Philenis Champion, 1906b: 43

Anzaldo, Salvatore S., 2017, Review of the genera of Conoderinae (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, ZooKeys 683, pp. 51-138 : 92

Philenis Champion, 1906b: 43 Figs 17 , 35 , 53 , 101

Type species.

Philenis flavipes Champion, 1906 [by original designation].

Gender.

Feminine.

Diagnosis.

The short, slender antenna and narrow, acuminate club are given by Champion (1906b: 43) to distinguish the genus from Copturus (= Macrocopturus ), which also separate it from the rest of the genera except for the observed South American specimens of Hypoplagius . Philenis flavipes has an unmodified mesoventrite but P. fuscofemorata Champion, 1906 and three observed undescribed species have a large tubercle at the posterolateral margins of the mesoventrite with the posteromedial margin being strongly depressed (Fig. 17 ). The two described species are easily distinguished for being the only known members of the putative bee mimicry complex ( Hespenheide 1995: 150) with the contrasting yellow and black or brown pattern, but some observed undescribed species are not, with one being a representative of the "red-eyed fly" mimicry complex. The second funicular article is longer than the first, eyes are ovoid and somewhat protruding (Fig. 53 ), and the femora are non-carinate and ventrally toothed.

Notes.

Champion (1906b: 44) notes that the pygidium is slightly exposed in P. flavipes , but all observed specimens of that species have the last abdominal ventrites deflected downwards (i.e. not in their natural position during life) so this character has not been confirmed. Philenis was not moved to Lechriopini by Lyal et al. (2006) despite having some type of modification to the mesoventrite because of a lack of sclerolepidia. The two described species, P. flavipes and P. fuscofemorata , lack sclerolepidia, however, observed specimens of three congeneric undescribed species do have sclerolepidia. The genus is not moved to the Lechriopini here due to the lack of a suitably identified sister genus.

Phylogenetic relationships.

Philenis was regarded by Champion (1906b: 43) to be "closely related to Copturus [= Macrocopturus ] in its restricted sense", but the genus is not very similar in appearance to others in the Lechriopini or Zygopini . Interestingly, both the reported host association and the mesoventrite, which in some species has a deep semicircular depression, are similar to that found in Hoplocopturus and Mnemynurus .

Host associations.

One species has been collected from a "gall on an aroid stem" ( Hespenheide 1995: 150).

Described species.

Two.

Range.

Costa Rica, Panama.

Figures

Figures 10 - 18. Variation in the mesoventrite. 10 Lechriops californicus [ASUHIC 0024146] showing relatively parallel carinae marking the lateral margin of the rostral channel and a closure of the channel on the metaventrite 11 Microzygops nigrofasciatus [ARTSYS 0000797] with tubercles anterior to the mesocoxae and slight, arcuate carinae on the anterior region of the mesoventrite (encircling the central scaled region) 12 Paramnemyne decemcostata [ARTSYS 0000798] showing tuberculate posterolateral margins of the mesoventrite and a transverse carina near the posterior margin of the metaventrite 13 Pseudolechriops klopferi [SSAC 0001060] showing a deep ovoid receptacle on the meso- and metaventrite 14 Turcopus viscivorus [ARTSYS 0000530] showing a receptacle on the mesoventrite with prominently carinate posterior margin 15 Lissoderes subnudus [SSAC 0001066] showing a completely unmodified mesoventrite covered with multifid setae 16 Peltophorus adustus [ASUHIC 0031514] showing a ventrally expanded posterior margin of the mesoventrite to receive the rostrum in repose 17 Philenis fuscofemorata [ARTSYS 0000659] with tubercles at the posterolateral margins of the mesoventrite and a deep depression at the posterior margin in between 18 Philinna bicristata [ARTSYS 0000799] showing slight lamellate processes at the posterolateral margins of the mesoventrite as well as transversely flattened projections behind the procoxae.

Figures 19 - 36. Variation in the metatibial apex. 19 Mesotibial apex of Lechriops vestitus illustrating parts of the tibial apex: a) posterior apical angle with large, curved uncus; b) middle of the apex with produced, rounded inner flange; c) anterior apical margin with premucro; d) oblique ridge of premucro; e) apical setal tuft 20 Male Trichodocerus brevilineatus [ARTSYS 0000609] with a tibial uncus arising at the middle of the apex 21 Cratosomus punctulatus mexicanus [ASUHIC 0031510] with thick fascicles of golden setae near the anterior apical margin and a dense setal brush at the posterior apical face 22 Pseudopiazurus centraliamericanus [ASUHIC 0086627] with a large, subapical premucro 23 Piazurus laetus [SSAC 0001077], showing a typical tibial apex for that genus 24 Acoptus suturalis [ASUHIC 0016915] 25 Cylindrocopturinus pictus [SSAC 0001288] with a pointed, premucro-like inner flange 26 Pseudolechriops klopferi [SSAC 0001060] showing an elongate, uncus-like inner flange. 27 Arachnomorpha circumlineata [ARTSYS 0000535] 28 Archocopturus medeterae [ASUHIC 16884] 29 Cylindrocopturus adspersus [ASUHIC 0016896] with a rounded, produced inner flange 30 Helleriella longicollis [ASUHIC 0065241] with a very short uncus 31 Lissoderes cecropiae [ASUHIC 0064707] with an elongate uncus and minute premucro 32 Phileas granulatus [ARTSYS 0000528] with the middle of the apex (between uncus and premucro) sunken 33 Peltophorus adustus [ASUHIC 0012325] with a short uncus and posterodistal setal comb extending halfway to the base of the tibia 34 Zygops erythropygus [ASUHIC 0086640] with short posterodistal setal comb. 35 Philenis flavipes [ASUHIC 0065102] 36 Philinna bicristata [ARTSYS 0000799] with a small tooth at the anterior apical angle.

Figures 46 - 54. Variation in eye shape. 46 Poecilogaster brevis [ARTSYS 0000805] with relatively vertical, separated eyes 47 Arachnomorpha circumlineata [ARTSYS 0000535] showing subcontiguous eyes separated at the top by a broad interocular space 48 Archocopturus medeterae [ASUHIC 0086637] with subcontiguous eyes separated at the top by a thin lanceolate space 49 Cylindrocopturus quercus [ASUHIC 0016905] with vertical, separated eyes 50 Helleriella longicollis [ASUHIC 0065241] with widely separated eyes and a very thin rostrum 51 Larides cavifrons [ASUHIC 0016882], showing a strongly depressed interocular space 52 Male Lissoderes cecropiae [ASUHIC 0064708] showing oval, subcontiguous eyes and an apical antennal insertion on the rostrum 53 Philenis fuscofemorata [ARTSYS 0000659] showing ovoid eyes and slender antennae 54 Zygopsella ruficauda [ARTSYS 0000526] with a sinuous lateral and mesal margin of the eyes which is strongly inflexed at the lower lateral margin.

Figures 99 - 102. Lateral and dorsal habitus images of Zygopini. Scale bars = 2 mm unless otherwise specified. 99 a-b Peltophorus polymitus suffusus [ASUHIC 0016837]. 100 a-b Phileas granulatus [ARTSYS 0000528]. 101 a-b Philenis flavipes [ASUHIC 0065102]; scale bar for 101 a = 1 mm 102 a-b Zygops vitticollis [ASUHIC 0086634]; scale bar for 102 b = 5 mm.