Plocamocera, SPINOLA

OPITZ, WESTON, 2004, Classification, Natural History, And Evolution Of The Epiphloeinae (Coleoptera: Cleridae). Part Ii. The Genera Chaetophloeus Opitz And Plocamocera Spinola, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2004 (280), pp. 1-82 : 23-24

DIAGNOSIS OF PLOCAMOCERA SPINOLA

The most outstanding characteristic of the members of this genus is the long filiform hairs on the antenna (fig. 86). As a group, the elytra of the members of Plocamocera tend to be variegated in color, ranging from stramineous to castaneous with many species characterized by a distinct flavotestaceous humeral macula that divides posteriorly. Moreover, I found the presence of setal aggregates on the elytra and number of conspicuous trichobothria on the epipleural mar­ gin diagnostic for some species. Unfortunately, the elytra of many of the older specimens were severely depiliated, which rendered their identification difficult. When depiliated specimens do not show the elytral trichobothria (fig. 55), one can determine the presence of some of these sensory organs by the more conspicuous black indentations with which these filiform setae are associat­ ed. Males with depiliated elytra may be diagnosed on the basis of the configuration of the last three antennomeres, shape of the pydigium, and characteristics of the aedeagus. Severely depiliated females are particularly difficult to assign to species, but in most cases the shape of the antennomeres of the antennal club leads one to the correct identification. At present, I recognize 35 species of the genus Plocamocera .

In addition to the aforementioned characteristics, members of Plocamocera are readily identified by other characteristics such as: antennal scape very long, as long as combined length of funicular antennomeres; antennal pedicel very globose, much larger than antennomere three; pronotum boldly transverse (fig. 7), and with its anterior margin extensively projected at middle; pronotal trichobothria (fig. 9) well developed; elytra oblongovate, about three times longer than wide, epipleural margin arcuate when viewed from above, adorned with rows of stout chaetosomes, and vested with several trichobothria (fig. 53) that tend to diminish in length from posterior of elytron to anterior of elytron; elytra with or without maculae and with dense clusters of light and dark setae; metacoxa and metafemora particularly robust; metatarsal pulvillus present on third tarsomere; color of abdomen sex dimorphic, males piceous, females flavotestaceous in basal half piceous in remainder; spermathecal gland attached to subapex of spermathecal capsule; and males with one pair of accessory glands.