Cleridae, Latreille, 1802

Chapman, Eric G., Leavengood, John M. & Dupuis, Julian R., 2025, The Cleridae and Thanerocleridae of eastern North America, with illustrated keys, updated distributions, and special emphasis on the Kentucky fauna, Zootaxa 5639 (1), pp. 1-88 : 9-18

Key to the Genera of Cleridae of eastern North America

1. Fourth tarsomere small, indistinctly set at base of tarsomere five (A) [ Korynetinae ]................................. 2

1’. Fourth tarsomere not distinctly reduced, similar in form to tarsomeres II–III (B)................................... 11 2(1). Apical three antennomeres forming loose club that is as long or longer than the combined length of the funicle (antennomeres between the scape (1 st antennomere) and club) (A–E)......................................................... 3

2’. Apical three antennomeres forming a club that is not as long as combined length of the funicle (F, G).................. 9

3(2). External margin of protibia with partial to complete row of spines (A, B)......................................... 4

3’. External margin of protibia simple (C, D), or crenulate-serrulate (E) (in Chariessa , which has distinctly lobed to antler-like antennae; F)......................................................................................... 5

4(3). Elytra dark brown-black with testaceous maculae often forming fasciae, sometimes connected by a sutural marking (A); funicular antennomeres not densely setose, antennal club composed of three antennomeres whose combined length are not longer than length of remainder of antenna including the scape (B)......................... Madoniella dislocata (Say)

4’. Elytra black, immaculate (D); funicular antennomeres densely setose; antennal club comprised of three antennomeres whose combined length is longer than length of remainder of antenna including the scape (C)........ Pyticeroides laticornis (Say)

5(3’). Antennae with 10 antennomeres (A, B).................................................................... 6

5’. Antennae with 11 antennomeres (C, D).................................................................... 7 6(5). Eyes coarsely granulated (A); pronotum abruptly expanded at middle, testaceous to orange, with lateral dark vittae or maculae (C); elytra testaceous with dark markings (E), dark with sutural and lateral margins orange (F), or entirely testaceous (G)................................................................................................. Cregya

6’. Eyes finely granulated (B); pronotum not abruptly expanded at middle, entirely black or red (D), sometimes with central black marking; elytra entirely black or red to yellow with variable dark markings (H, I)......... Pelonides quadripunctata (Say)

7(5’). Pronotum abruptly expanded at middle and heavily sculptured (A); lichen mimic coloration (D); elytral punctation coarser and sparser, more distinct (D)...................................................... Pelonium leucophaeum (Klug)

7’. Pronotum not abruptly expanded at middle, smooth, not sculptured (B, C); elytra dark, generally unicolorous, punctation much finer and denser, surface smoother (E, F).................................................................. 8

8(7’). Anterior margin of protibia crenulate-serrulate (A); body more robust, elytra weakly oblong to strongly ovate (B).. Chariessa

8’. Anterior margin of protibia not crenulate-serrulate (C); body more linear, elytra quite parallel (D).......... Neorthopleura

9(2’). Lateral pronotal carina entire (A—arrows); elytra unicolorous (D, E) or bicolored (C), but lacking a pale, midelytral fascia; body form broad to ovate (C, D, E)...................................................................... 10

9’. Lateral pronotal carina not entire (B); dark elytra with a pale midelytral fascia (F); body form narrow-rectangulate (F)................................................................................ Tarsostenus univittatus (Rossi)

10(9). Interstitial spaces of elytra polished, surface smooth and glossy (A); elytra broadened in posterior half (Couplet 9: E); pronotum typically unicolorous orange and elytra typically unicolorous blue-black (Couplet 9: E)........ Lebasiella pallipes (Klug)

10’. Interstitial spaces of elytra gritty, surface nearly subrugose (B); elytra not broadened in posterior half (Couplet 9: C, D); pronotum and elytra metallic blue-green (Couplet 9: D) or pronotum and basal elytra orange-red (Couplet 9: C)... Necrobia

11(1’). Antennae short, with round-oblong one-segment club [ Clerinae : Hydnocerini ; A, B]............................... 12

11’. Antennae variable, but if possessing a one-segmented club then the segment is elongate or spatulate (C), never round-oblong.................................................................................................. 14 12(11). Tarsal unguis with well-developed bifidity (A).................................................... Phyllobaenus

12’. Tarsal unguis simple or with small tooth near base (B, C)..................................................... 13

13(12’) Third antennomere more elongate, about twice as long as wide (A); body more elongate (C)............... Neohydnocera

13’. Third antennomere about as long as wide or slightly longer (B); body more robust (D)........ Wolcottia pedalis (LeConte)

