Alfred F. Newton, Jr.
Agathidiodes Portevin, New Synonym of Stetholiodes Fall (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Anisotomini).
Psyche 89(3-4):337-338, 1982.

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AGA THIDIODES PORTEVIN,
NEW SYNONYM OF STETHOLIODES FALL
(COLEOPTERA: LEIODIDAE: ANISOTOMINI)*
BY ALFRED F. NEWTON, JR.
Museum of Comparative Zoology
Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. 02138 Examination of type material of many obscure genera of Leiodi- dae for a work in preparation on the suprageneric classification of the family has revealed a new generic synonymy in the tribe Aniso- tomini (=Agathidiini).
Stetholiodes Fall, described for a single species S. 1aticollis Fall from Indiana, USA (Fall 1910), has recently been redescribed by Wheeler (1981) who discussed the close relationship of the genus to Agathidium Panzer.
The genus Agathodes Portevin was described for a single species A. striatipenne Portevin from Kashmir, India (Portevin 1926). Port- evin later (1944) proposed the new name Agathidiodes to replace Agathodes Portevin 1926 (not Guenke 1854). He considered Aga- thidiodes to be closely related to Agathidium. Stetholiodes and Agathidiodes are each known only from the holotype male of the type species. Direct comparison of these two specimens (examined dry with a dissecting microscope and on tem- porary slides in lactophenol with a compound microscope) shows that the two species are extremely similar in all characteristics that have been used at the generic and subgeneric level in Anisotomini. 1 therefore propose the following synonymy: Stetholiodes Fall
= Agathidiodes Portevin. NEW SYNONYMY
= Aguthodes Portevin (not Guknke)
The two included species, Stetholiodes laticoliis Fall and S. stria- tipennis (Portevin) (NEW COMBINATION), show slight differences in shape, sculpture, male secondary sexual characters and the shape of *Munuscript received hj' the editor May 12, 1982 337




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338 Psyche [vo~. 89
the median lobe and parameres of the aedeagus. They are thus evidently not conspecific. In S. striatipennis the basal three tarso- meres of the protarsus and basal two tarsomeres of the mesotarsus are dilated and bear tenent setae, while in S. laticollis the basal three tarsomeres of both legs are similarly modified. It should be noted that Portevin (1926) erred in describing this character for S. striati- pennis as well as in attributing a 5-5-5 tarsal formula to this species (tarsi are 5-5-4 segmented in S. striatipennis and S. laticollis). The genus Stetholiodes has been well characterized by Wheeler (1981), whose description is virtually unmodified by the addition of S. striatipennis. 1 would add that both Stetholiodes species lack an epistomal suture and have a supraocular carina and groove that separate the side of the head (including the eyes) from the dorsum. This last character is found in most or all Agathidium but is absent in Anisotoma and allied genera of Anisotomini. 1 agree with
Wheeler that Stetholiodes is closely allied to, and possibly conge- neric with, Agathidium. At present Stetholiodes appears to differ from Agathidium only in having nine distinct punctate elytral striae, rather than fewer or no striae, and in lacking an epistomal suture. Further study of the large and diverse genus Agathidium is needed to clarify the status of Stetholiodes.
I thank Mile. Nicole Berti of the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, for loan of the holotype of Agathidiodes striati- penne; and Fernando Angelini, Hermann Daffner, Stewart B. Peck and my wife, Margaret K. Thayer, for commenting on the manus- cript. Dr. Angelini has noted a recent collection of two males of S. striatipennis from Aru, Kashmir, October 1977, leg. H. Franz, now in his collection and that of Dr. Franz. LITERATURE CITED
FALL, H. C.
1910. New Silphidae of the tribe Anisotomini. Can. Ent. 42: 4-8. PORTEVIN, G.
1926. Les Liodidae de 1'Inde. Encycl. Ent. (B), Coleoptera 1: 75-83. 1944. Liodides nouveaux. Rev. Franc. Ent. 10: 168-169. WHEELER, Q. D.
1981. Diagnosis and phylogenetic relationships of the monotypic genus Ste- tholiodes (Coleoptera: Leiodidae). Ohio J. Sci. 81 : 165- 168.



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