Beckerus Johnson, New Genus

Type species. Elater appressus Randall, 1838; here designated

Description: Body short, broadly arcuate laterally, weakly convex, broadened posteriorly. Integument shining, sparsely punctured; pubescence sparse, pallid, short and recumbent. Head with frons depressed to slightly concave; supra-antennal ridge transverse, widely separated on frons. Antenna serrate to subpectinate, exceeding pronotal hind angles by 2–4 segments; segment 3 serrate, coarsely and sparsely punctured. Thorax with pronotum length 0.74X width; disc slightly convex, broadly deplanate laterally; hind angle with evanescent dorsal carina, apex rounded; basal incisures short. Prosternum with anterior lobe short, 0.25 X width, strongly deflexed; intercoxal process strongly arched; pronotopleural sutures closed anteriorly. Hypomeron with medial margin simple; posterior margin broadly emarginate. Scutellum quadrate to subpentagonal. Mesepimeron broadly adjacent to coxal cavity. Metaventrite with anterior intercoxal process narrowly rounded. Elytral striae weakly striatopunctate; intervals flat with large punctures; costal margin broadly explanate, reflexed. Aedeagus with median lobe deflexed apically; lateral lobe hooked apically, apex desclerotized mesally and setose at tip. Gonocoxites moderately scleroized; ovipositor rods longer than ventrites 1– 5; bursa copulatrix expanded, colleterial glands and lateral swellings with small moderately sclerotized plate dorsally; spermatheca tubular, distal; spermathecal reservoir similar and near to spermatheca.

Name derivation. This genus is named in honor of the late Edward C. Becker (1923-2008), longtime elaterid specialist, friend, and mentor.

Species included. Beckerus appressus (Randall, 1838), new combination; Beckerus barri (Lane, 1965), new combination.

Beckerus appressus (Randall, 1838)

NOVA SCOTIA: Halifax Co.: Grassy Lake, 1–16.vii.1997, D.J. Bishop, red spruce forest, flight-intercept trap, NSMC; Victoria Co.: Sunday Lake, Cape Breton Highlands National Park, 14.vi.1996, R.F. Lauff, regenerating coniferous forest, NSMC.

Newly recorded in Nova Scotia. In New Brunswick collected in old-growth spruce (Picea sp.)-balsam fir (Abies balsamaea )) forest. In New York found at higher elevations on ferns growing in Sphagnum moss; larvae are found in the Sphagnum (Dietrich 1945).