Anelaphus hoferi Click here for a larger view

Anelaphus m. moestus Click here for a larger view

Anelaphus eximium (Bates, 1885):250. NEW COMBINATION

Anelaphus hoferi (Knull, 1934b):69. NEW COMBINATION

Anelaphus inornatum (Chemsak & Linsley, 1979):270. NEW COMBINATION

Anelaphus maculatum (Chemsak & Noguera, 1993): 76. NEW COMBINATION

Anelaphus piceum (Chemsak, 1962):111. NEW COMBINATION

Anelaphus simile (Schaeffer, 1908):334. NEW COMBINATION

Anelaphus subdepressum (Schaeffer, 1904):222. NEW COMBINATION

Anelaphus tuckeri (Casey, 1924):247. NEW COMBINATION

Anelaphus undulatum (Bates, 1880):25. NEW COMBINATION

Species examined.--A. albofasciatus (Linell, 1897); A. belkini Skiles, 1985; A. cinereus (Olivier, 1795); A. davisi Skiles, 1985; A. debilis (LeConte, 1854a); A. eximium (Bates, 1885); A. hoferi (Knull, 1934b); A. inornatum (Chemsak & Linsley, 1979); A. jansoni Linsley, 1961a; A. maculatum (Chemsak & Noguera, 1993); A. moestus moestus (LeConte, 1854a); A. nanus (Fabricius, 1792); A. nitidipennis Chemsak & Linsley, 1968 (holotype); A. niveivestitus (Schaeffer, 1905a) (holotype); A. parallelus (Newman, 1840a); A. piceum (Chemsak, 1962); A. pumilus (Newman, 1840a); A. simile (Schaeffer, 1908); A. spurcus (LeConte, 1854a); A. subdepressum (Schaeffer, 1904); A. tuckeri (Casey, 1924); A. undulatum (Bates, 1880); A. villosus (Fabricius, 1792).

Diagnosis.--Key characters: Ommatidial size coarse (Fig. 39b); prosternal process expanded apically (Figs. 18, 27); mesal antennal spines present (Figs. 8b, 9b); pronotum with impunctate regions and calli present (Fig. 12d, although less developed); femoral carinae absent; procoxal cavities closed laterally (Fig. 24); procoxal cavities open posteriorly by about half width of procoxa (Fig 18); pronotum without crenulations or rugose sculpturing; mesotibial carinae absent (apparently present in A. subdepressum, and therefore coded both ways in key); femoral apices rounded (Fig. 26); profemora slightly clavate to gradually enlarged (Fig. 37b, c); meso- and metafemora gradually enlarged to linear (Fig. 37c, d); spine of antennomere three acute (Fig. 45a, b); antennomere three about half length of pronotum (Fig. 46a) (exceptions, with antennomere three about two-thirds length of pronotum include A. villosus, A. parallelus, A. davisi, A. pumilus, A. daedalis, A. maculatum); dense patches of pubescence on antennal tubercles (Fig. 43b); elytral apices usually truncate to slightly dentiform (Fig. 41b-d). Length: 8-15 mm.

Distribution and Diversity.--Southern Canada to Brazil and Argentina. Forty-five species.

Discussion.--No characters were found to consistently differentiate Peranoplium and Anelaphus. For this reason, and those listed in the phylogenetic discussion, I have synonomized them. Apparently, the only consistent differences between Anelaphus and Gymnospyra are the presence of pubescent antennal tubercles in Anelaphus (sparsely so in Gymnospyra) and generally truncate or slightly dentiform elytral apices in Anelaphus (usually rounded to suture in Gymnospyra.)