Portelmis Sanderson, 1953

(Figs. 2–19)

Stenelmis nevermanni Hinton, 1936: 424 .

Portelmis nevermanni: Sanderson, 1953: 35; Spangler, 1980: 63. Portelmis gurneyi Spangler, 1980: 63 .

Diagnosis. Presence of a transverse ridge behind the posterior margin of the eyes. Pronotum generally longer than wide. Elytra without sublateral carinae; with striae and punctures distinct; with a deep, lateral, marginal excavation near the elytral apex, accompanied by the prolonged lateral margin of the ventrite V, which fits into this excavation. Plastron confined to the ventral surface.

Species groups. Based on morphological data, two distinct groups of Portelmis species were erected, nevermanni Group ( P. nevermanni and P. kinonatilis) and gurneyi Group (P. g u r n e y i and P. paulicruzi). Characteristics of selected structures used to distinct the Groups are compared in Table 1.