Epectinaspis (Rutelinae: Anomalini) is a Neotropical genus distributed from central Mexico to Venezuela, at elevations ranging from 500-1900 m. Epectinaspis mexicana (Burmeister) was the only species originally placed in this genus when it was established by Blanchard in 1851. Since then, 12 species have been added to the genus but no comprehensive studies have been conducted. Results of my revision of Epectinaspis demonstrated that there are 10 species in the genus, including one new species. The name E. densicollis Casey is placed in synonymy with E. opacicollis Bates, E. gracilipes Casey and E. nubicollis Casey are considered new synonyms of E. mexicana (Burmeister), and E. quadripennis Casey and Zabacana brevinigrans Saylor are placed in synonymy with E. moreletiana (Blanchard). Phylogenetic analyses were performed on the 10 species of Epectinaspis and 10 representative taxa of Anomalini. Results of the phylogenetic analyses demostrate that Epectinaspis is a monophyletic genus. The phylogenetic relationships to the other genera of Anomalini and the biogeography of the genus Epectinaspis will be discussed. Information about identification and distributional data of Epectinaspis has been published electronically at: http://www.museum.unl.edu/research/entomology/obj-epect.htm
Species 1: Coleoptera Scarabaeidae Epectinaspis mexicana
Species 2: Coleoptera Scarabaeidae Epectinaspis moreletiana
Keywords: Scarabs, Central America
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA