Genus. Elater, Linn. &c.
Elater Auratus. Cyaneo aut viridi-nitidus subtus cupreus, elytris acuminatis. (Long. Corp. 1 unc. 9 lin.)
Syn. Elater auratus, Drury, App. vol. 2. (1773). Linn. Syst. Nat. (Gmel.) 1. iv. 19. 14.
Elater fulgens, Fabr. Ent. Syst. 1. 11. p. 220. 22. 17. (1792.) Syst. Eleuth. II. 226. Oliv. Ent. 2. 31. 12. t. 4. f. 43. Herbst. Col. ix. p. 343. t. 158. f. 12.
Habitat: China.
Head green. Antennæ black, and shorter than the thorax; having at each joint some short hairs. Thorax green, and margined, appearing as if finely polished; the hinder corners being pointed, and forming obtuse angles. Scutellum round and shining. Elytra likewise green, shining, and margined; their extremities terminating in two sharp points. Under side shining green, except the tarsi, which are black.
This beautiful insect may be regarded as the most brilliant species belonging to the family, Elateridæ, the majority of which are of dull and uniform colours, thus affording a strong contrast to the splendid family of Buprestidæ, to which they are very nearly allied. The family Elateridæ are all, as Drury observes, provided with an instrument which extends along the breast, about the thickness of the thighs, to the abdomen, where the end of it is received into a groove, forming a spring, by which the creature, when laid on its back, can jump to a considerable height, from which circumstance it has received the name of Elater.
LAMIA (ACANTHODERES) ARANEIFORMIS.
Plate [XXXV]. fig. 4. (or the bottom figure).
Order: Coleoptera. Section: Longicornes. Family: Lamiidæ.