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From G. R. Crotch   [after 16 October 1868]1

Stridulating organs of various Coleoptera.

1 Cychrus rostratus2 edge of elytra

2 Crioceris asparagi pygidium & elytron

3 Clythra 4-punctata3 pygidium & elytron

4 Crioceris brunnea4 "

5 — 12-punctata5 "

6 — cyanella6 "

7 — melanopa7 "

8 Zeugophora subspinosa no organ

9 Blethisa multipunctata

10 Cychrus ♂ elytron

11 Pelobius Hermanni8 pyg & ely

12 Cryptorhynchus Lapathi elytron

13 Acalles argillosus Teneriffe elytron

14 Cript. Lapathi ♂

15 Ceuth Echii.9 elytra.

16 acalles argillosus ♀

17 Elaphrus uliginosus ♀

18 Necrophorus vespillo10 ♂ ♀

19 Aromia moschata

20 Saperda carcharias

21 strangalia elongata11

22 Mesosa nubila12

23 Clytus arietis

24 Agapanthia lineatocollis13

25 Pachyta collaris14

26 grammoptera ruficornis

27 clytus arietis

28

The clythra has not been noticed before I believe

Elater purpureus 187. 350. (nec loci) = Corymbites haematodes Fab. 1776. Cand.15

CD annotations

8 Zeugophora … organ] ‘Cryoceridae’ pencil
11 Pelobius … ely ]‘V’ pencil
19 Aromia moschata] ‘[Longicorn]’ pencil
20 Saperda carcharias] ‘do’ pencil
21 strangalia elongata] ‘V do’ pencil
22 Mesosa nubila] ‘do’ pencil
23 Clytus arietis] ‘V do’ pencil
24 Agapanthia lineatocollis] ‘do’ pencil
25 Pachyta collaris] ‘Cryoceridae’ pencil
26 grammoptera ruficornis] ‘[Longicorn]’ pencil
27 clytus arietis] ‘do’ pencil
The Clythra] ‘Chrysomelidae’ interl after pencil
The Clythra … I believe ] ‘Ceutorhynchus’ pencil

Footnotes

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from Francis Darwin to Emma Darwin, [after 16 October 1868]. Francis wrote that Crotch would send specimens mounted on card. This list was probably sent with the specimens; the numbers evidently describe matching numbered specimens, none of which has been found in the Darwin Archive–CUL. In Descent 1: 379 n. 70, CD thanked Crotch for sending prepared specimens of various beetles.
2
Cychrus rostratus is a synonym of C. caraboides subsp. caraboides.
3
Clythra 4-punctata: i.e. Clytra quadripunctata. In Descent 1: 379, CD mentioned the location of stridulating organs in this species.
4
Crioceris brunnea: i.e. Lilioceris merdigera.
5
Crioceris 12-punctata: i.e. C. duodecimpunctata (the spotted asparagus beetle).
6
Crioceris cyanella is a synonym of Oulema gallaeciana.
7
Crioceris melanopa is a synonym of Oulema melanopus (the cereal leaf beetle).
8
Pelobius hermanni is a synonym of Hygrobia hermanni.
9
Crotch probably refers to Cryptorhynchus echii, now Mogulones geographicus. For more on stridulation in this species and other weevils, see Lyal and King 1996.
10
In Descent 1: 378–9, CD discussed the location of the stridulating organs in Necrophorus.
11
Strangalia elongata is a synonym of Rutpela maculata.
12
Mesosa nubila is a synonym of M. nebulosa.
13
Agapanthia lineatocollis is a synonym of A. villosoviridescens.
14
Pachyta collaris is a synonym of Dinoptera collaris.
15
In Descent 1: 379, n. 70, CD noted Crotch’s remark that the power of stridulation had not been previously observed in Clythra. On the synonymy of Elater purpureus with Corymbites haematodes, see Candeze 1863, pp. 95–6. This species is a synonym of Anostirus purpureus. Nec loci: neither place.

Bibliography

Descent: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1871.

Summary

Lists stridulating organs of various Coleoptera.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-6530
From
George Robert Crotch
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
unstated
Source of text
DAR 81: 124
Physical description
Amem 2pp †

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 6530,” accessed on 25 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-6530.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 16

letter

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