Papusus Casey

Papusus Casey, 1897: 542. Type species: Papusus macer Casey, 1897 (monotypy). Note: Genus transferred to Scydmaenini by Franz (1985); synonymized with Leptochromus by Franz (1995); resurrected as valid name and placed in Clidicini by O’Keefe (1998).

Diagnosis. Papusus is the only genus of Papusini; diagnosis and characteristics as for tribe, vide supra.

Composition and distribution. Papusus comprises nine species distributed in Mexico and USA (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Utah) (Fig. 140).

Natural history. Species of Papusus are unique among all Scydmaeninae in inhabiting the driest deserts of North America (Great Basin Desert, including the Death and Saline Valleys, Mojave Desert, Colorado Desert and Sonora Desert); moreover, adults were collected only during the hottest seasons of the year (O’Keefe 2003). Beetles were collected predominantly by pitfall traps set in the Shedscale Scrub and Creosote Bush Scrub communities, and in deserts with Agave, Amrosia, Atriplex, Yucca, Fouquieria, Pachycereus, Lysiloma and Stenocereus . Adults were found most often in alkali scrub or sand habitats with scattered vegetation, but not on open sand dunes. O'Keefe (2003) observed beetles walking on sand at night and found individuals under volcanic rocks 10–20 cm in diameter. He concluded that "in the Great Basin Desert adults of Papusus are active during the warmest time of the year and are most likely nocturnal" (O'Keefe 2003).

Remarks. All species were revised by O'Keefe (2003).