54 » 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. S1XVI, No. ii 
bugs.” It was first authentically described under the name of Blaps 
suturalis by Thos. Say (23, p. 237) in 1824. This description was 
republished (, 24., p. 30, pi. 16, fig. 2) in the same year and subsequently 
appeared under the same name in Say's Collected Works (23, p. 30, pi. 16, 
fig. 2) in 1859. The insect was removed from the genus Blaps in 1829 
and placed in the genus Eleodes by Eschscholtz (7, p. 10), who indicated 
the generic structural characters of the insect upon which the change 
was based. Le Conte (16, p. 182-183) in 1858, following his description 
of Eleodes suturalis var. texana, emphasized that the species discussed is— 
Allied to Eleodes suturalis, but much larger and narrower, with the sides of thejthorax 
and elytra still more strongly margined. 
It is interesting to note that the genus Eleodes by that time embraced 
a large number of species of very varied form, and those described by 
Le Conte served yet further to illustrate the protean character of the 
genus. Le Conte (17, p. 121-122, pi. 12, fig. 5) in 1859, in further dis¬ 
cussion of Eleodes suturalis var. texana , reviewed the description already 
published and directed attention to the exceedingly great variations of 
the species within the genus. Lacordaire (15, p. 148-149, pi. 31, fig. 3) 
in 1859 merely directed attention to the more commonly known dis¬ 
tinguishing characters between this and related species. Horn ( n,p. 306) 
in 1870, in his monographic revision of the Tenebrionidae, separated 
Eleodes suturalis from E. obscura and E. acuta by the flat or concave thorax, 
and further separated E. suturalis and E. texana according to rounded 
sides of the elytra in the former and the parallel sides of the elytra in the 
latter. He added further concerning E. suturalis that— 
The general form of this species agrees with the two already mentioned [Eleodes 
obscura and E. acuta], differing, however, in having both the thorax and elytra with 
a very acute margin, generally slightly reflexed in the latter, always so in the former, 
so that the dorsum appears either flattened or concave in accordance with the degree 
to which they are upturned. The sides of the elytra are rounded, never parallel, 
the dorsum is always flat. The anterior femora are not very acutely toothed, fre¬ 
quently merely sinuate . . . Many specimens have a broad red band along 
the suture of the elytra. 
Concerning Eleodes texana Lee., Horn directed attention to the fact 
that it, too, was acutely margined. In comparing it with E. suturalis 
he noted that the thoracic margin is much wider and more reflexed, the 
thorax broader, the sides more strongly rounded, the apex deeply etnargi- 
nate with acute angles, and the base trisinuate and with acute angles. 
The elytra are more acutely margined than in E. suturalis, the dorsum 
slightly concave, longer and more parallel and in the males slightly 
produced, their surface also feebly sulcate with striae of coarse, closely 
placed punctures. The anterior femora of the male are armed with a 
rather short acute tooth. Horn ( 12, p. 34) in 1874, after making further 
study of the various species from more widely separated localities in 
Texas, became— 
convinced that this species [E. texana] is merely a large variety of E. suturalis Say. 
Casey (4, p. 394) in 1890, in discussion of generic differences between 
Blaps and Eleodes, made comparison of the form of the mentum between 
Blaps mortisaga and Eleodes suturalis , but indicated that the facts relative 
thereto were of doubtful taxonomic importance. Blaisdell (3, p. 199- 
.203, pi. 1, fig. 14, 19, 23) in 1909, in his very full discussion of the charac¬ 
ters of the typical form of E. suturalis and of the variety E. texana, 
left little to be desired. He reviewed the salient type characters of E. 
