Melanaethus spinolae (Signoret)

(Figs. 9C, 10)

Aethus spinolae Signoret, 1863: 545; Walker, 1867: 152; Stål, 1876: 27. Melanaethus spinolae: Uhler, 1877: 392; Froeschner, 1960: 449.

Geotomus (Cydnus) spinolai: Signoret, 1883: 209 .

Geotomus spinolai: Uhler, 1886: 3; Lethierry & Severin, 1893: 74; Barber & Bruner, 1932: 238. Geotomus minusculus Jensen-Haarup, 1926: 50, syn. by Froeschner, 1960.

Material examined: 1♀, RR, Uraricoera, Ilha de Maracá, 22 to 25-Mar-1987, M.H. Galileo col., MCNZ; 2♂, MA, São Luis, 17-Jul-1984, A. Brisolla col., UNIFESP; 4♂, 24-Jul-1984, A. Brisolla col., UNIFESP; 1♀, RJ, Guaratiba, 02-Oct-1953, Aristoteles Silva col., MCNZ; 1♂, Pinheiral, Esc Sup de Agric. Pinheiro. E do Rio, MCNZ ; 1 specimen, MS, Campo Grande, 1946, Carvalho col., MNRJ; 1♀, SP, Ibitinga, Seringueira 3005-ALII, 29-Nov-1989, AM de Faria col., UNIFESP ; 4♀, Mogi-Mirim, ca. 9 km W, 02-Feb-2009, MCNZ; 7♀, RS, Cachoeirinha, 22-Dec-1980, M.E.L. de Souza col., MCNZ .

Distribution: Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, British Guiana, Brazil (RR new rec., MA new rec., MT, ES, RJ, MS new rec., SP, RS new rec.), Paraguay, Argentina, Chile.

Remarks: M. spinolae is the only one species of the genus present in Brazil, characterized by the thick margin of the head without secondary setae and with two primary hair-like setae. First record for Puerto Rico in (Froeschner & Maldonado-Capriles (1992).