Synopsis of the pelidnotine scarabs (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae, Rutelini) and annotated catalog of the species and subspecies Author Moore, Matthew R. Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida Building 1881 Natural Drive Area, Steinmetz Hall, Box 110620, Gainesville, FL 32611 - 0620, USA Author Jameson, Mary L. Department of Biological Sciences, Wichita State University 1845 Fairmount, Box 26, Wichita, KS 67260 - 0026, USA maryliz.jameson@gmail.com Author Garner, Beulah H. Natural History Museum, Insects Division, Department of Life Sciences, Cromwell Road, London SW 7 5 BD, UK Author Audibert, Cedric Musee des Confluences, Centre de Conservation et d'Etude des Collections, 13 A Rue Bancel, F- 69007 Lyon, France Author Smith, Andrew B. T. Research Division, Canadian Museum of Nature, P. O. Box 3443, Station D, Ottawa, Ontario, K 1 P 6 P 4, Canada Author Seidel, Matthias text ZooKeys 2017 2017-04-06 666 1 349 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.666.9191 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.666.9191 1313-2970-666-1 B3C377E8BBB14F328AECA2C22D1E625A C43EEB41A94B930FFE439D1FAD29FF9C 579453 Epichalcoplethis F. Bates 1904 Figs 2A , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 Type species. Pelidnota velutipes Arrow, 1900. Species. 16 species and subspecies; length 15-19 mm. Previously considered a subgenus of Pelidnota , Epichalcoplethis was circumscribed by Soula (2006) as distinct from the monotypic genus Chalcoplethis and composed of 16 species and subspecies. Chalcoplethis kirbii shares many characters with species of Epichalcoplethis including form of the male genitalia, pronotal bead which is obsolete apicomedially, lack of spinules at apex of metatibia, well-developed prosternal process, and mesometasternal keel surpassing the mesocoxae. Sister-group relationships require examination. Species in the genus Epichalcoplethis can be diagnosed, in part, based on the following characters: metatibia weakly compressed (strongly compressed in C. kirbii ) and apex lacking spinules; meso- and metatarsomere 5 lacking internomedial tooth; punctate-striate elytra; elytral epipleuron shelf-like (not rounded); pronotum with bead incomplete apically (complete laterally and basally); mandibles that are bidentate externally; prosternal process well-developed; and, mesometasternal keel surpassing the mesocoxae. Epichalcoplethis chamaeleon (Herbst) differs from other species in the genus based on the form of the male parameres, form of the metatibia in the male (not compressed laterally and apex with a well-developed corbel). For many years, this large and conspicuous species was misidentified as Pelidnota rostrata Burmeister. Species in the genus are distributed from Guatemala and Belize, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and south to Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. In Grenada, E. velutipes is common in the temperate zone from April to May ( Chalumeau 1985 ). Although the larvae are not described for this species, Chalumeau (1985) noted that he obtained larvae from the decaying trunks of mango trees.