Mnioticus COOMBS & WOODROFFE, 1962

Esser, Jens & R, Afrotropical, 2019, Revision of Mnioticus COOMBS & WOODROFFE, 1962 (Coleoptera, Cryptophagidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 51 (2), pp. 915-928 : 916

Characteristics of Mnioticus COOMBS & WOODROFFE, 1962

Mnioticus is lacking typical modifications on pronotum like other genera in Cryptophaginae have: no callosities, no prominent teeth or serrations on sides of pronotum. Only in a few species a micro crenulation is visible, but it is very indistinct and not well developed as usually in Henoticus THOMSON, 1868 ( fig. 16 ). In some Henoticus from high altitudes in East Africa the serrations is quite indistinct ( fig 14, 15 ). Those Henoticus species (with and without membranous wings) are very close to Mnioticus , which are all wingless. LESCHEN (1996) stated Mnioticus species have a ventrite 1 longer than remaining. On the other hand Henoticus have a ventrite 1 equal in length to the remaining. Examining a huge amount of both, Mnioticus and Henoticus shows no distinct difference in ventrite 1. Further LESCHEN (1996: 585-586) separated Mnioticus from Henoticus by lacking a connecting furrow between the basal fovea on pronotum. But all examined species of Mnioticus bearing a furrow like Henoticus. In some cases the separation of the two genera is very indistinct and only based upon the more or less distinct serration of pronotum in Henoticus.

There are three groups of species into Mnioticus :

1. M. jeanneli -group ( jeanneli ( SCOTT, 1936) , kinangopianus nov.sp.): medium sized, dark brown species with pronotum more or less slightly narrowed to base; pubescence indistinct.

2. M. gibbinsi -group ( gibbinsi ( SCOTT, 1936) , hancocki ( SCOTT, 1936) : large sized, dark or pale species with pronotum strongly narrowed to base, sides concave in the posterior part; pubescence short, decumbent and dense; legs and antennae slender.

3. M. rhynchopetali -group ( M. brucei nov.sp., M. gugheanus nov.sp., M. holmi nov.sp., karisimbianus nov.sp., M. rhynchopetali ( SCOTT, 1936) , M. rougemonti ESSER, 2014 , M. ruwenzoriensis nov.sp., M. scotti nom. nov.): small and medium sized species pale, dark, bicoloured or with spots on elytra; sides of pronotum rounded, sometimes strongly narrowed to base and concave in the posterior part; pubescence more distinct, decumbent or partly erected.

Figures

Figs 13-16: (13) Mnioticus brucei nov.sp., holotype, male; (14) Henoticus montanus BRUCE, 1960, Tanzania; (15) Henoticus meruensis BRUCE, 1960, Tanzania; (16) Henoticus pilifer REITTER, 1888, Russia.