Ratcliffe 1977, 2014

Ratcliffe, Brett C., 2014, A New Genus and Species of Dynastinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) from the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, other New Species of Cyclocephalini, Pentodontini, and Phileurini from South America, and a Revised Key to the Genera of New World Pentodontini, The Coleopterists Bulletin 68 (4), pp. 663-680 : 663-680

Stenocrates Burmeister, 1847

The genus Stenocrates currently has 49 species ( Endrödi 1966, 1985 a; Ratcliffe 1977 , 1978; Dechambre 1979, 1985; Delgado 1991; Dupuis and Dechambre 1995; Ponchel and Dechambre 2003; Dechambre and Hardy 2004; Ratcliffe et al. 2013), and the 50 th species is described here. The species are widely distributed from Mexico to Argentina, with most occurring in South America. One species is known from the West Indies.

Unlike most other species in the tribe Cyclocephalini , the males do not have enlarged protarsal claws. Species in the genus are also characterized by a relatively short, subtrapezoidal clypeus that has its apex truncate to slightly emarginate; a distinct frontoclypeal suture; three pairs of punctate striae on the elytra; and the meso- and metafemora strongly flattened. The antenna is 10-segmented with a small club.

Most of the species are externally similar to one another and difficult to tell apart, and so great reliance is made on the form of the male parameres for identification. This genus and Hemiphileurus Kolbe are possibly the most difficult genera of Dynastinae in the Americas with which to work. Most females not associated with males cannot usually be identified with reliability. Because of the high number of cryptic species in Stenocrates , new species continue to be discovered and described.

The immature stages remain unknown for all Stenocrates species. Life history information is also lacking. The adults are attracted to lights.

Endrödi (1966, 1985) provided the last synopsis of the genus, but 11 new species have been described since that time. These remain unincorporated in any key, and so a new generic synopsis and key is needed.