Department of Zoology, Punjabi University, Patiala-147 002 (India).
Four new species, viz, indentus, depressus, carinatus and pullus with their detailed systematic descriptions and illustrations are added to the Indian elaterid fauna of Melanotus Eschscholtz. The features distinguishing M. indentus from its allied species M. platypus Vats & Chauhan are: body dorsoventrally convex (flat in latter), antenna not reaching posterior angle of prothorax (extending beyond ih latter), and head as long as broad (broader than long in latter). M. depressus stands far apart from its related species M. tenebrows Erichson as: prothorax broader than long (as long as broad in latter), head concave (flat in latter), and last antenna1 segment constricted (entire in latter). The characters separating M. carinatus and its related species M. bifoveatus Vats & Chauhan are:prothorax broader than long (as long as broad in latter), pronotum with double punctation (simple in latter), and pronotum with two lateral depressions in middle (without depression in latter). M. pullus and its allied species M. foliatus Vats & Chauhan can be distinguished as: pronotum with double punctation (simple in latter), antenna reaching posterior angle of prothorax (extending beyond in Iatter), and body black (fuscus in latter).
