The neotropical genus Colyphus (= Cleronomus and Clerosoma) is redefined to include sixteen species in four species-groups as follows: beltoides-group, beltoides sp.n., strongylioides spa., rasilis sp.n.; signaticollisgroup, signaticollis Spinola, gracilis Gorham (ex Clerosoma), echinatus spn., prolatus sp.n., devexus sp.n., stramineus sp.n.; cylindricus-group, cylindricus (Gorham) (ex Enoclems), irazu sp.n., artus spa., guptai sp.n.; copiipictusgroup, copiipictus sp.n., hispidus sp.n., varius (Gorham) (ex Placoptents). A neotype is designated for signaticollis. Also included are a discussion of natural history, key and descriptions of species groups and species, distributional maps, table of character analysis, and a diagram of the inferred phylogeny of the species groups. Species level discussions of phylogeny and zoogeography are presented in accordance with available data.
I . P. Duffels.
Methods
Criteria f o r species and supraspecific groupingsThe concepts and methods by which I deduce species limits, informal species groups, and evolution were outlined in an earlier work (Ekis, 1977). The practical application of these concepts usually involves, for de-2 2 0 Ginter Ekis 76 FIGS. 7 5 -8 0 . Copiipictus group. 7 5 -7 6 , Chispidus: 7 5 , tegmen (ventral view); 7 6 , phallus. 77-80, C.uan'us: 7 7 , antenna; 7 8 , body outline; 7 9 , tegmen (ventral view); 80, phallus.