Eleodes (Caverneleodes) leptoscelis Triplehorn, 1975

Johnston, M. Andrew, Fleming, David, Franz, Nico M. & Smith, Aaron D., 2015, Amphidorini Leconte (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) of Arizona: Keys and Species Accounts, The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 14) 69, pp. 27-54 : 48

Eleodes (Caverneleodes) leptoscelis Triplehorn, 1975

( Fig. 9B )

Diagnosis. Body elongate. Clypeus dark red, noticeably different in color from rest of head capsule, mentum quite transverse, raised to a keel mesally. Pronotum longer than wide, feebly arcuate laterally, anterior angles right-angled, not produced. Elytra punctate-striate, punctures moderately large. Profemora unarmed. All tarsi lined with strong, golden spicules, plantar surface never interrupted with setae. Prosternum with robust posteroventrally oriented spine-like process. Known only from caves in the Grand Canyon.

Distribution. Cave of the Domes, Coconino County, Arizona.

Remarks. While this species shares many key characters with E. longicollis , the only species it might be confused with belong to the subgenus Metablapylis Blaisdell. Eleodes leptoscelis can be readily separated by the shape of the pronotum, red clypeus, and restricted distribution.

Figures

Fig. 9. Eleodes species, dorsal habitus. A) E. rileyi, female, B) E. leptoscelis, paratype, male, C) E. arcuatus, female, D) E. debilis, female. Scale bars = 1 cm.