title: A revision of the genus Mecistostethus Marseul (Histeridae, Histerinae, Exosternini).
abstract: We revise the genus Mecistostethus Marseul, sinking the monotypic genus Tarsilister Bruch as a junior synonym. Mecistostethus contains six valid species: Mecistostethus pilifer Marseul, Mecistostethus loretoensis (Bruch), comb. n., Mecistostethus seagorumsp. n., Mecistostethus carltonisp. n., Mecistostethus marseulisp. n., and Mecistostethus flechtmannisp. n. The few existing records show the genus to be widespread in tropical and subtropical South America, from northern Argentina to western Amazonian Ecuador and French Guiana. Only a single host record associates one species with the ant Pachycondyla striata Smith (Formicidae: Ponerinae), but it is possible that related ants host all the species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 USA.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Caterino
authors.forename: Alexey K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Tishechkin
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dégallier