Genus Ardistomis Putzeys, 1846

Ardistomis Putzeys 1846: 636 . Type species: Ardistomis fasciolata Putzeys, 1846, designated by Chenu (1851: 102). ­ Chenu (1851: 102); Lacordaire (1854: 190, 206); LeConte (1861: 13); Putzeys (1866: 200); Horn (1881: 121); Blatchley (1910: 54, 62); Bradley (1930: 22); Kult (1950: 300); Ball (1960: 71, 108); Reichardt (1977: 392); Erwin and Sims (1984: 372, 373); Downie and Arnett (1996: 104, 111); Ciegler (2000: 11, 43); Ball and Bousquet (2001: 45, 74).

Ardistomus Csiki 1927: 547 . Unjustified emendation for Ardistomis Putzeys, 1846 .

Description. Head: Clypeus with lateral lobes indistinct (Fig. 21). Antennomere 2 subequal to antennomere 3. Prothorax: Proepisternum with diagonal band of sculpture (Fig. 27). Elytra: Striae not punctate but deeply impressed in many species. Lateral margin prolonged beyond basal extremity as carina joining stria 3 in most species. Metathorax (underside): Metasternum with setae (at least one on each side in front of metacoxa), without row of punctures along metepisternal suture. Abdomen: Visible sterna 3–6 with or without accessory setae. Suture between visible sterna 2 and 3 more or less erased at middle. Legs: Ventral surface of protibia with one denticule bearing a seta along middle (Fig. 30).

Species studied. A. alticola Darlington; A. annona Putzeys; A. dyschirioides Putzeys; A. eductus Bates; A. fasciolatus Putzeys; A. haemorrhous Putzeys; A. lindrothi Kult; A. mannerheimi Putzeys; A. marquardti Kult; A. nigroclarus Darlington; A. nitidipennis Darlington; A. obliquatus Putzeys; A. posticalis Putzeys; A. ramsdeni Darlington; A. rufoclarus Darlington; A. schaumii LeConte; A. seriepunctatus (Brullé); A. soror Putzeys; A. venustulus Putzeys.

Diversity and Geographical Distribution. Lorenz (1998: 135­136) listed 54 species in the genus Ardistomis . However, numerous species belong to the genus Semiardistomis (see "Diversity and Geographical Distribution" section under that genus), so the exact number of described forms is unknown. Collectively, the species range from eastern United States south at least to Brazil, including the West Indies.