Redefining generic boundaries in subtribe Eurynotina (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae): taxonomy of the Schyzoschelus generic group

Abstract

AbstractThe genus Heteropsectropus Kaszab, 1941 (Tenebrionidae: Blaptinae: Platynotini) is revised to include the following three species: H. aenescens Kaszab, 1941 (type species); H. difficilis Koch, 1954; H. longantennatus Koch, 1954. Four synonymies are proposed: H. difficilis (= H. amaroides Koch, 1954 syn. nov., = H. natalensis Koch, 1954 syn. nov., = H. transvaalensis Koch, 1954 syn. nov.) and H. longantennatus Koch, 1954 (= H. montisdraconis Koch, 1954 syn. nov.). A new genus, Muelleropsectropus gen. nov., is introduced to accommodate Schyzoschelus malaisei Koch, 1954. Additionally, the following synonomies are introduced within Schyzoschelus Koch, 1954: Schyzoschelus dumosicola (= Schyzoschelus dumosicola var. diversipenis Koch, 1954 syn. nov.) and Schyzoschelus simplicipes (= Schyzoschelus simplicipes willowmorensis Koch, 1954 syn. nov.). Diagnostic features and relations between the genera of the Schyzoschelus generic group are discussed and an identification key to the genera and the species of Heteropsectropus is provided. Ovovivipary is reported for H. difficilis and represents the 15th known case of this mode of reproduction for darkling beetles. The first description of pupal morphology for the subtribe Eurynotina is provided as well as that of the first- and later instar larvae.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4BBC4EBB-C09B-4083-B731-96AB843B4965http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4D466EB6-2F12-4EA2-8D25-8DAA31C86787

Keywords

• Ovovivipary
• female terminalia
• larva
• pupa
• new taxa
• synonymy