Catalog of the Coleoptera of America North of Mexico. Family: Elmidae

摘要

The Coleoptera, or beetles, are represented in the world by about 220,000 described species, of which about 24,000 occur in the United States and Canada. A comprehensive taxonomic catalog of beetles for this area has not been available except the series of world-based 'Coleopterorum Catalogus' volumes. The Leng 'Catalogue of the Coleoptera of America North of Mexico' which was published in 1920 with supplements to the end of 1947, is a checklist. However, it has served professional and amateur alike for nearly 60 years as the principal source of scientific names of beetles. Since 1947, many new taxa have been described and many changes in status and nomenclature have appeared in numerous scattered publications, but little effort has been made to summarize these changes. This catalog will supplant the Leng catalog and supply additional essential information.