Toward a Natural Classification of Tritomini: Are There Hidden Tribes within the Genus Tritoma Fabricius (Coleoptera: Erotylidae)? Author Pecci-Maddalena, Italo Salvatore de Castro Author Skelley, Paul E. text The Coleopterists Bulletin 2021 2021-12-07 75 3 629 641 http://dx.doi.org/10.1649/0010-065x-75.3.629 journal article 10.1649/0010-065X-75.3.629 1938-4394 13251305 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9A8ADB30-7107-4C0E-9C11-6D1233F6210E Rotitma Chûjô, 1969 , full generic status Cyrtotriplax ( Rotitma ) Chûjô 1969: 226 . Chûjô and Chûjô 1990: 46 . Type Species. Cyrtotriplax pallidiventris Lewis, 1887 ; by subsequent designation ( Chûjô and Chûjô 1990: 46 ). Diagnosis. Body generally ovoid in shape. Clypeus anterior margin with shallow V-shaped emargination; complete marginal bead present. Eyes finely facetted. Antenna with club of 3 antennomeres; antennomere XI transversely oval to nearly circular. Mouthparts with lacinia lacking teeth; maxillary terminal palpomere triangularly widened, not more than 3 times wider than long; mentum pentagonal. Prosternal lines widely spaced, not connecting anteriorly. Elytra lacking distinct basal marginal bead. Tibiae narrow, not triangularly dilated. Distribution. Japan , Sarawak , and eastern North America. Number of Species. 6 [5 ( Chûjô and Chûjô 1990 ) + Rotitma sanguinipennis ( Say, 1825 ) , new combination ]. Remarks. Cyrtotriplax Crotch, 1873 as used by Chûjô (1969: 6) and Chûjô and Chûjô (1990: 30) (not Cyrtotriplax Gorham 1896: 286 ) has a complicated history. Cyrtotriplax Crotch is a synonym of Triplax Fabricius ( Bouchard et al . 2011: 358 ; Kerzhner 1991: 126 ), while Cyrtotriplax Gorham remains a valid genus. Tritoma Fabricius is a diverse genus with 136 species ( Alvarenga 1994 ; Boyle 1956 ; Chûjô and Chûjô 1990 ; Delkeskamp 1981 ; Goodrich and Skelley 1991 ) that are widely distributed (Holarctic, Central America, Africa). Tritoma ( sensu lato ) is readily distinguished from Rotitma by lacking the V-shaped concavity of the epistomal apex and in having a distinctly triangular mentum. Raising Rotitma to full generic status makes Tritoma a more homogeneous genus. However, the morphological diversity and wide geographical distributions of the remaining Tritoma species raises questions about the monophyly of this and other related genera. Similarly, the wide geographical distribution of Rotitma indicates additional species may still reside in Asian Tritoma ( sensu lato ). Robust revisionary and phylogenetic works on the world’s Tritomini are needed. With the raising of Rotitma to full generic status, the following new combinations are recognized: Rotitma circumcinctus ( Lewis 1887: 66 ) , Rotitma discalis ( Lewis 1887: 65 ) , Rotitma pallidiventris ( Lewis 1887: 64 ) , and Rotitma rufipennis ( Lewis 1887: 65 ) , all from Japan ; and Rotitma sarawakensis Chûjô 1974: 13 , from Sarawak . The following North American species is here transferred to the genus Rotitma , bringing the total of included species to six.