Distribution: the species are widely distributed from Mexico to Argentina with most occurring in South America. 

Composition: currently 45 species (Endrödi 1966, 1985a; Ratcliffe 1978; Dechambre 1979b, 1985; Delgado 1991; Dupuis and Dechambre 1995; Dechambre and Hardy 2004), and more species are waiting to be described. 

Diagnosis: unlike most species in the tribe Cyclocephalini, the males do not have enlarged protarsal claws.  Species in the genus are also characterized by a relatively short, trapezoidal clypeus that has its apex broadly truncate (slightly emarginate or not); a distinct frontoclypeal suture; three pairs of punctate striae on the elytra; and the four posterior legs strongly flattened.  The antenna is 10-segmented with a small club.
Most of the species are externally similar to one another and difficult to tell apart, and so great reliance is made on the form of the male parameres for identification.  Even so, this is a difficult genus with which to work.  Often, females not associated with males cannot be identified.  Because of the high number of cryptic species in Stenocrates, a number of new species still await discovery and description.

Larvae: the immature stages remain unknown for all the species. 

Biological notes: life history information is also lacking.  The adults are attracted to lights.

Revision or synopsis: Endrödi (1966, 1985a) provided the last synopsis of the genus, but nearly 20 new species have been described since that time.  These remain unincorporated in any key, and so a new synopsis is badly needed.

Literature cited:
Endrödi, S. 1966. Monographie der Dynastinae (Coleoptera, Lamellicornia). I. Teil. Entomologische Abhandlungen 33: 1-460.

Endrödi, S. 1985a. The Dynastinae of the World. Dr. W. Junk Publisher, Dordrecht. 800 pp., 46 plates.

Ratcliffe, B. C. 1978. New species of Stenocrates from Brazil (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Acta Amazonica 8: 489-495.

Dechambre, R.-P. 1979b. Cinq espèces nouvelles de Stenocrates (Col. Scarabaeoidea Dynastidae). Revue Française d'Entomologie (N.S.) 1: 61-64.

Dechambre, R.-P. 1985. Quatre nouvelles espèces de Stenocrates (Coleoptera, Dynastidae). Revue Française d'Entomologie (N.S.) 7: 142-144.

Delgado, L. 1991. Una especie nueva mexicana de Stenocrates (Coleoptera: Melolonthindae; Dynastinae).  Anales del Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (serie Zoología) 62: 103-108.

Dupuis, F. and R.-P. Dechambre. 1995. Mise au point sur les Stenocrates du groupe cultor (Coleoptera, Dynastidae). Revue Française d’Entomologie (N.S.) 17: 59-61.

Dechambre, R.-P. and M. Hardy.  2004.  Quatre nouvelles espèces de Stenocrates Burmeister, 1847 (Coleoptera, Dynastidae). Coléoptères 10: 209-214.