A Classification of the Genera and Higher Taxa of the Meloid Subfamily Eleticinae (Coleoptera)

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Abstract
The Eleticinae are an archaic and in many respects primitive group of Meloidae found in South America (widespread), Africa (south of the Sahara Desert), and the Oriental Region (India to Thailand). They are, in general, poorly represented in collections, and very little is known definitely of their bionomics. On the basis of an analysis of adult anatomical characters the subfamily is defined in detail and is classified to the generic level in the present paper. Two tribes, seven subtribes, and 10 genera are recognized, keyed, and diagnosed. The tribe Spasticini is arranged as follows: Protomeloina Abdullah, transferred from the Meloinae and reduced to subtribal rank, with Protomeloe Abdullah; Spasticina Kaszab with Spastica Lacordaire; Xenospastina, new subtribe, with Xenospasta, new genus; and Anthicoxenina, new subtribe, with Anthicoxenus Fairmaire and Germain, formerly placed in the Anthicidae, and Iselma Haag-Rutenberg. The arrangement of the tribe Eleticini is: Eospastina, new subtribe, with Eospasta, new genus, and Serrospasta, new genus; Eleticina Wellman with Eletica Lacordaire (and including, as subgenera, Sibuteletica Pic, Meteletica Kaszab, and Proeletica Kaszab); and Ertlianina, new name for Ertliini Kaszab, with Ertliana Selander (= Steniselma Borchmann, new synonymy) and Ceriselma Borchmann, the latter elevated from subgeneric rank in Iselma. Species described as new are Protomeloe simplex (Argentina), Spastica minas (Brazil), Xenospasta flava (Colombia), and Serrospasta vittata (Colombia).

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