Paradonus inops ( LeConte, 1853 )

Etzler Usa, Frank E., 2020, Review of the genus Paradonus Stibick, 1971 (Elateridae: Negastriinae), with three new North American species, Zootaxa 4750 (4), pp. 524-544 : 532

3. Paradonus inops ( LeConte, 1853) .

Figs. 1, 8.

Cryptohypnus inops LeConte, 1853: 488 ; Candèze 1860: 91.

Cryptohypnus pectoralis var. inops ( LeConte, 1853) ; Horn 1891: 28.

Negastrius pectoralis var. inops ( LeConte, 1853) ; Lane 1971: 20.

Diagnosis: See key above for diagnostic characters.

Over 140 specimens examined from BWPC, CESC, MCZC, and MTEC.

This species was described by LeConte from San Diego, California. Specimen # 13 in the LeConte collection under P. pectoralis is this species, but the specimen does not have a locality label. Some specimens I have seen are lighter than the figured specimen (Fig. 8), with the pronotum completely testacous in one specimen examined. This species is widely distributed in western North America.

Serious comparisons should be done between this species and Paradonus mexicanus (Fleutiaux, 1895) . Based on examinations of P. inops and about 15 specimens of P. mexicanus , the characters mentioned by Champion (1897) to distinguish the two species appears to be highly variable and blends between the two species. More specimens should be examined, including type material of P. mexicanus , before a synonymy can be made official.

Distribution: USA: Arizona: Cochise Co., Gila Co., Santa Cruz Co. (BWPC, CESC); California: Tehama Co. (BWPC); Texas: Uvalde Co. (BWPC); Utah: Iron Co., Juab Co., Sanpete Co., Tooele Co., Uintah Co., Utah Co., Wasatch Co., Wayne Co. (BWPC, CESC); Washington: Asotin Co., Okanogan Co. (BWPC).