Neobaphion planipennis (LeConte, 1866)

Johnston, M. Andrew, Fleming, David, Franz, Nico M. & Smith, Aaron D., 2015, Amphidorini Leconte (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) of Arizona: Keys and Species Accounts, The Coleopterists Bulletin (mo 14) 69, pp. 27-54 : 52

Neobaphion planipennis (LeConte, 1866)

( Fig. 2B )

Eleodes planipennis LeConte, 1866

Diagnosis. Body elongate-oval. Elytral disc distinctly flattened dorsally, rounded laterally without a carina demarking dorsal and lateral aspects, surface finely and muricately tuberculate. Pronotum moderately punctured, anterior angles projected forward, rectangular, posterior margin strongly constricted. Profemora strongly sinuate in apical fifth. Female genitalia with gonostyle reduced, hidden beneath strongly sclerotized coxite that is laterally curled and obliquely oriented posteriorly. Male genitalia rather broad until just before apex, clavae bulbous in distal third before tapering to a point.

Distribution. Coconino, Navajo, Pima, and Cochise Counties, Arizona. New Mexico, Colorado.

Remarks. This species is difficult to separate from members of the Eleodes subgenus Blapylis . Indeed, in his 1909 monograph, Blaisdell placed it into the closely allied subgenus Discogenia LeConte. Aside from the genitalic characters which diagnose this species close to Embaphion , the dorsally flattened elytron is the most reliable external character facilitating separation of this species from Eleodes . Neobaphion planipennis can be found at mid– to high elevation in the southern “sky islands” and the northwestern grasslands of Arizona.

Figures

Fig. 2. Amphidorini species, dorsal habitus. A) Embaphion glabrum, B) Neobaphion planipennis. Scale bars = 1 cm.