Key to families
Protarsomeres 1-4 compacted and very narrowly transverse; ventral of tarsomeres lacking pulvilli; eyes not
prominently incised; cranial and pronotal punctations more elongate. .................................................. Thanerocleridae
Protarsomeres 1-4 not compacted and not very narrowly transverse; ventral of tarsomeres with pulvilli; eyes
prominently incised; cranial and pronotal punctations more spherical. ................................................................ Cleridae
Key to nearctic species of Thanerocleridae
A. Anterior coxal cavities open behind. .............................................................................................. Zenodosus sanguineus.
- Anterior coxal cavities open behind. ........................................................................................................................................ 2.
B. (A) About 5 mm in length; pronotum subglobose, strongly constricted at base; first abdominal ventrite about
twice the lenght of other ventrites. ....................................................................................... Thaneroclerus buquet.
- About 2 mm in length; pronotum subrectangulate, broadly rounded behind middle; first abdominal ventrite
not about twice the length of other ventrites. ................................................................................. Ababa tantilla.
Key to Cleridae of America north of Mexico
1. Anterior coxal cavities open behind. ..................................................................................................................................... 1.
- Anterior coxal cavities open behind. ................................................................................................................................... 10.
2.(1) Frons with horns in front of eyes; elytral punctations not striated. ................................... Bostrichoclerus bicornis.
- Frons without horns in front of eyes; elytral punctations striated. ............................................................................... 3.
3.(2) Terminal antennomere strongly flattened, as long or longer than preceding four segments; metatarsus with
three pulvilli, first reduced. ......................................................................................................... Monophylla. [KEY]
- Terminal antennomere not strongly flattened, more circular in cross-section, shorter, at most as long as
combined length of preceding three segments. ....................................................................................................... 4.
4.(3) Antenna boldly serrate to capitate. ........................................................................................................................................ 5.
- Antenna feebly serrate. .............................................................................................................................................................. 6.
5.(4) Elytral surface bearing pale, transverse fascia which is swolen and blister like. ....................... Callotillus. [KEY]
- Elytral surface bearing pale, transverse fascia which is not swolen and blister like; pakistani adventive
known only from one wooden basket. .......................................................................................................... Tilloidea.
[KEY (German Version, English version comming soon)]
6.(4) Basal (innermost) denticle of tarsal claws digitiform. ................................................................................ Araeodontia.
- Basal (innermost) denticle of tarsal claws trigonal. ........................................................................................................... 7.
7.(6) Terminal antennomere as long or longer than preceding two segments. ................................................... Lecontella.
- Terminal antennomere only slightly longer than preceding one segment. ................................................................ 8.
8.(7) Eyes finely granulated; body length less than 6.0 mm. .................................................................. Cymatoderella. [KEY]
- Eyes coarsely granulated; body length 4.0 - 20.0 mm. ..................................................................................................... 9.
9.(8) Basal denticles (innermost) of tarsal claws widely seperated (Burke 2013); antennomeres 4-10 typically more
cylindrical. ......................................................................................................................................................... Cymatodera.
- Basal denticles(innermost) of tarsal claws close together; antennomeres 4-11 typically more typically more
serrate. .......................................................................... Bogcia. [now known only from Mexico; Key in Barr 1978]
10.(1) Eyes feebly emarginated (Hydnocerinae). ....................................................................... 11.
- Eyes deeply emarginated. .................................................................................................... 13.
11.(10) Basal (innermost) denticle of tarsal claws well developed, narrowly trigonal. ............................... Phyllobaenus.
- Basal (innermost) denticle of tarsal claws poorly developed, not narrowly trigonal. ........................................ 12.
12.(11) Third antennomere about twice as long as wide; head narrow subtrigonal when viewed from above; tarsal
claw without basal denticle. ................................................................................................................ Isohydnocera.
- Third antennomere short, about as long as wide; head more quadrate to broadly subtrigonal when viewed
from above; tarsal claw with feebly developed basal denticle. ...................................................... Wolcottia.
13.(10) Fourth tarsomere approximately equal in size to third. ............................................................................................. 14.
- Fourth tarsomere reduced, indistinctly set at base of third tarsomere. ................................................................. 21.
14.(13) Antenna serrate, not clavate. .............................................................................................................................................. 15.
- Antenna clavate, capitate in some. ................................................................................................................................... 16.
15.(14) Femora thickened in distal half; eyes coarsely granulated. ........................................................................... Priocera.
- Femora not distally thickened; eyes finely granulated. ................................................................................ Perilypus.
[Perilypus key] [Additional species]
16.(14) Terminal maxillary palpomere trigonal or subtrigonal. .............................................................................................. 17.
- Terminal maxillary palpomere cylindrical. ..................................................................................................................... 19.
17.(16) Eyes coarsely granulated. ............................................................................................................................................... Opilo.
- Eyes finely granulated. .......................................................................................................................................................... 18.
18.(17) Last three antenomeres forming compact club. .................................... Trichodes. [Nearctic revision in Foster
1976; Afrotropic key in Gerstmeier and Huesmann 2004; Western Palearctic key in Gerstmeier 1998
I have access to none of these at this time.]
- Last three or more antennomeres forming loose club. ...................................................................................... Aulicus.
19.(16) Antennal club loose; base of elytra serrially punctate. ............................................................................. Thanasimus.
- Antennal club compact; base of elytra not serrially punctate. .................................................................................. 20.
20.(19) Elytral coloration various, usually bearing pubescent markings; pronotum subsphereoid, side margins
prominently rounded, anterior transverse depression evident laterally; pronotal color variable. ............ ............................................................................................................................................................................. Enoclerus.
