Elathous Reitter, 1890

Etzler, Frank E. & Seibert, Catherine E., 2022, Checklist of the Elateridae (Coleoptera) of Montana, USA, with Taxonomic Notes, The Coleopterists Bulletin 76 (3), pp. 449-477 : 468

Elathous Reitter, 1890 .

The single Montana species, Elathous nebulosus (Van Dyke) , was described under Limonius Eschscholtz, 1829 and included in the most recent revision of Limonius ( Al Dhafer 2009) . However, it was moved to Elathous by Lane at least as early as 1952 and is included under Elathous in his 1971 key ( Lane 1952, 1971). We agree with Lane’s placement, which is supported by the male genitalia ( Etzler 2019). Elathous will not be accurately determined using the most recent elaterid generic key since it lacks lobed tarsi and instead keys to Ampedus Dejean, 1833 ( Johnson 2002: couplet 42). Elathous can be distinguished from Ampedus by the transverse frontal carina (arcuate in Ampedus ) and straight posterior margin of the hypomeron (noticeably emarginate in Ampedus ). Elathous has been collected by Lindgren funnel in Montana.