170 
NATURAL HISTORY OF 
ELATER DISTINCTUS. 
PLATE VII. Fig. 5. 
Pericalus distinctus, Herbst — Pericalus acuminatus, Dc- 
jean , Cat. 
This handsome species is of a reddish chestnut 
colour, very glossy, and almost free from pubescence. 
The head, which is excavated in the middle, and 
the two lower joints of the antennae, are reddish, the 
remaining joints of the latter dusky. The thorax 
is deeply punctured, especially towards the sides, 
and has a black streak down the middle. The ely- 
tra are rather convex, and taper to the hinder ex- 
tremity, where they are produced into a kind of 
spine ; the surface marked with straight punctured 
lines, a dark-brown band along the middle of each 
elytron, and another on each side of the sutural line. 
The under side and legs are chestnut red. 
Found in South America, and often observed, 
according to M. Lacordaire, along with several of 
the species already described, resting on the stems 
of trees. 
