
Pseudolacon Blackburn. The genus was erected for rufus Blackburn which 
differs from Lacon sensu auctt. (Agrypnus of this work) in that the body is more 
cylindrical and the first four tarsal segments conical. Both characteristics are 
too variable to justify the retention of the genus. 
Homeolacon Blackburn. The diagnostic features of this genus are the strongly 
transverse fourth to eleventh antennal segments and elongate tarsal segments. 
The lectotype of gracilis Blackburn, the only specimen known to me, is a male. 
It bears a close resemblance to Agrypnus cylindricus (Candéze), (= truncatus 
(Herbst)) an Indian species in which the antennal segments of the male are very 
much more transverse and the tarsi more elongate, than those of the female. It 
seems very probable that the female of gracilis Blackburn, will be found to possess 
the moderately serrate antennae found in the majority of Agrypnus species. 
