Diclidia undetermined

Johnston, M. Andrew, Naczi, Robert F. C. & Gimmel, Matthew L., 2024, Review of North American Scraptiidae (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea), with a Catalog of World Genera, The Coleopterists Bulletin 78 (2), pp. 171-200 : 184-186

KEY TO DICLIDIA SPECIES NORTH OF MEXICO

1. Posterior face of mesotibia without lines of spicules, bearing only scattered dark setae ( Fig. 11G ) ......... Diclidia fuscula (LeConte)

1′. Posterior face of mesotibia with lines of spicules in addition to longer setae ( Figs. 11C, D, H )........................................................... 2

2(1′). Mesotibial spicules forming irregular, curv- ing, often gently sinuous lines in transverse series ( Figs. 11C, H ); male metafemur without spine on ventral face ( Fig. 11F ) ........... 3

2′. Mesotibial spicules forming two parallel, longitudinal lines, sometimes joining at base and apex and occasionally interrupted in some specimens ( Fig. 11D ); male metafemur with short apical or medial spine on ventral face ( Figs. 11A, B, E )................................. 4

3(2). Accessory lobes of parameres enlarged distally, truncate apically ( Fig. 11K ); body typically unicolorous, testaceous......................... ............................ Diclidia sordida Liljeblad

3′. Accessory lobes of parameres narrow, rounded apically, not greatly enlarged ( Figs. 8A–C ); body typically multicolored, base color testaceous, elytra usually with two fasciae which may be reduced to two pairs of maculae, rarely with apical half infuscate, pronotum with dark cloud or not, occasionally unicolorous dorsally...................................... ...................... Diclidia bicincta (Champion)

4(2′). Male metafemur with apical spine ( Fig. 11B ); accessory lobes of parameres very elongate, obliquely truncate apically ( Fig. 11L ); elytra typically with apical half and part of suture infuscate ................................. ........................... Diclidia obscura Liljeblad

4′. Male metafemur with medial spine ( Figs. 11A, E ); accessory lobes of parameres and coloration variable...................................... 5

5(4′). Accessory lobes of parameres elongate, triangular, obliquely truncate apically ( Fig. 11I ); body testaceous, typically with infuscate subscutellar cloud, median and subapical bands, infuscate regions variable, bands sometimes separated into maculae and suture sometimes infuscate, some individuals unicolorous, testaceous... Diclidia laetula (LeConte)

5′. Accessory lobes of parameres elongate and transversely truncate apically ( Fig. 11J ); body testaceous with elytra variably infuscate, ranging from entirely testaceous to slightly banded, only infuscate apically, or entirely weakly infuscate.... Diclidia spinea Liljeblad

Figures

Fig. 11. Diclidia, diagnostic characters. A) D. laetula, male left metafemur, arrow indicating medial spine, B) D. obscura, male left metafemur, arrow indicating rounded apical spine/projection, C) D. bicincta, mesotibia, dorsal aspect, showing confused oblique lines of spicules, D) D. spinea, mesotibia, dorsal aspect, showing parallel lines of spicules, E) D. spinea, male left metafemur, arrow indicating medial spine, F) D. sordida, male left metafemur, showing unmodified mesal and apical regions, G) D. fuscula, mesotibia, dorsal aspect, showing absence of lines of spicules, only scattered longer dark setae, H) D. obscura, mesotibia, dorsal aspect, showing confused oblique lines of spicules, I) D. laetula, male terminalia, ventral view, J) D. spinea, male terminalia, ventral view, K) D. sordida, male terminalia, ventral view of apex of accessory lobes of parameres, L) D. obscura, male terminalia, dorsal view.

Fig. 8. Diclidia, male abdominal and genitalic morphology. A) D. bicincta, abdomen with extruded male genitalia, B) D. bicincta, apical portion of male genitalia, C) D. bicincta, dissected and cleared male genitalia, D) D. fuscula, dissected and cleared male genitalia, E) D. fuscula, abdominal apex and extruded genitalia in dried specimen, lateral view, F) D. fuscula, same in ventral view. III–VII = abdominal sclerites; al = accessory lobe, articulated processes of fused parameres; bp = basal piece of tegmen; fp = fused parameres of tegmen; p = penis; sp = spicular plates, distal enlarged portions of spiculum gastrale.