Sphaerioeme rubristerna Click here for a larger view

Diagnosis.--Key characters: Ommatidial size coarse (Fig. 39b); prosternal process not planar, apex moderately expanded (Fig. 18); mesal antennal spines present (Figs. 8b, 9b); pronotum with impunctate regions; pronotum without longitudinal rugosities or large, uniformly-sized confluent punctures; femora without carinae; procoxal cavities widely open laterally (Fig. 17); lateral projections from mesosternum into mesocoxae absent (Fig. 20); femoral apices rounded (Fig. 26); dense golden or silver pubescence not present on elytra; tibial carinae present (Fig. 22); profemora gradually enlarged (Fig. 37c); meso- and metafemora linear (Fig. 37d); pronotum with dense micropunctation; peripheral pronotal calli absent; antennomere three as long or slightly longer than pronotum (Fig. 46c); elytra with two faint red spots in most specimens, otherwise black to piceous; elytral apices truncate and without spines. Length: 7-13 mm.

Distribution and Diversity.--Brazil, Surinam. Monotypic.

Discussion.--In the implied weighting phylogenetic analysis, Sphaerioeme was one of the basal genera whose relationships are equivocal (Figs. 50-55). More character analysis and taxon representation needs to be made, particularly for South American taxa, to get a preliminary understanding of relationships.

The very linear and unarmed meso- and metafemora, round pronotum with dense micropunctation, and very long third antennomere easily characterize this genus.