Romulus globosus 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; 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; spine on antennomere three acute (Fig. 45a, b); mesofemoral shape linear (Fig. 37d); antennomere three almost two-thirds length of pronotum (Fig. 46b); lateral projections into mesocoxae from mesosternum absent (Fig. 20); elytra with combination of dense, appressed pubescence and sparse, erect hairs; integument reddish; pronotum broadly rounded and inflated, nearly as wide as elytra at middle and much wider than long (Fig. 41d). Length: 29 33 mm.

Distribution and Diversity.--Southeastern United States (Florida). Monotypic.

Discussion.--No specimens of this genus were available for dissection and careful character examination. Therefore, it was not included in the phylogenetic analysis. At least superficially, it strongly resembles species in Enaphalodes, and the two genera are probably very closely related, if not congeneric. Only greater availability of specimens will answer this question.

Romulus specimens are very distinctive with their red integument and large, broad body. Their appearance is identical to a teneral form of Enaphalodes. They differ from Enaphalodes in having less conspicuous pubescence on the elytra and pronotum, truncate to dentiform elytral apices (moderately spinose in most Enaphalodes specimens), and larger size in most specimens.