Anoplocurius canotiae Click here for a larger view

Diagnosis.--Key characters: Ommatidial size coarse (Fig. 39b); prosternal process linear and very thin, forming a vertical plane between narrowly separated procoxae, apex not or barely expanded (Fig. 14); antennae without spines; pronotum elongate with constriction at base; antennae and tibiae without carinae; body nearly glabrous; femora clavate (Fig. 37b); femoral apices rounded (Fig. 26). Length: 6-7 mm.

Distribution and Diversity.--Southern United States - Baja, México. Three species.

Discussion.--Anoplocurius fell within the Psyrassa and allies clade (Fig. 58). It shares with Psyrassa: absence of peripheral pronotal calli; absence of sexual prosternal punctation; incomplete metasternal sulcus; and rounded mesal metafemoral apices. All these characters undergo parallelisms within elaphidionini, and may not be strong evidence for the affinity of Anoplocurius to Psyrassa.

Anoplocurius is very small, pale, and glabrous and lacks antennal spines. It is most similar to Micranoplium and Curtomerus in appearance. It differs from Micranoplium in possessing lateral mesosternal projections into the mesocoxae (absent from Micranoplium). It differs from Curtomerus in not having the eyes, when viewed from the venter, situated laterally on small extensions from the head (eyes on such extensions in Curtomerus and widely separated ventrally).