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Family CantharidaeThe cantharids of caves are of uncertain ecologicalstatus, but the presence of larvae in many caves indicatesthat they may be troglophiles. Undeterminedlarvae have been found in caves in Hidalgo, Queretaro,Tamaulipas, and Veracruz, Mexico; and in Huehuetenango,Guatemala. Cantharis sp. was found inSumidero de Matehuala, San Luis Potosi, and Discodonsp. was taken in Cueva de la Puente, San LuisPotosI.Family DennestidaeDermestid beetles are frequently found in cavesinhabited by bats. Three species of this family havebeen identified from caves in Mexico. The most commonis Dermestes carnivorus Fabricius; it was collectedfrom caves in Coahuila, Durango, Guerrero,and San Luis Potosi. In the larger bat caves it may bepresent in vast numbers. The other two species foundin Mexican caves are Apsectus araneorum Beal fromCueva de la Boca, Nuevo Leon, and Dermestes maculatusDe Geer from Pozo Melendez, Guerrero.Family HisteridaeHister beetles are present in large numbers in manycaves throughout Mexico and Central America, butfew have yet been determined. Pearse (1938b) reportedthe presence of Gnathoncus sp., Oxarthriusn. sp. nr. hematicallis Sharp, Phelister sp., Platysomasp., Plegaderus sp., and Saprinus spp. 1 and 2 fromcaves in Yucatan. Recent collections have includedundetermined species of Epierus and Euspilotus fromcaves in San Luis Potosi and Tamaulipas, of Euspilotus(Hesperosaprinus) from Cueva de la Boca, NuevoLeon, and of Euspilotus (Neosaprinus) from caves inOaxaca and Yucatan. Paromalus luderti Marseul hasbeen identified from Cueva del Ojo de Agua de Tlilapan,Veracruz. Vomero (1977) described the troglophileAnapleus wenzeli from Cueva de la Canada n. 1,Chiapas (see Fig. 79). The four troglobitic speciesknown from the family in North America all belongto the distinctive genus Troglobacanius and are discussedbelow.Troglobacanius bolivari VomeroTroglobacanius bolivari Vomero, 1974:328, 340,341-345, 349, 350, 353-355, 356-358, fig. 6;Vomero, 1973:364 (nomen nudum); Decou andTherond, 1977:404.Type-Iocality.-Sotano del Tigre, 10 miles NE ofValles, San Luis Potosi, Mexico.Distribution.-Known only from the type-locality.See Fig. 79.Discussion.-Although ten blind species of histerbeetle are known, only Speleacritus anophthalmusJeannel and the four Mexican species included hereare troglobites (Vomero, 1973). The genus Troglobacaniusincludes only the troglobites listed here.It is most closely related to the genus Bacanius.Troglobacanius bolivari is closely allied to T. mayaand T. reddelli.Troglobacanius maya VomeroTroglobacanius maya Vomero, 1974:328, 329,331­333,335-336,338,340,342,343,344,350,353­355,356-358, fig. 1-3; Vomero, 1973:364 (nomennudum); Sbordoni, 1974:366; Sbordoni et al.,1974:15 (nomen nudum); Decou and Therond,1977:404.Type.locality.-Grutas del Cocona, Teapa, Tabasco,Mexico.Distribution.-Known only from the type-locality.See Fig. 79.Discussion.-This species is very closely allied to T.reddelli. It is the most highly evolved troglobite in thegenus and is from the most tropical region.Troglobacanius reddelli VomeroTroglobacanius reddelli Vomero, 1974:328, 336,338-341, 342, 343, 344, 350, 353-355, 356-358,fig. 4-5; Vomero, 1973:364 (nomen nudum); Decouand Therond, 1977:404.Type.locality.-Grutas de El Puente, 5 miles SE ofOcampo, Tamaulipas, Mexico.Distribution.-Known from two caves in theSierra de Guatemala, Tamaulipas. See Fig. 79.Records.-Tamaulipas: Grutas de El Puente andCueva de los Vampiros.Discussion.-This species is very closely allied toT. maya and somewhat more distantly to T. bolivari.Together these three species form the maya speciesgroup. It is probably significant that no species oftroglobitic histerid has been found at high elevationsin the Sierra de Guatemala. All of the species whichhave become cave adapted are known from lowlandtropical caves. Although some of the species whichhave been found in lowland caves of the Sierra deGuatemala are also known from higher elevationcaves and presumably evolved there and moveddownward through subterranean routes to the lowerelevations, it must be assumed that this is not thecase with Troglobacanius but that all of the speciesof this genus have evolved in the lowlands.225