THE PHORACANTHINE BEETLES (COLEOPTERA, CERAMBYCIDAE, CERAMBYCINAE) - TAXONOMIC OVERVIEW AND GENERIC RELATIONSHIPS

Eleven genera are recognised in the cerambycine tribe Phoracanthini: C optocercus Hope, Allotisis Pascoe, Thoris Pascoe, Epithora Pascoe, Ske letodes Newman, Atesta Pascoe, Paratesta Wang, Steata Wang, Coleocoptu s Aurivillius, Phytrocaria Wang and Phorocantha Newman. A key to these genera is provided. Taxonomic history of the tribe is reviewed. Taxon omically useful characters in the tribe are evaluated, figured and exp lained. The scope of the tribe is redefined. Phylogenetic relationship s among the genera of the tribe are analysed by cladistic methods. The monophyly of the Phoracanthini is confirmed. Two large monophyletic g roups are recognised: the ivory genus-group, comprising Coptocercus, T horis and Allotisis, and the non-ivory genus-group, comprising Epithor a, Skeletodes, Steata, Paratesta, Atesta, Phytrocaria, Phoracantha and Coleocoptus.