Dendroterus

Type species

Dendroterus mexicanus Blandford

Adapted from Wood 1982, p. 917-927

Diagnosis

Species in the genus Dendroterus can be distinguished from other Cryphalina by having two straight suturessutures:
a seam or seam-like line of contact between two sclerites or hardened body parts immovably connected
on their oval clubclub:
the apical segment of the insect antennae that is enlarged or thickened such that it is anatomically differentiated from the preceding segments
.

Description

The species in this genus range from 1.4 to 2.9 mm in length and are approximately 2.4 to 2.8 times as long as wide. Their color varies from yellowish brown to almost black. The pronotumpronotum:
the upper or dorsal surface of the first thoracic segment
is usually longer than wide. The scutellumscutellum:
a shield-like bony plate or scale, as on the thorax of some insects
is small and flush with the elytraelytra:
the two external and hardened or sclerotized forewings of adult Coleoptera, often appearing leather-like in texture
. The declivitydeclivity:
the apical portion of the beetle elytra that slopes downward
is convex to slightly concave, is convex and flattened on species north of Mexico, and is unarmedunarmed:
having no granules, teeth, tubercles, spines, or other protective structures
. The vestiturevestiture:
a surface covering of scales or setae on the body, wing, or other appendage
consists of abundant and erect hair-like setaehair-like setae:
setae that are thin and similar to a hair
. The metepisternummetepisternum:
the sclerite between the first and second lateral thoracic sutures
is only visible anteriorly. The anterior margin of the compound eye is emarginateemarginate:
notched or indented
. The scapescape:
the first and basal segment of the insect's antennae
is elongate with a 3 to 4-segmented funiclefunicle:
the antennal segments located between the scape and the club in some Coleoptera
. The two suturessutures:
a seam or seam-like line of contact between two sclerites or hardened body parts immovably connected
on the oval clubclub:
the apical segment of the insect antennae that is enlarged or thickened such that it is anatomically differentiated from the preceding segments
are straight to slightly recurvedrecurved:
bent backward or downward as a smiley face
. The procoxaeprocoxae:
extra segment occasionally preceding coxa (hip joint) of the first or anterior pair of legs of arthropods
are contiguouscontiguous:
sharing an edge or boundary; touching
.

Distribution

Southern California and Texas to Panama

World fauna

Number of species: 15, Native species: 2, Introduced species: 0

Hosts

Bursera, Jatropha