Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 October 2014
The genus Pelonides Kuwert (Coleoptera: Cleridae) is revised to include six species as follows: P. floripennis Opitz, new species, P. granulatipennis (Schaeffer), P. humeralis (Horn), P. quadrinotata (Haldeman), P. quadripunctata (Say), and P. scabripennis (LeConte). Pelonides species are presumed predators of lignicolous and anthophilous prey species. It is hypothesised that the sister group of Pelonides is Parapelonides Barr, and that ancestral Pelonides diversified on ancient terrain known as the Mexican/Mayan block. Lectotypes were designated for P. granulatipennis (Schaeffer) and P. quadripunctata (Say). Pelonides similis Knull is synonymised with P. humeralis (Horn). Fifteen characters were evaluated phylogenetically and analysed with WINCLADA, in combination with NONA, which generated two fully resolved trees. This treatise also includes a key to Pelonides species, a summary of natural history, 24 line drawings, four electron micrographs, 24 habitus illustrations, and three distribution maps.
Subject editor: Andrew Smith