14(11’) Antennae distinctly to indistinctly capitate, with the apical three antennomeres forming a compact or loose club [ Clerinae , in part; A–D].......................................................................................... 15

14’. Antennae of variable form, not terminating in a three-segmented capitate club (E–H).............................. 19 15(14). Antennal club indistinct, with one or two anteapical segments only slightly larger than the preceding funicular segments (A, B)................................................................................................ 16

15’. Antennal club distinct, loose (C) to compact (D, E)......................................................... 17

16(15). Eyes coarsely granulated (A); body more elongate (C); pronotum brown; elytra brown, with three round to irregular testaceous maculae at the base, middle and apex of elytra (C)....................................... Opilo domesticus (Sturm)

16’. Eyes finely granulated (B); body more robust (D–F); pronotum red and/or black; elytra black or red and black, with two irregular pale fasciae (the antemedial fascia finer, the postmedial fascia broader) (D–F)..................... Thanasimus

17(15’) Elytra entirely black to purpurescent, not metallic; pronotum orange-red, with or without central black macula (A); terminal maxillary palpomere cylindrical (Couplet 18: A).................................. Placopterus thoracicus (Olivier)

17’. Elytra with markings (B–D), even if only a fascia of pale setae or a humeral spot, sometimes metallic; pronotum variable; terminal maxillary palpomere cylindrical, trigonal or subtrigonal (Couplet 18: B)................................. 18

18(17’) Terminal maxillary palpomere cylindrical (A); antennal club with antennomeres more rounded (C)............ Enoclerus

18’. Terminal maxillary palpomere trigonal or subtrigonal (B); apical three antennomeres forming a quadrate, flat club (D)................................................................................................. Trichodes

19(14’) Procoxal cavities posteriorly open—proepimeron (A—left arrow) not reaching procoxal process (A—right arrow) [ Clerinae , in part]............................................................................................ 20

19’. Procoxal cavities posteriorly closed—proepimeron (B—left arrow) reaching procoxal process (B—right arrow), closing off coxal cavities [ Tillinae ]............................................................................... 21

20(19). Pronotum and elytra reddish to brown, with small yellow elytral maculae (A); antennae distinctly serrate (B—lower arrow); femora notably thickened at distal half (B—upper arrow); eyes more coarsely granulated (C). Priocera castanea (Newman)

20’. Pronotum pink-orange with black markings and elytra dull black (D), sometimes with pale vittae (mimics of Lampyridae ); antennae weakly serrate (E—lower arrow); femora not notably thickened in distal half (E—upper arrow); eyes finely granulated (F).............................................................. Perilypus ornaticollis (LeConte)

21(19’) Apical antennomere flattened and elongate, as long or much longer than combined length of preceding four antennomeres (A —male, B —female); eyes strongly emarginate (C)................................... Monophylla terminata (Say)

21’. Last antennomere not flattened and elongate, either much shorter than combined length of preceding four antennomeres (D), or if longer, cylindrical (E); eyes emarginate or not........................................................... 22

22(21’). Each elytron with a subbasal swelling bearing a tuft of long, dark setae (A —upper arrow); elytra with a distinct midelytral fascia, straight and often ivory-colored (A —lower arrow); antennomeres IV–IX of males strongly serrate (A), antennomeres IV–IX of females moderately serrate; only known from the Florida Keys and the Everglades................................................................................................. Callotillus eburneocinctus Wolcott

22’. Elytral surface lacking subbasal swellings or tufts of long dark setae (B–D); elytra with (D) or without (B, C) midelytral fascia, variable form but never ivory-colored; antennae weakly serrate to filiform (B–D); widespread....................... 23

23(22’). Elytral punctation coarse, extending to apex (A, D); last antennomere as long or longer than preceding two antennomeres combined (B —male, C —female); body entirely brown, never with elytral maculae or fasciae (A).................................................................................................. Lecontella brunnea (Spinola)

23’. Elytral punctation feebly to moderately coarse, usually not extending to apex or when extending to apex these are shallow and feebly impressed (F, G); last antennomere not longer than preceding two antennomeres (E); body coloration highly variable, from all brown (H) to bicolored (I) to fasciate (Couplet 24: B, C)............................................. 24

24(23’) Body length 9.0–14.0 mm, elongate (A–D); pronotum and elytra variable in color (only Cymatodera bicolor has a red pronotum and blue-black elytra as in D); last antennomere slightly longer to much longer than preceding antennomere........................................................................................................ Cymatodera

24’. Body length less than 7.0 mm, robust (E); pronotum red and elytra unicolorous blue-black (E); last antennomere only slightly longer than preceding antennomere (F).......................................... Cymatoderella collaris (Spinola)