A Key to the Amphidorini species of Southern California

In this journal post (https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/eleodesthermopolis/87122-a-key-to-the-eleodes-species-of-southern-california-outdated) I created a key for the Eleodes of southern California, I had a more limited definition of the location at that time, and this key aims to not only improve what I had done in that key, but also expand it to all of Amphidorini, and the more common definition of southern California (“Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties”). I have been told by M. A. Johnston that regional keys are good, which I certainly would agree (while technically a regional key, my Eleodes key for the U.S. and Canada has more or less 80 outcomes, the help in regional keys is primarily the lower species count, and potentially less variation), anyway, I do plan to make more regional keys across the range of Amphidorini, so far, there is only this one, and another which I will soon post for many states/provinces in the northeastern part of the tribe’s range.

The key on Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZqjZsoLCLD6hM5coFTku25erj4e7HUTd/view?usp=drivesdk

1 Elytra with at least four large costae, size small, pronotum with strongly projected anterolateral angles, tuberculate or reticulate, arid regions…2 (genus Trogloderus)
1’ Elytra lacking costae...5
2 (1) Pronotum tuberculate…3
2’ Pronotum reticulate…4
3 (2) Both elytra with a large tubercule at the apex, pronotum broader…Trogloderus tuberculatus
3’ Elytral apex without two large tubercules, pronotum less broad…Trogloderus skillmani
4 (2’) Pronotum less broad and clearly and evenly convex…Trogloderus major
4’ Pronotum more broad and while still convex, not as even…Trogloderus vandykei
5 (1’) Elytra carinate, size small, arid regions…Embaphion depressum
5’ Elytra never carinate…6
6 (5’) Entire body covered in long conspicuous setae, size less than 15mm…7
6’ Never with conspicuous setae unless size is over 15mm, or said conspicuous setae long, golden, and primarily from beneath the sides of the pronotum, or the pronotum is strongly cordate…11
7 (6) Size 13mm or more...8
7’ Size 12mm or less…9
8 (7) Setae usually orange, pronotum constricted at base…Eleodes osculans
8’ Setae black or grey, pronotum not constricted at base, Baja California…Eleodes ursus
9 (7’’) Setae black, pronotum constricted at base…Eleodes nigropilosa
9’ Setae yellow, pronotum not constricted at base…10
10 (9’) Antennomere 3 subequal to 4, more northern from the U.S.-Mexico border…Eleodes littoralis
10’ Antennomere 3 subequal to 4 and 5 combined, more southern from the U.S.-Mexico border…Eleodes subdeplanata
11 (6’) Elytra with many clearly separated tubercules, apex attenuate, pronotum legs long when compared to the body, usually near mountains…Eleodes granosa
11’ If elytra tuberculate, then tubercules usually not as clearly separate, and legs never abnormally long when compared to the body…12
12 (11’) Long, golden setae originating from beneath the sides of the pronotum, Mohave Desert…genus Lariversius
12’ If with conspicuous setae, then setae brownish…13
13 (12’) Body appearing rough, elytral punctures conspicuous and never simple, pronotum broad, only slightly constricted at base, elytra strongly attenuate, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties…Eleodes marginata
13’ If pronotum broad then elytral punctures simple and minute...14
14 (13’) Elytra sulcate…15
14’ Elytra not sulcate…16
15 (14) Anterolateral angles of pronotum acute…Eleodes hispilabris
15’ Anterolateral angles of pronotum rounded…Eleodes obscura sulcipennis
16 (14’) Elytra with clearly separated papillae, pronotum arcuate, about the same width as the elytra, foretibia curved, buccal process strongly projected, in and around San Diego county…Eleodimorpha bolcan
16’ Buccal process not strongly projected…17
17 (16’) Mesofemora and metafemora dentate or subdentate...18
17’ Mesofemora and metafemora never dentate…20
18 (17) Pronotum widest anterior of middle, elytra with simple punctures, widespread…Eleodes armata
18’ Pronotum widest at middle, elytral punctures simple or muricate, Baja California…19
19 (18’) Elytra usually appearing rough, metatibia more or less straight…Eleodes moesta
19’ Elytra appearing smooth, metatibia curved or bent…Eleodes femorata
20 (17’) Pronotum evenly arcuate, widest at middle, elytra with fairly conspicuous brownish setae, muricate punctures, luster dull, larger than 18mm, Channel Islands…Eleodes adumbrata
20’ Elytra never with conspicuous setae unless the pronotum is strongly cordate or size is less than 18mm…21
21 (20’) Profemora always dentate, size larger...22
21’ Profemora never dentate, size variable...28
22 Pronotum broad, elytral apex never attenuate, rounded, humeri obsolete...Eleodes grandicollis
22’ If pronotum broad, then elytral apex attenuate or caudate, humeral angles never obsolete...23
23 (22’) Pronotum at least two times the width of the head, profemora always dentate, often caudate...Eleodes acuticauda
23’ Pronotum less then two times the width of the head...24
24 (23’) Pronotum widest anterior of middle...25
24’ Pronotum widest at middle...26
25 (24) Pronotum usually broad and strongly arcuate, striae more dense but punctures smaller, usually in more northern forests…Eleodes dentipes
25’ Pronotum more parallel sided, only slightly arcuate, striae spaced out but punctures larger...Eleodes gracilis distans
26 (24’) All tibias strongly curved, profemoral spines blunt, never caudate...Eleodes subcylindrica
26’ Tibias not abnormally curved, profemoral spines acute, caudate or not...27
27 (26’) Elytral punctures minute, appearing inpunctate, inland chaparral...Eleodes discincta
27’ Elytral punctures small but fairly conspicuous, arid regions...Eleodes mexicana
28 (21’) Punctures of elytra simple, elytra never with tubercules or papillae, pronotal punctures always small and minute...29
28’ Punctures of elytra not simple, elytra with or without tubercules or papillae, pronotal punctures variable...33
29 (28) Body elongate, size over 22mm...Eleodes gigantea
29’ Body elongate or not, size 22mm or less...30
30 (29’) Body not particularly elongate, legs more robust...31
30' Body elongate, legs more slender, often long, aid regions...32 (Eleodes (Metablapylis))
31 (30) Strial punctures larger than those of intervals, Mohave Desert near Nevada...Eleodes carbonaria carbonaria
31’ Strial punctures and those of intervals subequal, chaparral and adjacent desert...Eleodes carbonaria omissa
32 (30') Strial punctures larger than those of intervals, pronotum more arcuate...Eleodes californica
32’ Strial punctures and those of intervals subequal…Eleodes delicata (Eleodes nevadensis)
33 (28') Pronotum usually strongly cordate, elytral apex usally rounded, the coast and forests...Eleodes (Blapylis)
33' Pronotum evenly arcuate, elytral apex usually more or less attenuate, mountain forests...Eleodes (Litheleodes)

Posted on 16 de fevereiro de 2024, 10:44 PM by eleodesthermopolis