Polpochila Solier, 1849

Bousquet, Yves, 2012, Catalogue of Geadephaga (Coleoptera, Adephaga) of America, north of Mexico, ZooKeys 245, pp. 1-1722 : 684

Genus Polpochila Solier, 1849

Melanotus Dejean, 1831: 698 [junior homonym of Melanotus Eschscholtz, 1829]. Type species: Melanotus flavipes Dejean, 1831 designated by Hope (1838: 111). Etymology (original). From the Greek melas (black) and notos (back, dorsum), alluding to the coloration of the adults [masculine].

Polpochila Solier, 1849: 217. Type species: Polpochila parallela Solier, 1849 (= Melanotus chilensis Chaudoir, 1837) by monotypy. Synonymy established by LeConte (1869b: 248). Etymology. Unknown [feminine].

Cratocara LeConte, 1863b: 11. Replacement name for Melanotus Dejean, 1831. Etymology. From the Greek cratos (strength) and cara (head) [feminine].

Diversity.

About 25 species in the Western Hemisphere arrayed in two subgenera: Phymatocephalus (two species) and Polpochila s.str. (23 species).

Identification.

Nègre (1963) revised the species, including all three found in North America, known at the time.