Parelaphidion aspersa Click here for a larger view

Diagnosis.--Key characters: Ommatidial size coarse (Fig. 39b); prosternal process expanded apically (Fig. 18); mesal antennal spines present (Figs. 8b, 9b); elytral humeri without epipleural tooth; pronotum with impunctate regions and calli (Fig. 12d); femoral carinae absent; procoxal cavities closed laterally (Fig. 24); femoral apices rounded (Fig. 26); posterior procoxal cavities open (Fig. 18); transverse ridges on pronotal disc absent; tibial carinae absent (although coded both ways in key); spine on antennomere three acute (Fig. 45a, b); femoral shape gradually enlarged (Fig. 37c); antennomere three of males and most females about two-thirds length of pronotum (Fig. 46b); lateral projections into mesocoxae from mesosternum absent (Fig. 20); elytra and pronotum covered with dense connected patches of white or yellowish pubescence (as in Fig. 8), females with an additional dense coating of short, erect hairs; elytral apices with sutural and lateral spines moderately to strongly developed; integument dark; pronotum broadly rounded and inflated, as wide as elytra at middle (Fig. 41d). Length: 13-16 mm.

Distribution and Diversity.--United States, West Indies. Three species.

Discussion.--Parelaphidion is apparently closely related to other North American genera including Enaphalodes, Gymnospyra, Orwellion, and Eustromula (Fig. 56).

Parelaphidion differs from Enaphalodes in having gradually enlarged femora (linear in Enaphalodes), and pronotum not greatly expanded at middle, narrower than elytra (inflated in Enaphalodes). Parelaphidion differs from Anelaphus in having longer antennae, antennomere three two-thirds length of pronotum (half length of pronotum in most species of Anelaphus).