- Elytra unicolourous, black, some with purpurescent sheen, lacking pubescent markings; pronotum
subquadrate, side margins not prominently rounded, anterior transverse depression not evident
laterally; pronotum yellow to red. .......................................................................... Placopterus. [KEY to genus]
21.(13) Terminal three anntenomeres as long or longer than anntenomeres 3-8 combined. ........................................ 22.
- Terminal three anntenomeres not as long as anntenomeres 3-8 combined. ....................................................... 31.
22.(21) Antennal insertion distad from occular notch; pronotum with trichobothria. ...................................................... 23.
- Antennal insertion proximal to occular notch; pronotum lacking trichobothria. ................................................ 25.
23.(22) Funicular antennomeres not densely setose; antennal club of three segments whose combined length is not longer than remainder of antenna. ......................................................................................................................... 23a.
(Madoniella. [Key available] / Pennasolis. [Key available])
- Funicular antennomeres densely setose; antennal club of three segments whose combined length is longer
than remainder of antenna. ........................................................................................................................................ 24.
23a.(23) Without paralateral-elongated depressions on the sides of the elytral disc. ..................................... Madoniella. (THIS COUPLET IS ASSUMED BASED ON THE LITERATURE, I HAVE NOT SEEN PENNASOLIS.)
- With paralateral-elongated depressions on the sides of the elytral disc. .................................................. Pennasolis.
24.(23) Pronotum subquadrate; 9 antennomeres. ........................................................................ Pyticeroides. [key available]
- Pronotum narrow-elongate; 10 antennomeres. .................................................................................................... Ichnea.
25.(22) Antenna with 10 antennomeres. ......................................................................................................................................... 26.
- Antenna with 11 antennomeres. ......................................................................................................................................... 27.
26.(25) Eyes coarsely granulated; pronotum abruptly expanded at middle; elytral punctations large, serrate. .............
.................................................................................................................................................................................... Cregya.
- Eyes finely granulated; pronotum not abruptly expanded at middle; elytral punctations small, not serrate. .. ................................................................................................................................................................................ Pleonides.
27.(25) Pronotum expanded laterally at middle. ........................................................................................................................ 28.
- Pronotum not expanded laterally at middle. ................................................................................................................ 29.
28.(27) Termini of labial and maxilary palps trigonal. ................................................................................................ Pelonium.
- Termini not trigonal. ............................................................................................................................................... Boschella.
29.(27) Anterior margin of front tibia serrated. ............................................................................................................ Chariessa.
- Anterior margin of front tibia not serrated. ................................................................................................................... 30.
30.(29) Elytral punctations small, indistinct; epipleuron lateral. .................................................................. Neorthopleura.
- Elytral punctations deep and well defined; epipleuron ventral. ...................................................... Parapelonides.
31.(24) Lateral carina of pronotum entire; body broad and ovate. ........................................................................................ 32.
- Lateral carina of pronotum ending medially; body elongate to cylindrical; pale, transverse, medial fascia on
elytra. ............................................................................................................................................................................... 34.
32.(31) Elytra shining, smooth between punctures. ...................................................................................................... Lebasiella.
- Elytra rough between punctures. ....................................................................................................................................... 33.
33.(32) Antennomere 10 subquadrate to transverse. ..................................................................................................... Necrobia.
- Antennomere 10 subtrigonal. .................................................................................................................................. Loedelia.
34.(31) Medial, Transverse, elytral fascia slightly elevated and without setiferous punctations; about 6mm long. ............................................................................................................................................................................ Paratillus.
- Medial, Transverse, elytral fascia not elevated and bearing setiferous punctations; about 3mm long. ........................................................................................................................................................................ Tarsostenus.
Literature Cited
Burke, A. F. (2013). Six new species of Cymatodera from Mexico and Central America and the retention of Cymatodera obliquefasciata as a valid name (Cleridae, Tillinae). ZooKeys, (299), 49.
Barr W. F. (1978). Taxonomy of the new clerid genus Bogcia from Mexico. The Pan-Pacific Entomologist 54: 87-291.
Foster, D. E. (1976). Revision of North American Trichodes (Herbst)(Coleoptera, Cleridae) (No. 11). Texas Tech Press.
Gerstmeier, R., Huesmann, A. (2004). Revision of the Afrotropical species of the genus Trichodes Herbst, 1792 (Coleoptera, Cleridae). Zootaxa 694, 1-22.
Gerstmeier, R. (1998). Checkered Beetles. Illustrated Key to the Cleridae of the Western Palaearctic. - Margraf Verlag, Weikersheim. 241 pp.
Opitz, W. (2002). 73. Cleridae Latreille 1804. In: Arnett Jr., R.H. et al. (eds): American Beetles. Volume 2. Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea. CRC Press, Boca Raton, USA. , 267-280.
Opitz, W. (2007). Classification, natural history, and evolution of Epiphloeinae (Coleoptera, Cleridae). Part IV. The genera Pyticeroides Kuwert, 1894 and Diapromeces, Opitz, 1997. Entomologica Basiliensia et Collectionis Frey 29, 77-166.
Opitz, W. (2008). Classification, natural history, and evolution of Epiphloeinae (Coleoptera: Cleridae). Part VII. The genera Hapsidopteris Opitz, Iontoclerus Opitz, Katamyurus Opitz, Megatrachys Opitz, Opitzia Nemésio, Pennasolis Opitz, new genus, Pericales Opitz, new genus, Pteroferus Opitz, new genus, and Turbophloeus Opitz, new genus. Zootaxa 1754, 1-40.
Opitz, W. (2011). Classification, natural history, and evolution of Epiphloeinae (Coleoptera, Cleridae) Part X. The genus Madoniella Pic, 1935. Entomologica Basiliensia et Collectionis Frey 33, 133-248.
Couplet 10 is lack-luster, in my opinion. Fortunately, there is purportedly a revision of Hydnocerinae in the works.