136 C. Mi. Fy von HAW EK 
The absence of a Dejean determination label (Horn & Kahle 1935: pl. 24, no 45) 
is probably due to Janson, who may also have removed Boisduval’s label, if it ever 
existed. 
Why Boisduval failed to recognize that his Agrypnus caliginosa and Elater 
caliginosus are identical remains a mystery. It is possible that Guérin’s comment 
(1838, Avant-propos) that Boisduval worked fast and carelessly is fully justified. 
Adelocera caliginosa Guérin. The description is based on material from Port 
Jackson [Sydney, N.S.W.] collected in the course of a voyage around the world 
by the Coquille, commanded by Captain L. I. Duperry. This collection should be 
in the MNHN, Paris (Boisduval, 1832 : ii, Horn a Kahle 1936 : 258) but, once again, 
the most careful searches have failed to discover the material. Examination of the 
material standing as Lacon caliginosus (Guérin) in the BMNH and MNHN, Paris 
has shown that there is a general agreement concerning the identity of this species — 
I suggest that a neotype of this species be selected when suitable material becomes 
available in the MNHN, Paris. 
The figure (pl. 2, fig. 7) illustrating Guérin’s description of Adelocera caliginosa 
was published (see p. 135) on 25th November, 1830. The legend of the plate gives 
the name as Adelocera grisea. The reason why Guérin changed the name of his 
species, adopting that used by Boisduval, may be found in the Avant-propos 
(1838 : xi and 271). There he points out that Boisduval was not justified in dis- 
regarding the generally accepted practice of adopting a name published in conjunc- 
tion with a figure or description. However, in order to show the lengths to which 
he was prepared to go to avoid accusations of confusing the synonymy, he proposed 
to accept Boisduval’s new names for his figures. It is this magnanimous action 
together with the erroneous date on the title page that misled many workers into 
believing that Guérin’s text was published before that of Boisduval. 
Adelocera grisea Guérin, 1830. This is an available name in that it fulfills the 
provision of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, 1961. As the 
material on which the figure is based cannot be found (see above) and as I.C.Z.N. 
Article 75(6) forbids the designation of a neotype for a name not in general use, 
I am of the opinion that, in the interest of stability an application should be made 
to have Adelocera grisea Guérin, 1830 placed on the Official Index of Rejected 
Names. : 
Candéze (1857: 161) remarks that Agrypnus cribrosus Eschscholtz (1829), 
described from Hawaii, bears some resemblance to caliginosus Guérin. The 
type-material of crvibrosus has not been located but the description, size and 
distribution suggests that cribrosus may be conspecific with Lacon modestus 
(Boisduval). See also p. 72. 
GERMAR’S INTERPRETATION OF Lacon caliginosus BOISDUVAL 
Germar ascribed caliginosus to Boisduval, Faune de l’Oceanie, Elater caliginosus. 
It may be assumed that he is referring to the species described by Boisduval, 1835 : 
105. Germar records the locality of E. caliginosus as Van Diemansland [Tasmania] | 


