Systematic revision and redefinition of the Neotropical genus Epipedonota Solier (Coleoptera : Tenebrionidae), with descriptions of eight new species

The tenebrionid genus Epipedonota Solier (Pimeliinae: Nycteliini), distribu ted in the eastern Andes from southern Bolivia to the southern Patagonia in Argentina and Chile, is revised and redefined on the basis of characters o f external and internal morphology and male and female genitalia. This arti cle includes a redescription of the genus, redescriptions or descriptions o f each of its 23 species, an identification key, habitus photographs of the most representative species, drawings of genital features and metendostern ites, and distribution maps. Epipedonota comprises 23 species, out of which eight are described as new: E. microplicatissima Flores & Vidal, E. bolivi ana Flores & Vidal, E. jujuyensis Flores & Vidal, E. tucumana Flores & Vida l, E. interandina Vidal & Flores, E. sanjuanina Flores & Vidal, E. cordoben sis Flores & Vidal and E. mendocina Flores & Vidal. Other valid species of the genus are: Epipedonota tricostata Burmeister, E. elegantula Kulzer, E. willinki Kulzer, E. Inta Waterhouse, E. subplana Gebien, E. plicatissima Ku lzer, E. sublineata Berg, E. intercostata Berg, E. laevisulcata Fairmaire, E. microdera Burmeister, E. reticulata (Blanchard), E. nitida (Philippi & P hilippi) stat. rev., E. cristallisata (Lacordaire) stat. rev., E. ebenina ( Lacordaire) and E. senex (Lacordaire) stat. rev. New synonymies are: Epiped onota erythropus Lacordaire under E. ebenina (Lacordaire), E. monilis (Laco rdaire) under E. ebenina (Lacordaire), E. bonariensis Waterhouse under E. c ristallisata (Lacordaire), E. margineplicata Curtis under E. cristallisata (Lacordaire), E. affinis Waterhouse under E. senex (Lacordaire), E. biramos a Berg under E. nitida (Philippi & Philippi), E. angusta Burmeister under E . microdera Burmeister, and Psectrascelis nycteloides Pena under E. subline ata Berg. Lectotypes are designated for Callyntra nitida Philippi & Philipp i, Epipedonota biramosa Berg, E. intercostata Berg, E. sublineata Berg, E. lata Waterhouse, E. affinis Waterhouse, E. bonariensis Waterhouse, E. margi neplicata Curtis, E. subplana Fairmaire, E. laevisulcata Fairmaire, E. tric ostata Burmeister, E. microdera Burmeister, and E. angusta Burmeister.