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Title: Walker's Eleodes (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Author
item Thomas, Donald
item SMITH, AARON - Arizona State University
item TRIPLEHORN, CHARLES - The Ohio State University
item AALBU, ROLF - California Academy Of Sciences

Submitted to: Zootaxa
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/6/2014
Publication Date: 7/14/2014
Citation: Thomas, D.B., Smith, A.D., Triplehorn, C.A., Aalbu, R.A. 2014. Walker's Eleodes (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Zootaxa. 3835(4):1175-5326.

Interpretive Summary: Giant arundo is an invasive grass that forms dense stands because it has few natural enemies in North America. One of the commonest insects found in the arundo in the USA are beetles in the genus Eleodes. Eleodes beetles seem to prefer monocultural stands of grasses and consequently are economic pests of wheat and barley, known as false wireworms by farmers. There are hundreds of species of Eleodes and their correct identification is a challenge even for specialists. Herein we establish the correct identity of five species of Eleodes named by the British entomologist Francis Walker.

Technical Abstract: The type specimens of five species of Eleodes described by Francis Walker were studied in order to establish their true identity. The synonymy of Eleodes convexicollis Walker and Eleodes conjunctus Walker with E. obscurus (Say); that of Eleodes latiusculus Walker with E. humeralis LeConte; and that of Eleodes binotatus Walker with Eleodes hispilabris (Say) is confirmed. Eleodes subtuberculatus Walker = Eleodes parvulus Blaisdell, new synonymy. Only in the latter case is a Walker name senior to the name currently in use.