238 CUM. EF. von SHAY EK 
Paralectotype: I ex., Ind. bor. [sic., Janson]; 49; Janson coll. 1903.130; Meristhus 
pistrinarius; ex coll. Laferté [both Janson] (BMNH). 
The description is based on an unrecorded number of specimens from ‘Des Indes 
Orientales’ from the La Ferté and Deyrolle collections. The discrepancy between 
the published locality and the labels is almost certainly due to Janson (see p. 276). 
The specimens from the Deyrolle collection have not been located. 
Rismethus scobinula (Candéze) 
Meristhus scobinula Candéze, 1857 : 164; pl. 2, fig. 26. 
Meristhus texanus Horn, 1871 : 300; pl. 43, fig. 1. [Synonymized by Horn, 1875 : 148.] 
Rismethus scobinula (Candéze) Fleutiaux, 1947 : 257. 
Meristhus scobinula Candéze. Candéze states that this species is found in China 
and Mexico but his comments in the last paragraph on page 165 concerning Chevro- 
lat’s Mexican specimen suggest that the description is based on a specimen or 
specimens from China. The remarks by Lewis (1894 : 30) ‘it appears clear that 
his type example came from China’ adds support to this opinion. Fleutiaux’s 
(1919 : 15) statement that he possesses the type of Candéze’s Monograph, a specimen 
from Teapa (Mexico) sent by Pilate to Chevrolat cannot be accepted as a valid 
lectotype designation. 
LECTOTYPE (present designation). CHINA: g, China; Janson coll. 1903.130; 
ex coll. Candéze; Meristhus scobinula Cdz., Chine [Cand.]; scobinula Cdze, type 
Mon. [Janson] (BMNH). 
Meristhus texanus Horn. LECTOTYPE (present designation). U.S.A.: 9, 
Tex.; Lectotype 3830 [Museum curatorial label, designation unpublished] Meristhus 
scobinula Cdz., texanus Horn [?Horn] (ANS, Philadelphia). The description is 
based on two specimens from Texas collected by Belfrage. The second specimen 
cannot be found in the ANS, Philadelphia. If it is not in Belfrage’s collection 
(USNM, Washington according to Horn & Kahle, 1935: 15), I believe that the . 
following specimen should be regarded as the Paralectotype: 2, Texas, 74.12 [BMNH | 
registration number = Belfrage, Texas]; Meristhus texanus [Horn] (BMNH). 
The comparison of the external characteristics and male genitalia of Chinese 
and American specimens in the BMNH has served only to confirm the synonymy. 
However, the distribution, which is of a type unusual in the Elateridae, suggests 
that a critical investigation into the structure, life history and habits of individuals 
from the two regions is desirable. 
Candéze (1891 : 26) placed M. setarius Chevrolat, 1867 : 596 in synonomy with 
scobinula Candéze. The description is based on an unrecorded number of specimens 
from ‘Cuba. Collections de MM. Gundlach et Poéy’. According to Horn & Kahle 
(1935 : 100) the Gundlach collection is in the Instituto de Ensenanza de la Habana, 
Cuba (not examined) and the Poéy collection (Horn & Kahle, 1936: 211) passed 
to the American Entomological Society, Philadelphia (not examined). Chevrolat 
(1864 : 425) acquired Poéy’s first Cuban collection and also duplicates from later 
