Adelphoclerus Wolcott, 1910: 356 , 1927: 73

OPITZ, WESTON, 2005, Classification, Natural History, And Evolution Of The Genus Aphelocerus Kirsch (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2005 (293), pp. 1-128 : 18-20

Adelphoclerus Wolcott, 1910: 356, 1927: 73 . Type

species: Adelphoclerus nitidus Wolcott, 1910:

357 (junior synonym). Corporaal, 1942: 137,

1950: 146.

Size: Length 3.2–8.6 mm; width 1.5–4.0 mm. Form (see frontispiece): Oblong; robust, commonly three times longer than broad; elytra plane in basal two­thirds and deflexed in apical third; members of the formicoides , scutellaris , and myrmecoides species groups variously convex in pronotal and elytral form; in some of these species groups the abdomen is proportionally shortened. Integument: Shiny black, rarely basal half of elytra reddish; cranium, pronotum, pterothorax, abdomen, legs sometimes cyanescent; elytra and legs rarely testaceous; cranium, pronotum, and elytra rarely castaneous. Vestiture: Integument densely setose; dense patch or patches of white setae (herein designated as ‘‘tufts’’) may be present on frons (fig. 24), lateral aspects of pronotum (fig. 23), metepisternummesepimeron­mesepisternum (fig. 23), mesoscutellum and sutural margin (fig. 22), elytral disc (see frontispiece), and epipleural margin; elytral middiscal tuft may be comprised of one (fig. 35) or two (see frontispiece) patches; elytral disc near apex with one elongated seta (the elytral trich, fig. 257). Head: Cranium (fig. 2) finely punctate, rarely coarsely punctate, interocular depressions and frontal umbo feebly or boldly developed, genae and epicranium expanded in members of formicoides , scutellaris , and myrmecoides species groups, gula transverse, gular process narrowly projecting; labrum (fig. 4) transverse, strongly emarginate; mandible (fig. 3) subfalciform; maxilla (fig. 6) with lacinia divided into mediolacinia and laterolacinia, terminal segment of palpus digitiform; labium (fig. 5) with incised ligula, terminal segment of palpus securiform; eyes moderately or strongly convex, ommatidia fine, as wide as ocular suture; antenna (fig. 24) comprised of 11 antennomeres, terminal three antennomeres forming distinct club, shorter, equal in length, or longer than pronotum, funicular articles subcylindric. Thorax: Pronotum quadrate or elongate, plane (fig. 7) or convex (fig. 23), finely punctate, disc rarely wrinkled transversely, anterior transverse depression faintly or strongly impressed, side margins moderately (see frontispiece) or boldly (fig. 35) convex; coxal cavi­ ties open (fig. 8); elytra nearly planar (fig. 9) or boldly (fig. 11) convex; rarely laterally compressed (fig. 41), disc very finely punctate or coarsely punctate or subrugose, rarely carinate, fine punctations sometimes arranged in longitudinal rows; metathoracic wing as in figure 15; legs particularly long in specimens of formicoides , scutellaris , and myrmecoides species groups, tibia with conspicuous carina on anterior and posterior facies, protibia with one spur, meso­ and metatibia with two spurs, tarsal claws with conspicuous basal denticle (fig. 255); outer lateral margin of tibiae vested with stout dark setae, remainder of tibial setae pale. Abdomen: Shortened in members of formicoides , scutellaris , and myrmecoides species groups; pygidium trigonal (fig. 101) or subquadrate (fig. 93), with posterior margin evenly arcuate, or feebly sinuous; male sixth visible abdominal sternum always incised. Male genitalia (fig. 154): Moderately sclerotized; parameres usually short, with apical spine in some members of ciliaris species group; ventral sinus usually longer than dorsal sinus (fig. 13); phallus comprised of two phallic plates which are rarely denticulate; phallic plicae rarely prominent; spicular fork prominent (fig. 14), interspicular plate transverse. Female genitalia (fig. 17): Ovipositor predominately membraneous; proctigeral bacculus (fig. 16) well developed; dorsal lamina trilobed; oblique bacculus and ventral bacculus (fig. 17) well developed; ventral lamina trilobed. Male internal reproductive system (figs. 18,19): Two pairs of accessory glands, medial gland biramous, lateral gland uniramous, coiled or loosely convoluted. Female internal reproductive system (fig. 20): Spermathecal capsule well sclerotized; spermathecal gland attached to base of spermathecal capsule. Alimentary canal (fig. 12): Proventriculus well developed; ventriculus broadened near middle, ventricular crypts well developed; six cryptonephridial malpighian tubules. Nervous system: As in figure 21.

DISTRIBUTION: This New World genus is widely distributed and particularly abundant in the tropics. In aggregate, the species range from Mexico to Argentina with the greatest concentration of species in Central America, between Mexico and Honduras. The highlands of Chiapas ( Mexico), Puntarenas (Cos­ ta Rica), and Chiriqui ( Panama) each possess a number of cryptic species.