Aneflomorpha rectilinea Click here for a larger view

A. seminuda Casey, 1912; A. semirufa Linsley, 1935a; A. subpubescens (LeConte, 1862); A. tenuis (LeConte, 1854b); A. unispinosa Casey, 1912; A. volitans (LeConte, 1873); A. werneri Chemsak, 1962.

Diagnosis.--Key characters: Eyes large, ommatidial size coarse (Fig. 39b); prosternal process between procoxae expanded apically (Figs. 18, 27); antennae with mesal spines (Figs. 8b, 9b); pronotum with impunctate regions; femoral carinae absent; procoxal cavities closed laterally (Fig. 24); mesal profemoral apices rounded (Fig. 26d); posterior procoxal cavities open (Fig. 18); mesotibial carinae present (Fig. 22); lateral metafemoral apices rounded to dentiform (Fig. 26c); metafemora gradually enlarged or linear (Fig. 37c, d); shape of spine on antennomere three normally acute (Fig. 45a, b), except for A. tenuis, which has it blunt (Fig. 28); antennomere three about two-thirds length of pronotum (Fig. 46b); lateral projections into mesocoxae present (Fig. 21); lateral pronotal tubercles absent; elytral spines weak or absent (Fig. 41b-e); body narrow and elongate (Fig. 41c); lateral antennomere shape gradually widened at apices (Fig. 45c); pronotum moderately punctate and pubescent. Length: 8-18 mm.

Distribution and Diversity.--Southern Canada to Guatemala. Thirty-five species.

Discussion.-- Aneflomorpha appears to be polyphyletic as demonstrated by their occurrence in three locations on the consensus tree (Fig. 50). Aneflomorpha tenuis, with its closed procoxal cavities posteriorly and blunt spine on antennomere three, causes most of the inconsistency for this genus. It is either a very derived Aneflomorpha (and therefore not a suitable representative as an exemplar for the genus), or it is not an Aneflomorpha. Aneflomorpha rectilinea and A. parowana are sister group to the clade E (Figs. 56, 50) with addition of Meganeflus while Aneflomorpha lineare is sister group to the clade of Fig. 56 (Fig. 50). The high species diversity in Aneflomorpha suggests more careful study of its taxa is necessary to fully understand the generic relationships.

Aneflomorpha strongly resembles Psyrassa; indeed the two genera share many characters. In particular, wing venation is identical. Both of these genera are speciose and probably are polyphyletic; each containing some taxa that should belong in the other. The lack of a strong pronotal constriction, more heavily punctate and pubescent pronotum, general openness of the procoxal cavities posteriorly, and longer third antennomere in Aneflomorpha separate it from Psyrassa. The South American Morphaneflus also strongly resembles Aneflomorpha. The lack of antennal spines and larger eyes (separated on gula by width of 5 ommatidia) will readily identify Morphaneflus, however. Aneflomorpha are smaller than Aneflus species and also differ in having antennae only slightly widened at apices (strongly so in Aneflus).