REVISION OF THE NEARCTIC SPECIES OFATHOUS(COLEOPTERA: ELATERIDAE) EAST OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS

Abstract

AbstractThe Nearctic species of the elaterid genusAthouseast of the Rocky Mountains are revised. Of the 16 included species, two are described as new (neacanthusknown from southern Quebec to northern Georgia andorvusknown from Nova Scotia to Michigan to Virginia) and two species are transferred fromDenticollis, namely,productus(Randall) andquadrosaBecker (as a new junior synonym ofA.appalachiusVan Dyke). Other new synonymies are:carolinusVan Dyke as a junior synonym ofacanthus(Say),erebusVan Dyke ofposticus(Melsheimer), andbipunctatusProvancher ofproductus(Randall). The European speciescampyloidesis known from North America from near Quebec City and in the Canadian Maritime Provinces. Neotypes are designated for the five species described by Say and Randall and for one described by Melsheimer; lectotypes, when needed, are designated for LeConte’s, Melsheimer’s, and Candèze’s species. A key to the species is presented and the salient features and distribution maps for each species are included. Brief notes are given on three western species ofAthous: two common species (rufiventris(Eschscholtz) andnigropilisMotschulsky) that are occasionally found east of the Rockies andorophilusHarold, which is known only by the type from the Bitter Root Mountains. Brief discussions are included of two European species,vittatus(Fabricius) andsubfuscus(Müller), which have been intercepted at various eastern ports in Canada and the United States, but which have not become established in North America.